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)