Local governor fails to attend new PWI congress

SEMARANG (JP): The opening ceremony of the congress of PWI Reformasi, a splinter group of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), was held on Wednesday outside the building designated to host the ceremony following a local government ban.

A letter dated March 21, 2000 and signed by Central Java Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs Achmad said the association was prohibited from using the Grhadhika Bhakti Praja building for the opening ceremony of the scheduled three-day congress.

Governor Mardiyanto failed to attend the function, where he was expected to deliver a speech. No local government officials turned up.

Mardiyanto told the organizers in a letter he would be officiating at a ceremony to install the new Purbalingga regent on Wednesday.

The building, owned by the local administration, was locked. But the ceremony went ahead, attended by some 100 participants representing 26 provinces.

Coordinator of the group Budiman Hartojo said in his speech that he regretted Mardiyanto's policy, saying the governor did not recognize the 1999 Press Law which allows journalists to form organizations under any name.

"I hope the governor can act impartially and avoid giving preference to a certain journalists association," Budiman said.

Committee chairman Kastoyo Ramelan said organizers of the congress would invite Mardiyanto to Bandungan, a hilly tourist resort south of here were the main congress will be held, to explain his policy.

Kastoyo blamed Mardiyanto's failure to open the congress on miscommunication between the organizers and the governor.

"He (Mardiyanto) accepted our invitation and gave us permission to use the building, but the time was too short for him to arrange everything we needed," Kastoyo said.

As a result of the ban, the organizers moved back a discussion on the national press to Thursday. Journalist and politician Eros Djarot, artist Setiawan Djody, noted poet W.S. Rendra and mass communication observer Darmanto Jatman are expected to speak at the discussion. President Abdurrahman Wahid has also been invited.

The association's first chairperson will be elected at the congress on Friday. (har)