Harmoko offers a way out for banned magazines

Harmoko offers a way out for banned magazines

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko last night
rejected calls to reverse his decision to ban three news
magazines last week, stressing that the move was legal.

"Out of the question!" Harmoko said, when the press bans were
raised during a hearing with the Commission I of the House of
Representatives (DPR) which deals with the media affairs.

He offered the magazines a respectable way out for all parties
concerned. "We can issue new licenses for them," he said.

Tempo lost its publishing license for its editorial content
while DeTIK and Editor lost theirs because their operations
violated the terms of the licenses. The government said that
repeated warnings were ignored by the magazines.

The long awaited meeting is the first public forum where the
minister explained the government's decision to revoke the
publishing licenses of the three magazines.

Harmoko said the move was legal and consistent with the 1982
Press Law. "It was precisely because the government wants to
enforce the law that the licenses were revoked," he said. He
added that reversing the decisions would be against the law.

The questions came chiefly from representatives of the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction, including Sabam Sirait
and B.N. Marbun. The minority party had spoken out against the
revocation of the licenses.

The minister called for a more effective interaction between
the press, the government and the public, stressing that each one
of them had a role to play.

Harmoko, a former journalist who has been minister of
information since 1983, acknowledged that the press served as a
social control mechanism. "But we need a constructive, and not
destructive, press."

He suggested that anyone who is not happy with the
government's decision could take legal action, pointing to the
state administrative court as one possible recourse.

Elaborating on his offer for new licenses, he proposed
everyone concerned should first strive to harmonize their
understanding of the concept of a free and responsible press.

In the morning, the same commission received representatives
of Tempo and DeTIK, who urged the House to repeal the 1984
government ruling that empowers it to revoke press publishing
licenses.

Goenawan, Eros

Goenawan Mohamad, the director of Tempo, and DeTIK's chief
editor Eros Djarot held a joint audience with the House's
Commission I, led by its chairperson Aisyah Aminy.

The two men found a more receptive audience when they held a
meeting with the PDI faction. Megawati Soekarnoputri, the party's
chairperson, was present.

Goenawan and Eros argued that 1984 decree contradicted the
DPR-enacted Press Law of 1982 which guarantees press freedom.

They argued that the use of the decree, which virtually closed
down the magazines, ran counter to the spirit of openness which
the government and the DPR have been pursuing.

Aisyah said the House could not do much about the
controversial decree. "The authority lies with the court," said
the legislator from the United Development Party (PPP).

During a press conference after the meetings, Goenawan
questioned the government's assessment that his magazine had
threatened the national stability.

"Good stability is built on legal certainty rather than on
use of power," he said. "If the government often uses the axe to
maintain it, it will only spread fear."

Goenawan said he had yet to weigh the possibility of suing the
government at the state administrative court as many had
suggested.

Legislator Sabam shared his reluctance to bring the case to
court. "Apparently, even the government thought about taking the
magazines to court but then decided to simply close the papers,"
Sabam said.

When asked to comment on Harmoko's call for the government,
the press and the public to harmonize their understanding of the
concept of press freedom, Goenawan said there should be dialog
instead of monologue. (pan/hbk/rid/emb)