IFJ lashes out at RI over lack of press freedom

JAKARTA (JP): President of the International Federation of Journalists, Jens Linde, said yesterday that sparse freedom of expression remains a major obstruction to Indonesian journalism.

Linde said the government's control over mass media made it difficult for Indonesian journalists to stay independent.

"We find it appalling that the government of Indonesia do not recognize the value to have such independent organizations (journalists' unions)," Linde told reporters.

He said that independent organizations and a free media stimulate democracy. "It benefits the people and the government to know what the people are thinking about. Otherwise, you cannot develop democracy."

Linde was in town to attend a three-day seminar, entitled Open Skies Policy: Towards an Open Society, the Challenge of Public Broadcasting in Asia, which was organized by the Indonesian Institute for Press Studies, the unrecognized Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the International Federation of Journalists.

The speakers at the seminar included the chairman of the 30 million-member Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, Krishna Sen of Australia's Murdoch University, and Iain Simpson from BBC in Singapore.

Linde said the basic function of journalists was to give society information. For instance, to tell people about the parties running for elections.

"They have got to have the information how things run... Only by that you can have a real democracy and sound elections," he said.

Linde said he was sorry that AJI members were imprisoned: "Its not only that they have tried to silence the voice of four journalists, it is in fact that they have put a very black stamp on the democracy of Indonesia... And I don't think that is how Indonesia really wants to be known of in the international world."

He urged the government and the House of Representatives to give more freedom to Indonesian journalists so that all kinds of media could exist.

The federation is not going to dictate what Indonesia should do, "We just ask Indonesia to live up to the international standard ...," he said.

Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, said national interests play a great role in the Indonesian media.

Local television stations refrain from airing programs they think the government will condemn as hurting national interests. This is why the media cannot express opinions, especially on political or other sensitive issues, such as religion, he said.

AJI's chairman, Santoso, protested the government's refusal to issue visas to four foreigners which it had invited to the seminar. They were from Fiji, India, Mongolia and Sri Lanka.

Today, the seminar will feature Peter Gontha of the Bimantara Citra Group and Jonathan Parapak, secretary-general of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication. (31)