Police and the media

Police and the media

Although it is always wise to interpret media polls and
statistics with a good dose of suspicion, poll findings aired by
Jakarta-based television station Metro-TV during the week deserve
our attention.

According to the poll, no less than 79 percent of respondents
are of the opinion that police should clamp down on unruly or
violent street protesters or use "repressive" methods, to quote
the term used by the station, in confronting uncontrollable
demonstrators. Only 16 percent of respondents wanted the
authorities to take a more persuasive approach, while the
remainder were indifferent.

The poll came hot on the heels of Jakarta's bloody clash that
occurred between police and demonstrators on Monday, when
hundreds of anti-American protesters from the Islam Defenders
Front (FPI), the Surakarta Indonesian Islamic Youth Front (FPII),
Laskar Jundullah (God's Army) and the Hizbullah Front vented
their anger over the British-U.S. attacks in Afghanistan in front
of the House of Representatives building in Central Jakarta. The
protesters repeated their earlier demand that Indonesia sever
diplomatic relations with the U.S..

After requests that protesters disband peacefully remained
unheeded, police fired warning shots into the air. As this too
failed to disperse the crowd, officers were forced to try to push
back the protesters with batons, water cannons, tear gas and
blank bullets. One officer reportedly ran into the fleeing crowd
with his motorcycle. Dozens of people were reportedly injured and
12 protesters were arrested.

Worse still, officers also attacked a number of journalists
covering the incident. One television cameraman was reportedly
beaten up and forced to surrender his footage as he was filming a
police officer damaging a car.

Considering all this excessive force on the part of the
police, how are we to explain the public's desire that the
authorities clamp down forcefully on unruly protests? One
explanation that seems to accurately describe the public mood in
Jakarta and in other major cities in the country is that the
average Indonesian has reached his fill of the endless
demonstrations that do nothing but push the country ever closer
to bankruptcy. The point of saturation has been reached.

It is necessary, however, to remind our police officers of
their commitment to reform and transform the National Police from
the military-styled apparatus it was in the past into one that is
fully professional and capable of protecting the people. True, it
is difficult for an ordinary person to control their temper in
the face of insults, obscenities and verbal abuse thrown about by
crass street demonstrators. Nevertheless, doing just that is a
skill that professional riot police officers must somehow learn
to acquire.

As for the media, especially the electronic media, it is
important that they use their newly acquired freedom with good
judgment and wisdom and that they put the picture in proper
perspective. Under present circumstances, it is difficult to
challenge the growing impression among the public that the media
is giving a disproportionate picture of what is actually going on
in Indonesia.

Last but not least, it may be well worth the effort to
investigate speculation of possible "masterminds" manipulating
protests these days. After all, such demonstrations don't just
happen.