'RCTI' coverage

RCTI's Seputar Indonesia news coverage on Feb. 1 has discredited the struggle of the little people for justice. The TV station has shifted the substance of the demand voiced by the little people, with suspicions toward us who accompanied the demonstrators at Bappenas, by saying that they were only used for the popularity of another group (meaning us). An evil accusation.

The interviews broadcast and the themes of the interviews chosen were tendentious. In fact, RCTI also interviewed workers among the demonstrators. These interviews were not aired. What appeared on screen was an interview with a person who did not participate in the demonstration (a busker who joined the demonstration when it was already underway). Neither did RCTI confirm with us. It only showed part of a reply from one of us that "these poor people often come to us for help when there is a problem," an excerpt that is suitable for supporting the engineered scenario used by RCTI.

We appreciate RCTI's investigative reporting technique. But what we saw on Feb. 1 was different. RCTI already had a very deflected framework against the seriousness of the intention and the political awareness of the poor people. RCTI is of the opinion that those who are able to plan and to demonstrate consciously and seriously are students, intellectuals and the like. The poor people are a dumb crowd that can only be instigated and engineered -- an excuse that was used by the New Order for domination and suppression for 32 years. The framework is reflected in the interviews and the editing of the material in the field as shown on TV.

WARDAH HAFIDZ

Urban Poor Consortium

Jakarta