RI journalists go to Middle East

RI journalists go to Middle East

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A number of Indonesian journalists have been sent to the Middle
East to obtain first-hand information on the standoff between
Iraq and the United States, with their employers saying the
decision was taken to produce more balanced reporting on the
crisis.

Of the media interviewed by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, only
Metro TV private channel which will have access to the
battlefront if war does break out on Thursday.

Metro TV news producer Elman Saragih said a reporter and a
cameraman from the TV station had arrived in Baghdad to provide
Indonesian people with live coverage of the war in Iraq.

"We will show how an arrogant state like the U.S. attacks
Iraq. The war will certainly bring misery to Iraqi people," Elman
said.

With war looming, leading morning daily Kompas has placed a
correspondent in Kuwait City, who has been sending news on the
course of the Iraq crisis.

While Kompas is planning to send another reporter to the
Middle East, Surabaya-based daily Jawa Pos and Bandung-based
daily Pikiran Rakyat have sent reporters to Amman.

James Luhulima, Kompas foreign editor, said his office had
assigned reporters to the Middle East to find a different news
angle to that offered by newswire services.

"We all know that almost all the information comes from
Western countries," James said.

Anto Purwanto, a reporter with Jawa Pos daily, who is now in
Amman, said his office was interested in the lives of people in
Jordan and other countries in the face of war in neighboring
Iraq.

"I will observe the situation and try to move as close as
possible to Iraq," Anto told the Post from Amman.

Fellow journalist Budhiana, from Pikiran Rakyat daily, has
also been in Amman to monitor developments in Baghdad.

On the security of their reporters, the media shared a similar
policy of giving their reporters the discretion to decide
whatever steps were needed in the field.

James said that there was no specific order from Kompas to its
reporters in a conflict area like Iraq. "All reporters must make
their own calculations. They should look after themselves," he
added.

Anto, who has been in Amman for nearly two months, said he had
no worries about security in Jordan, which is located between
Iraq and Israel.

"God willing, I am safe here. If the war expands and involves
Israel, I will seek refuge at the Indonesian Embassy here," said
Anto, who had no idea about the readiness of the embassy for
evacuation.

Anto said an estimated 6,000 Indonesian migrants were working
in Jordan. Many others were making a living in Kuwait and in
other Middle East countries.

He added that the embassies of Malaysia and Australia in Amman
had prepared Hercules aircraft to evacuate their respective
citizens, should war break out in Iraq.

Budhiana, meanwhile, said he was in daily contact with the
office in Bandung, West Java, to let them know how he was.

Similar to Anto, Budhiana said his decision to stay in Amman
was because of the city's security and access to information.
"Numerous reporters from around the world are monitoring progress
on the Iraq crisis from here. I hope I am safe here," Budhiana
added.

Both Anto and Budhiana said they had to develop their own
ideas and stories, which would focus on the readiness of the
Indonesian Embassy in evacuating and protecting its citizens.