Protection for press still poor: Observer

Protection for press still poor: Observer

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian press needs better protection and
more freedom in order to fulfill its role, a discussion concluded
yesterday.

Senior journalists Toety Adhitama and Samuel Pardede,
political observer Abdurrahman Wahid and director-general for
Press and Graphics Development Subrata had different views about
the protection of the press, but agreed to the important role a
free press plays in a democracy.

The discussion was held in the Jakarta office of the United
Nations Information Center (UNIC) in conjunction with World Press
Freedom Day, which falls on May 3. It was attended by
representative of UN Secretary General to the Non-Aligned
Movement Budimir Loncar and dozens of journalists.

Abdurrahman, a leading Moslem scholar and co-founder of the
Forum Demokrasi, said the Indonesian press needs both physical
and legal protection.

"We should expand the corridor for press' movement, as well as
provide clear boundaries about what the press can or can't
cover," he said. Otherwise, the press "will find its own way", he
said.

Press freedom is among several sensitive issues in Indonesia
and often a source of lively debate, with the state frequently
sending messages to the press on acting "responsibly" while the
press demands freedom of speech.

Abdurrahman said the "Indonesian press already has freedom,
though still in a very early stage". He said this freedom is
tainted because it is granted by the government and is not an
intrinsic right.

He said that it has seemed recently that the press has been
able to "print everything," albeit under the condition that its
report does not disturb public order and national stability.

The result is the impression that "we are living in a free
society, but closer looks reveal that there are still many realms
which are off-limits for the press."

Sensitive

In regard to sensitive matters, especially those concerning
the country's constitution, the press is watched very closely and
is reprimanded every time it steps a little out of line, he said.

However, the freedom to express one's opinion is an inherent
part of the freedom of opinion, he said. "If blocked, the press
will somehow find a way to exercise its rights," Abdurrahman
said.

On protection for the press and journalists, Toety held a
different opinion. She said that it is well for the press and
observers to appeal for protection, but the same consideration
should also be given to the society at large.

"Does the press need protection?" she asked. "In my opinion,
it doesn't, at least not yet."

The press here has been complaining about the lack of freedom
or poor treatment by the government, but has failed to consider
the public's opinion or even voice the society's desires, she
said.

"We have been acting as if we, the press, are already good,
wonderful...but in reality, we are not different than (the rest
of) the society," she said. "So what right do we have to go on
complaining?"

"Are we the one who needs protection, or is it the other way
around?" she asked.

Toety delineated a number of roles that the press should play,
including becoming a "mirror of the society", "the protector of
democracy", and to become society's watchdog.

Subrata spoke in a wider context, saying the imbalanced flow
of information between countries is among the major problems
facing the nation's of the world.

The imbalances, which cover human resources, technology and
financial resources, are so pervasive that they directly and
indirectly cause developing countries to be overly dependent on
developed countries.

"You only have to look at our television and other media
reports to see how news from the developed, more technologically
advanced countries dominates the content of our press reports."
(swe)