Journalists protest against violence

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Around 120 reporters from various media based in the North Sumatra capital of Medan marched to the provincial legislative council on Monday to protest against violence committed by members of a youth organization.

The reporters, under the group title Press Solidarity against Violence, waved scores of banners reading, among other things, Use Rights to Reply Peacefully, not Violently.

The protest was a reaction against violence committed by members of Communication Forum for Children of Retired Armed Forces Officers (FKPPI).

On Saturday some 150 members of the North Sumatra branch of FKPPI ransacked the editorial office of the Waspada daily and attacked a member of the editorial staff, following a report on an attack of the organization chairman.

The journalists of five different journalist organizations said they objected to the violence committed by the youth organization. The journalists also demanded that the police take legal steps against members of the organization, who were involved in the action.

"Whatever their reasons, destroying the Waspada editorial office and beating up one of the editorial members is against the law. Violence is being used to terrorize the press," said Choking Susilo Sakeh, chairman of the Medan branch of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).

Chairman of Commission V of the legislature Hanif Ray who received the protesting journalists said that such action by the organization could not be condoned. (39/sur)