Protests against press bans take artistic forms

Protests against press bans take artistic forms

JAKARTA (JP): Journalists and employees of three magazines
which were closed down by the government resorted to artistic
expression yesterday to vent their anger, a change of method from
the street protests they held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Hundreds of them turned up at the Taman Ismail Marzuki art and
cultural complex, virtually stealing the limelight of an ongoing
20th anniversary celebration of the Jakarta Art Institute (IKJ).

The protesters sang patriotic songs, read poems and gave hard
hitting speeches denouncing the government's decision to revoke
the publishing licenses of Tempo, Editor and DeTIK.

Around 30 police officers in anti-riot gear were watching the
proceeding from a close distance but as it turned out their
presence was uncalled for as there were no disturbances.

Some intellectuals and celebrities were spotted among the
audience, including Goenawan Mohammad, the former editor-in-chief
of Tempo, Eros Jarot of DeTIK, Arswendo Atmowiloto of the defunct
Monitor, N. Riantiarno of Theater Koma, films stars Christine
Hakim, Slamet Rahardjo and Didi Petet.

Addressing the crowd, senior journalist Aristides Katoppo,
whose newspaper Sinar Harapan was banned in 1986, said, "It's
still a long way to democracy."

In Bandung, the protest spilled into the streets when 40
journalists from various local publications brought a petition to
the West Java legislative council asking them to put pressure on
the central government to lift the ban.

They said the clampdown would only worsen people's ignorance
and taint the image of the government which has encouraged
greater openness.

Police said they would not take any action against the
demonstrators as long as they did not incite violence or insult
officials. "Expressing ideas is not prohibited so long as it's
done in line with the law," Maj. Gen. Koesparmono Irsan, deputy
chief in charge of operational affairs, said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Information Harmoko, who has been the
prime target of the protests, proposed that every one concerned
seek to harmonize their perceptions of the concept of a "free and
responsible press" before discussing the fate of the three
magazines.

Officials have blamed the magazines, and Tempo in particular,
for failing to live up to the responsibility demanded of the
Indonesian press.

"Without all concerned parties having the same perception on
the concept, the ideal free and responsible press will never
materialize," Harmoko said.

The three magazines found support from the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), the smallest of the three political
organizations, which issued a statement on Thursday calling on
the government to allow the three to resume publication.

"PDI feels that the action (ban) does not bode well for an
open political climate, which is indispensable.

PDI legislators Sukowaluyo and B.N. Marbun yesterday said they
will join in future street protests. "We want to prove that the
party's pledge to defend democracy is not mere an empty slogan,"
Sukowaluyo said.

Condemnation also came from a highly respected leader of a
Moslem boarding school in Madura, Alawy Muhammad.

Alawy, who runs a school with 1,800 students, said he had sent
a letter to President Soeharto urging him to rescind the ban.
"Forgiving is a noble deed for a great leader," he said.

The Surabaya Press Club ran a petition signed by journalists
and local intellectuals denouncing the government gag orders and
urging the Indonesian press to join forces and fight until the
magazines resume publication. (18/05/11/bsr/pet/pan)