AJI marks 10 years of campaigning for press freedom

Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bali Corruption Watch chairman Putu Wiratha and a group of journalists who helped release RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro won awards from the Independent Journalist Association (AJI) for their contribution to press freedom on Saturday.

The award presentation marked the 10th anniversary of the association which, in its first five years, represented the press's struggle against an authoritarian regime.

Wiratha received this year's non-journalist category Suardi Tasrif Award for his courage in blowing the whistle on corruption involving Bali provincial councillors earlier this year.

Imam Wahyudi and Munir of RCTI, Husni Arifin of Republika daily, AJI secretary general Nezar Patria, who is also a Tempo weekly reporter and The Jakarta Post's Nani Afrida jointly won the journalist category Udin Award for their work that helped Fery walk to freedom after 10 months of captivity by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.

Fery was present at the commemoration at a five-star hotel in Central Jakarta, which was also attended by International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) president Christopher Warren, Taiwan Journalist Association chairman Gwo Hwa Ho, Korean Journalist Association chairman Lee Sang-ki, activist Azas Tigor Nainggolan and politician Eros Djarot.

AJI president Eddy Suprapto said in his speech that the association would continue to strive for professionalism, which he said was the only way to preserve freedom of expression.

Eddy expressed concerns that despite the reform era, law enforcers had resorted to using the draconian colonial-era Criminal Code in dealing with disputes between the press and certain politicians or businesspeople. Media observers have suggested that the Press Law is the only thing that should be used whenever a dispute arises.

"Law enforcers are continuing to use the Criminal Code as their basis to fight the media," he said.

Earlier this week, President Megawati Soekarnoputri told the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) members she would not impose any new restrictions on the country's press.

As part of its effort to maintain freedom of expression, AJI is drawing up a Code of Conduct and a Code of Practice for print media and a Code of Programming for electronic broadcasters.