IFJ lashes out at RI over lack of press freedom

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)