Foreign media descend on troubled city
JAKARTA (JP): The capital, already swamped by students and antigovernment protesters, also dealt with an invasion of another kind -- foreign media bent on landing the scoop on the latest political developments.
Anecdotal evidence and observations of The Jakarta Post found them crowding the city's hotels, whose occupancy rates had plunged to about 30 percent during the economic crisis but soared during the media blitz.
Over the past three weeks, at least 400 foreign journalists were camped in several five-star and smaller hotels, such as the Mandarin Oriental, Sari Pan Pacific, Hotel Mulia Senayan, Gran Melia, Sheraton Media, Cemara Hotel, Ibis, Sabang and Metropolitan Hotel.
Among them were print, radio and television journalists, including photographers and camera crews, from all over the world.
"This is probably the biggest group of foreign journalists after the APEC meeting held here in 1994," A. Seely of the Mandarin Hotel said.
The global television network that always tries to be ahead of the rest, CNN, deployed at least 11 crew members.
A reliable source said reinforcement of the network's existing crew here was needed because of the rapidly changing developments.
Reporters themselves were tight-lipped. "Not at this moment," said one CNN staff member when asked for an interview.
Michael Rastrup Smith of Berlingske Tidente TV of Copenhagen said Indonesia was seldom heard of when he first arrived in Asia nine years ago.
It may have been a case of no news is good news.
"What happens now is that more news is emerging. First the forest fire, the plane crash in Medan, then the SilkAir plane accident, and the latest is the economic turmoil which led to the students' movement. That's why I think Indonesia has become a center of attention now," Smith said.
Most shocking of all was that Soeharto, who had ruled for 32 years with little fanfare, suddenly became the main topic of conversation around the world.
"Soeharto has been leading this country with a low-profile style... so the change here is quite sensational," said the man who also works for TV Asia.
He said he hoped the country could go through a peaceful transition to create a more democratic government.
"The only thing which is quite hard for me is the climate. The people here are very warm and helpful."
John R. Stanmeyer, a photographer from Time magazine, has many memories, not all good, of his short time here.
"Well, I've been here since the Trisakti students' funeral on May 13. My welcome sign was a brick pelted on my head when the riot broke at Citraland Mall," he said.
At last count, Stanmeyer had lost four of his cellular phones.
"Some of my friends here also lost their phones, wallets or other valuable belongings."
He was also roughed up by some people -- "probably secret police" -- who tried to take away his film and pushed him down an alley.
"They brought me to a police station. I kept saying 'no, no, get away from me' and I told them I had a driver nearby. Luckily I could get rid of them," he said.
Everything paled compared to seeing his local driver beaten in front of him when they tried to pass a military post near Glodok, West Jakarta.
"They (the officers) asked us to turn around. When we did that, they suddenly punched my driver's face over and over again. The officers were yelling and laughing. That's crazy..
"I kept saying 'stop it... stupid... why are you beating him? He did not do anything wrong.' But anyway, we went through the blockade."
Worst experience?
"Well, I was trapped on a 20-story hotel roof in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, when the looting and burning started. It was totally dark, the next door building was on fire and we broke the roof key... luckily we survived the incident after climbing down the building," he said.
"But I love it... the picture... the moment, the people. It is certainly a great moment."
Lim Heung Sick of Korea's Munwha Broadcasting Corporation said his trip to Jakarta was full of color and funny experiences.
"When I came here last Thursday, there was a road blockade. I was forced to take a motorbike or taxi... but at first I didn't understand why my local guide kept saying 'Korea,'
"It turns out that he was afraid that the mob would attack us because we looked Chinese."
Worldwide Television News (WTN) sent at least seven crew members to cover the turmoil.
Producers Tim Irwin said he was surprised Soeharto resigned "in an orderly way".
"But this is quite good for the people. I have to say that this is far from what I expected."
Darren Conway of BBC recounted a near mugging in the House of Representatives.
"A man tried to grab my cellular phone but I pushed him away, The phone fell but he did not get away with it."
Most of the foreign crews have already started to pack their bags as the action dies down. They gathered for a farewell party on Friday night.
"Maybe it is a little bit turbulent, but we hope for the best for the country," one of the departing journalists said. (edt)