Restrictions put journalists at `grave risk': CPJ<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian military's attempts to stop reporters quoting
\nrebel statements in Aceh province put journalists covering the
\nwar there \"at grave risk\", a New York-based journalists'
\norganization said Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the
\nefforts of Indonesian military authorities in Aceh to control
\npress coverage of the conflict there,\" CPJ executive director Ann
\nCooper said in a letter to President Megawati Sukarnoputri.<\/p>\n
\"The policies... put journalists covering the conflict at
\ngrave risk,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The CPJ urged Megawati \"to direct military authorities in Aceh
\nto respect press freedom and immediately cease all efforts to
\ncurb the media.\"<\/p>\n
Martial law administrator in Aceh Major General Endang Suwarya
\nannounced the planned curbs on Tuesday, a day after the military
\nlaunched a major military assault to try to wipe out rebels.<\/p>\n
\"We will bring a halt to the news from the spokesmen of GAM
\n(Free Aceh Movement) because they are turning the facts upside
\ndown,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said journalists were free to correct the actions of
\nsecurity personnel \"but there should be no reports from GAM and
\nreports that praise GAM.\"<\/p>\n
Suwarya said rules on press coverage would soon be issued and
\njournalists would have to be accredited with the military command
\nin Aceh. The military has \"embedded\" some local reporters with
\ncombat units.<\/p>\n
The armed forces spokesman in Jakarta, Syafrie Syamsuddin,
\nsaid Friday the military would take legal action against media
\nwhich carried reports about military excesses which proved to be
\nfalse.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists has
\nprotested the curbs, saying reporters need to cover both sides of
\nthe story.<\/p>\n
GAM officials and spokesmen have previously been freely quoted
\nby the local press.<\/p>\n
CPJ said military officials have issued warnings to the Aceh-
\nbased daily Serambi Indonesia and a private broadcaster for
\ncarrying reports considered to favor GAM.<\/p>\n
A local radio station, Nikoya FM, received a call from someone
\nclaiming to be a GAM commander, threatening that the rebels would
\nkill a reporter if the station did not start carrying more
\nbalanced news, the CPJ said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/restrictions-put-journalists-at-grave-risk-cpj-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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