'ANteve' questioned over GAM interview

JAKARTA (JP): National Police detectives questioned on Wednesday a news manager of private television station ANteve concerning its interview with Tengku Abdulah Syafi'i, commander of the armed wing of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

None of the police officers, including spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar, were willing to comment on the questioning.

In the summons, the police named news manager Bachtiar as a witness in the case, which could fall under the definition of threatening national unity.

Police have named Askarmin Zaini, ANteve chief news editor, as the only suspect so far.

Azkarmin could be charged under Article 64 of Law No. 24 1997 on broadcasting, which carries a maximum sentence of a seven-year jail term or Rp 700 million fine.

The five-minute interview with Syafi'i, who heads AGAM, was aired by the TV station on Aug. 23 in its one-hour newsmagazine show Fakta.

A police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the National Police were "hurt" by the interview because they were unable to locate Syafi'i despite exhaustive efforts.

"Our intelligence officers in Aceh continually report to us that Tengku (Syafi'i) is somewhere in the jungles of Aceh. How reporters actually got to him is still a mystery to us."

The source added that reporters should work closely with police on matters involving wanted individuals.

"Where is the reporters' sense of nationalism?" the senior police officer said.

Speaking after the three-hour questioning, Bachtiar said the broadcast apparently "hurt the sentiments of the Indonesian government.

"As a result, Azkarmin has been declared a suspect in the case," Bachtiar said at the headquarters of the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.

He said the questioning mainly centered on common subjects, such as his personal data.

"It looks like they're not even serious about the whole thing."

Bachtiar was accompanied during the questioning by lawyer Johnson Panjaitan of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association.

"So far, our reporter Agi Aisnani and cameraman M. Achmani who did the interview have not been named suspects. This whole case is outrageous," he added.

Other media

Bachtiar noted that other private TV stations RCTI and SCTV also aired interviews with Syafi'i.

"Even Media Indonesia, Kompas, The Jakarta Post and Asiaweek published interviews with Syafi'i long before us."

Bachtiar said one of the officers conducting the interrogation used a copy of the transcript of the interview with passages highlighted.

"The statements included Syafi'i's reactions, like, 'Why would Aceh want to reach a compromise with Indonesia, when Aceh is not a part of Indonesia?'"

"Or, 'despite Habibie's promises, violence and oppression is still widespread in Aceh, and Army officers exercising the oppression have been promoted as a result'."

Azkarmin, who also attended the news briefing in Pejompongan, said the case was ironic.

"I'm a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) team currently working on the draft bill of the new Press Law. I've been fighting hard against a recommendation of the Armed Forces faction for the bill."

The faction, Azkarmin said, wanted to add an article stating that if broadcast or print news was inaccurate and not balanced, the publisher or TV station could be fined up to Rp 500 million.

The faction did not define the meaning of "accurate and balanced".

Bachtiar said that he advised the interrogating officers to consider the entire Fakta program because it also included an interview with Armed Forces Commander/Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto.

"It was balanced reporting... we waited eight days to get Gen. Wiranto's interview before airing the episode."

Johnson said: "The government wants to try to scare the media through the reach of the National Police instead.

"SCTV and RCTI will be summoned next." (ylt)