Press freedom still seen as privilege, not right: Expert

Press freedom still seen as privilege, not right: Expert

SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): The freedom of expression that
the contemporary Indonesian press knows is still a privilege
granted by the government, rather than a constitutional right, a
legal expert said yesterday.

Todung Mulya Lubis gave a critical view of press-government
relations, saying that the public have been fooled into thinking
that press freedom existed while actually the threat of bans are
ever present because the laws permit it.

Citing the 1994 banning of several publications, Mulya said
the "dark ages" for the press have been returning to reign. "The
power holders just can't accept a free press," he told The
Jakarta Post.

Three other observers -- communication experts Eduard Depari and
Ashadi Siregar, and sociologist Loekman Sutrisno -- gave similarly
critical views of the government's attitude to the press.

Loekman mentioned press freedom and the democratic political
system in one breath. With a free press and a democratic
political system, he said, the government would succeed in
eliminating corruption.

"Remember, Indonesia is among the most corrupt countries in
the world," he said. "Corrupt officials and thieves of the
state's wealth would think twice (before committing violations)
if the press revealed corruption, while the public would increase
the pressure for a clean government."

"The question is whether the press dares to reveal corruption
cases objectively, free from the pressures of certain political
interests," he said.

Minister of Information Harmoko also shared a thought on the
commemoration of the National Press Day, which is today and
celebrated here. During the event, the Indonesian Journalists
Association (PWI) will also commemorate its 50th anniversary.

He said after a meeting with President Soeharto yesterday that
a journalist's foremost responsibility is toward his own
conscience. "It's their conscience which must dictate their
attitude and writing," he said.

The next responsibilities are toward their publications, while
PWI is responsible for the guidance and development of
journalists, he said.

Harmoko expressed his conviction that the concept of a
crusading or struggling press is still relevant even today,
decades after Indonesia achieved its independence.

"The difference is in the direction of its struggle," he said.
"Then, the press struggled to help achieve independence. Now, it
struggles to develop the nation."

A call for greater freedom for the press was also made by
Eduard Depari. The staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia
and Gadjah Mada University said the freedom is needed for the
press to function as a social control, and so that it can hold
the power holders accountable.

By the year 2020, when the world enters the era of trade
liberalization, Indonesia needs to be able to compete, and to
think and act independently. "An ability to think independently
and critically can only grow if there's freedom of expression,"
he said.

Ashadi again brought up the question of press freedom and how
it hinged on the existence of press publication permits.

In reality, he said, the government has never revoked any
permits for any reasons other than the content or journalistic
work of the publications which it found offensive.

It shows that the permits were used by the authorities in the
Ministry of Information as a means to control the press, he said.

After criticizing the power holders' policy toward the press,
Mulya switched his criticism to the press and said it should
examine itself.

The contemporary press is characterized by a concentration of
ownership and of control in the hands of only a few people, he
said. "The press has become an industry and, as such, its freedom
can be compromised," he said.

Within the context of the press as an industry, he said, "Is
the question of press freedom still relevant?"

After saying that the press' existence is "in danger" because
of the lack of freedom, Mulya Lubis said that there was no reason
for it to stop struggling to achieve its goal. "We have to have
hope and be optimistic," he said. (har/swe)

Editorial -- Page 4

PWI -- Page 7