`Can't people be more civilized?'

On Saturday some 200 henchmen attacked the Tempo office in Central Jakarta due to anger over an article in the magazine. This is part of a series of mob attacks on the media that have been reported since 2000. The use of intimidation and violence against members of the press has sparked condemnation from the journalist community. The Jakarta Post asked some people for their opinion in response to the violence.

Wasroni, 67, a refuse recycler residing in Jakarta. His wife and two children live in Pekalongan, Central Java:

I don't like violence against journalists. In my opinion, journalists, in general, are innocent. They just search for information.

I admit that I'm ignorant but I know of many things that are happening in the city and the country because of information provided by the newspaper. I never had a formal education, but I have been learning to read by years of studying the newspaper. How can I understand the recent situation in the country if I don't read newspapers or magazines.

I hope it doesn't sound like nonsense, but truly I respect journalists. I realize that journalists struggle hard to side with homeless people like me. I feel that they often fight for the poor.

Without the press, we would not know how the government performs their daily duties, or how far the government sides with the people.

I'm of the opinion that nobody should assault any journalist for any reason because they are sources of information to the people. I hate such violence.

I remember that Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, told the people to respect journalists. I saw for myself, when a journalist was welcomed in my village and he was carried on people's shoulders. However, former President Soeharto totally changed press freedoms and attitudes toward the press.

Upon observing the Tempo attack, I think the media is not guilty at all. It is the mastermind behind the attack that should be blamed.

I can't see why those protesters were acting that harsh in responding to a story. There must be a more civilized way to reconcile with each other, I think. Why don't they see that the journalists always struggle for the low income people like them?

Katiran, 30, a cigarette vendor that resides in the Roxy area with his fellow vendors. His wife and son live in East Java:

I take pity on the journalists who always do something good for people but yet always become victims of violence.

Personally, I like journalists because they help us a lot by providing useful information.

In my opinion, journalists from all types of media are not guilty, but why are they treated inappropriately by the government apparatus and their angry mobs? They just do their jobs in a professional manner to get information out to the public.

I even feel that the low income people like me should show them deep gratitude because they always fight for poor peoples' interests.

They don't deserve any sort of brutality, I'm sure. Poor journalists!

Johnson Panjaitan, 39, a lawyer for the Indonesian Legal aid and Human Rights Association. He resides in Tangerang, Banten with his wife and son:

I'm very concerned about the recent incidents of brutality against the media.

I think the violence is becoming more systematic. The displeased party will easily threaten or intimidate not only the reporters but also the media company owners.

I think that the rampant violence against journalists is due in large part to impotent law enforcement. The police didn't have the courage or didn't care to take serious measures to stop the recent attack at Tempo magazine.

They are inclined to side with the violators, if I may say. Worse, they even become part of the mob violence, as they frequently have beaten journalists also.

I think the city police are also abused by these uncivilized mobs. I heard that some of the attackers were just mocking the riot police for being impotent, probably because the mob's boss had bribed certain officials.

You can see how the police now have lost their power, credibility and authoritative bearing because they are getting bought off by certain people any time someone with enough money to hire thugs feels insulted.

I'm sure that intimidation and violence against press freedoms will start to destroy democracy and the public's right to information.

I don't see any easy solution to the violence against the press here. Only when the police are free of corrupt officers and the government has the intelligence and the will to stop it, will it get better. There needs to be respect for the existing press freedom in our society.

-- Leo Wahyudi S