Press, journalists still left unprotected
Muninggar Sri Saraswati The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Though violence against journalists is dropping, it continues to hamper journalists in the reform era, observers say.
Data from the Independent Journalists' Alliance (AJI), presented by press observer Leo Batubara, shows that violence against the press is committed by elements of society, including security personnel, government officials, legislators, businesspeople and hired mobs.
Of 106 attacks between May 1999 to May 2000, twenty-four, including 14 physical assaults, involved military or police personnel, nine by government officials and two by legislators.
From May 2000 till May 2001, authorities and legislators were involved in 48 incidents recorded by AJI
For the year of 2002, 38 of 65 abuse cases were committed by security personnel and legislators, including 13 physical attacks by police or military personnel.
Leo said the attacks were the result of ignorance and corruption.
"The press are supposed to monitor the corrupt government. But when the press publish these irregularities, no law enforcement has been applied by law enforcers. Instead, people tend to use violence against the press which is accused of slander," he said.
Last year only five percent of the total 65 cases reported to AJI were settled by police.
Didik Supriyanto, a member of the Election Supervisory Board (Panwaslu), said police were usually reluctant to investigate violence committed by their own.
"It is impossible," he said, without elaborating.
Former deputy attorney general for special crimes Antonius Sujata said that on the rare occasion people were prosecuted and found guilty, sentences were light.
"It has been systemic," said Antonius, now the National Ombudsman Commission chairman.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ahmad Basyir Barmawi said that it was not easy to judge personal accountability of police officers handling such cases.
"But we always follow up any reports," he said.
Leo suggested authorities apply press laws to protect freedom of the press.
"Journalists must be treated as a neutral party such as Red Cross members during the war," he said.