Rights body meets with journalists' alliance

Rights body meets with journalists' alliance

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights
yesterday met with the representatives of the newly formed
Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).

Commission Secretary General Lopa Baharuddin told the alliance
leaders that they should approach the government for an
endorsement.

Lopa suggested that the organization also hold dialogs with
various parties, including the Press Council.

"It would be a very honorable thing to do if you go to the
government and ask for dialog," he said.

AJI was established last weekend in Sirnagalih, West Java, by
more than 80 journalists from major cities in Java such as
Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

They were journalists who said the Association of Indonesian
Journalists (PWI) failed to protect the interests of its members
when the government banned three magazines, Tempo, Editor and
DeTIK, in June.

In its declaration, the alliance reaffirmed the freedom of
speech, freedom of access to information and freedom of
association as the basic rights of all people.

Commenting on the declaration, Lopa said the Commission and
the AJI have the common objective of improving the condition of
human rights in the country. (rid)