'RI press freedom under threat'

'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