PWI clamps down on dissenting members

PWI clamps down on dissenting members

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI)
has called on all its branches to act against members who
challenge its role as the only legal, government-sanctioned
journalist organization.

PWI Chairman Sofyan Lubis asked branch offices throughout the
country to weed out members who don't recognize it as the only
journalist association.

"PWI members who don't recognize the association better
terminate their membership," Sofyan asserted after attending a
celebration of National Press Day in Bali on Tuesday.

"I believe there are dissenting journalists in some PWI
branches," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

The Jakarta PWI branch sacked 13 of its members last week for
challenging it when the government closed down the Tempo, DeTIK
and Editor weeklies last year.

The journalists, along with 50 others, signed the Sirnagalih
Declaration in August that led to the establishment of a rival
organization called the Alliance of Independent Journalists
(AJI).

According to Sofyan, PWI gave the 13 members a six-month
probation period, but said they failed to behave. "So, their
membership was nullified," Sofyan said.

Minister of Information Harmoko threatened on Saturday that
the government would take action against mass media publications
that employ AJI members.

Harmoko reiterated that the press publication permit
stipulates that licensed media should only employ PWI members.

Sofyan alleged that there are several dissenters in Bandung,
Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

He reminded members of the press that the 1969 Information
Ministry Regulation stipulates that every Indonesian journalist
must join a government-sanctioned organization for journalists.

When it was suggested that dissension grew out of
dissatisfaction with the PWI, Sofyan curtly replied, "I don't
know, but the PWI has always tried to correct and improve
itself."

"We (PWI leaders) have visited chief editors, and asked them
why their new reporters are reluctant to join PWI... we asked
them all," he said.

"Sometimes, these new reporters don't know (about the
requirement to join PWI), sometimes they just don't want to
know," he said.

"We'll tell those who don't know," he assured. As for
journalists who "just don't want to know, that's another
problem," he said.

Sofyan also threatened to take harsh action against PWI
members who are involved in the publication of underground media
critical of the government.

Newsletters

Harmoko reiterated on Tuesday the government's determination
to crack down on journalists and activists publishing unlicensed
newsletters. Their number has grown since the closure of the
three weeklies last year.

AJI publishes the Independen monthly, while a number of
outspoken non-governmental organizations, such as Pijar, publish
similar newsletters. Activists and dissenting journalists call
the newsletters "alternative media".

Harmoko insisted that alternative publications are not needed
because the existing mainstream media has been able to
accommodate the thoughts and aspirations developing in society.

"All media in Indonesia must refer to one order only," he
said. "There is no alternative, we must strongly discipline those
who publish unlicensed media," he said.

He acknowledged that underground publishers can always request
a publication permit, but added that he would never grant it to
those who are "cultivating thoughts which are against the state-
ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution." (swe)