'RI press freedom under threat'

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

In marking World Press Freedom Day on Monday, a press organization noted that the press here is still regarded as "the enemy". Also, it noted that under martial law in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was just as bad as the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police as regards intimidating the media.

Citing at least 41 cases of intimidation against the press across the country over the past year, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) said that press freedom had been threatened by the state, separatist groups, acts of "hoodlumism" as well as lawsuits from powerful people.

Under martial law, which was declared on May 19 last year, the security forces and GAM were involved in 13 cases of pressure, including killings of journalists, the AJI record showed.

All 41 cases "show how the state, the public, and other groups in society consider the press as an enemy, instead of as a partner," AJI chairman Eddy Suprapto said in a statement.

The AJI particularly noted the deaths of Mohammad Jamaluddin (a TVRI television cameraman in Banda Aceh) and Sori Ersa Siregar (a reporter from RCTI television), and the failure to release Ersa's colleague, cameraman Fery Santoro, from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) which is currently holding him. These cases "have torn apart Indonesia's press freedom" Eddy said, while urging Fery's immediate release.

Fery has spent almost 10 months with GAM since the journalists were abducted with their driver and two air force officers' wives on June 29 last year. The government and GAM failed to agree on terms for the release of Fery and dozens of other civilian captives despite the help of the Red Cross at both the local and international levels. The driver escaped when the military wives were being released earlier.

The AJI called on all groups to understand and to respect the work of journalists and to afford them protection while working in conflict areas. The media still faces restrictions in covering Aceh and have been more cautious in sending out journalists since the abduction of Ersa and Fery.

In addition, the AJI urged media companies, journalists, and press organizations to improve their professionalism, otherwise press freedom would not materialize.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) chairman Victor Menayang reminded the public that press freedom was in the interests of all.

"The struggle for press freedom is not only the struggle of media people, but the struggle of the entire people," he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He added that various laws and regulations, including the Constitution and the Press Law, needed to be revised to give more protection to the press.

While saying that legal action was preferable in the event of protests against coverage rather than harassment and violence, AJI noted that the public appeared to have little interest in out-of-court settlements as provided for by the 1999 press law.

Intimidation of the press, May 3, 2003 - May 3, 2004

Perpetrators Physical violence Non-physical Number

Military 1 1 2

Police 7 2 9

Demonstrators 9 7 16

Govt officials 4 1 5

Unknown 1 2 3

Legislators - - -

Political parties 4 2 6

Source: AJI