Rights body prepares revision for broadcasting bill<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Human rights activists have joined the increasing calls for a
\ncomplete revision of the contentious broadcasting bill, saying
\nthat many articles in the bill are against press freedom and the
\npublic's right to information, as stipulated in the amended 1945
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
Rights activists said here on Thursday they would submit a
\ndraft revision to the House of Representatives (DPR) to enable it
\nto make the necessary revisions before it was endorsed in
\nNovember.<\/p>\n
Member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
\nAchmad Ali confirmed on Thursday that the commission had formed a
\nteam to specifically deal with the matter.<\/p>\n
\"We have agreed to push for revisions to repressive articles
\nin the broadcasting bill. If there is no revision, the public
\nwill not accept it,\" Achmad told The Jakarta Post by phone.<\/p>\n
Achmad was referring to a meeting between rights activists and
\nthe broadcasting community on the bill. The meeting was attended
\nby Komnas HAM chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara and
\ncommission members Mohammad Farid, Chandra Setiawan, Achmad and
\nthe broadcasting community.<\/p>\n
Earlier Abdul Hakim said that the bill ought to adopt articles
\nthat guaranteed protection of human rights.<\/p>\n
Leo Batubara, who spoke at the meeting, meanwhile emphasized
\nthat the government ought to make revisions or delay endorsement
\nof the bill.<\/p>\n
According to Leo, from the Indonesian Press and Broadcasting
\nSociety (MPPI), the government has tried to improve its control
\nover the media through articles in the broadcasting bill.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that there were at least 15 articles from which
\nthe government could intervene in broadcasting affairs.<\/p>\n
He added that the articles were all against article 28 F of
\nthe amended 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
The Constitution states that the right to communicate and the
\nright to seek, obtain, possess, keep, arrange or convey
\ninformation is the right of every citizen.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the government has been trying to use the
\nbroadcasting bill to strengthen its control over the media and to
\nplace limitations on public access to information.<\/p>\n
\"Many articles in the broadcasting bill show the strong
\ndominance of the government,\" Leo told the Post.<\/p>\n
The bill was first deliberated in 2000, but shows no signs of
\nconclusion as of today. The long period of deliberation is mainly
\nblamed on both the government and legislators for ignoring public
\naspirations.<\/p>\n
They not only ignored the aspirations of the people, but were
\nunable to synchronize their own opinions. This caused legislator
\nAstrid Susanto to leave the meeting room, avoiding the working
\nmeeting on Sept. 25 with State Minister for Communications and
\nInformation Syamsul Muarif.<\/p>\n
She and fellow legislators protested against changes made by
\nthe government without consultation.<\/p>\n
Syamsul claimed that the changes were made to accommodate the
\naspirations of the broadcasting community, a statement which was
\nrefuted by Leo.<\/p>\n
Leo acknowledged that there had been some progress on the
\ncontent of the bill, including the government's acceptance of
\ncommunity-based broadcasting stations and limitations on media
\ncross-ownership.<\/p>\n
However, Leo emphasized that the basic content of the bill was
\nan attempt to control the media.<\/p>\n
Besides revision of some repressive articles, Achmad added,
\nthe government and legislators had to drop articles that had been
\nadopted in the Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
He said the broadcasting bill ought not to incorporate
\narticles on pornography and character assassination because they
\nhad been inserted into the Criminal Code. \"Those matters will be
\nhandled by the police. There is no need to insert them into the
\nbroadcasting bill,\" said Achmad.<\/p>\n
--------------------------------------------------------------
\nContentious articles
\n--------------------------------------------------------------
\n- Article 17: regulation on the number and coverage of local,
\nregional and national broadcasting stations and media cross-
\nownership
\n- Article 28: issuance of licenses
\n- Article 29: guidance for broadcasters
\n- Article 30: networking
\n- Article 31: broadcasting equipment
\n- Article 55: appointment of civil servants to launch inquiries
\nand close down broadcasting stations.
\n- Article 61: will be stipulated further in government decree
\n---------------------------------------------------------------<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-body-prepares-revision-for-broadcasting-bill-1447893297",
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