Fate of `RCTI' crew missing in Aceh remains unclear

Fate of `RCTI' crew missing in Aceh remains unclear

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh

The fate of private television station RCTI journalist Erza
Siregar and cameraman Ferry Santoro remained unclear on Wednesday
with both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and separatist Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) denying responsibility for their disappearance.

Dicky Martiaz of RCTI Jakarta office said his office had tried
to contact some GAM leaders to ask if they knew of the
journalists' whereabouts, but were told that "they (GAM leaders)
too are looking for the missing crew."

Erza and Ferry went missing on the way back to Lhokseumawe
after visiting Langsa in North Aceh on Sunday afternoon.

RCTI Jakarta office had sent letters to security authorities
in Jakarta and Aceh asking for help to search for the
journalists.

"Up until now we have no information about our two crew
members. We have tried to make contact with GAM leaders to
ascertain whether they were aware of the presence of Erza and
Ferry, but they told us that they were also trying to find the
two," Dicky told The Jakarta Post, adding that the effort to
contact GAM rebels was due to rumors that Erza and Ferry had been
kidnapped by the rebels.

"We've been informed by fellow journalists in Aceh that
soldiers stationed in East Aceh have also traced the route where
the RCTI van was believed to have passed before they went
missing," Dicky added.

The Jakarta office sent letters to security authorities on
Wednesday, including the office of Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs, the TNI Headquarters, the
National Police Headquarters, as well as military authorities in
Aceh, requesting help to find the crew members.

Erza, Ferry, their driver, and two local guides left
Lhokseumawe on Sunday morning in a Kijang minivan. Late in the
afternoon, Erza contacted other RCTI journalists informing them
that his team was leaving Langsa and hoped to arrive in
Lhokseumawe by around 8 p.m.

But the team never showed up. They are believed to have
disappeared in the Peureulak district in East Aceh regency.

"We have informed Erza's wife, as well as Ferry's parents,
telling them not to worry. We are all hoping for the best for
Erza and Ferry," Dicky said.

Responding to the disappearance of the RCTI crew, the martial
law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya urged journalists
covering the war in Aceh to coordinate with security officers to
avoid any untoward incidents.

"We are urged to give freedom to the press covering the
military operation here, but for their own security, we (security
officers) also require journalists to maintain coordination with
us," Endang said.

Endang further urged journalists to make daily reports to the
security officers on the location and type of events they wished
to cover.

TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto also expressed a similar
view, asking journalists covering the war in Aceh "to stick to
the TNI".

"It will be difficult for us to protect journalists if they do
not join the TNI embedded program," Endriartono said as quoted by
Antara.