Restrictions put journalists at `grave risk': CPJ

Restrictions put journalists at `grave risk': CPJ

Agence France-Presse, Jakarta

The Indonesian military's attempts to stop reporters quoting
rebel statements in Aceh province put journalists covering the
war there "at grave risk", a New York-based journalists'
organization said Saturday.

"The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the
efforts of Indonesian military authorities in Aceh to control
press coverage of the conflict there," CPJ executive director Ann
Cooper said in a letter to President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

"The policies... put journalists covering the conflict at
grave risk," she said.

The CPJ urged Megawati "to direct military authorities in Aceh
to respect press freedom and immediately cease all efforts to
curb the media."

Martial law administrator in Aceh Major General Endang Suwarya
announced the planned curbs on Tuesday, a day after the military
launched a major military assault to try to wipe out rebels.

"We will bring a halt to the news from the spokesmen of GAM
(Free Aceh Movement) because they are turning the facts upside
down," he said.

He said journalists were free to correct the actions of
security personnel "but there should be no reports from GAM and
reports that praise GAM."

Suwarya said rules on press coverage would soon be issued and
journalists would have to be accredited with the military command
in Aceh. The military has "embedded" some local reporters with
combat units.

The armed forces spokesman in Jakarta, Syafrie Syamsuddin,
said Friday the military would take legal action against media
which carried reports about military excesses which proved to be
false.

The Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists has
protested the curbs, saying reporters need to cover both sides of
the story.

GAM officials and spokesmen have previously been freely quoted
by the local press.

CPJ said military officials have issued warnings to the Aceh-
based daily Serambi Indonesia and a private broadcaster for
carrying reports considered to favor GAM.

A local radio station, Nikoya FM, received a call from someone
claiming to be a GAM commander, threatening that the rebels would
kill a reporter if the station did not start carrying more
balanced news, the CPJ said.