'RCTI' reporter files complaint

'RCTI' reporter files complaint

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: A reporter of Jakarta-based RCTI television station said the Kendari police seized by force a film on which he had captured a land eviction on March 1.

Paterai Andi Tjulang, the correspondent, told Antara he had written a complaint about the incident to Southeast Sulawesi governor, the minister of home affairs, the National Police chief and the Association of Indonesian Journalists.

Paterai he said he was filming the land eviction in Unaaha, the capital of Kendari regency, on March 1, when police officers on the site snatched the camera off him.

"They took the cassette out and I was detained for three hours at the Unaaha Police Precinct for three hours. They released me and returned the camera, but kept the cassette," he said, adding that the officers simply said they were following orders from the regency chief.

Paterai said he had met with the regency secretary who told him that the administration would replace the cassette with a new one. "I'm insisting on the return of the original cassette because it has a news value," he said.

The regency office declined to comment on the allegation, Antara said. (emb)