TNI considers dropping libel suit

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) is considering dropping its plan to sue U.S.-based The Washington Post daily provided it writes a letter apologizing to TNI for the use of unverified intelligence reports by its reporters.

Speaking after a meeting with lawyers representing the Post on Tuesday, TNI lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi said that TNI was now seeking a written apology from the Post should it object to demands to publish a front-page apology in several newspapers in the U.S. and Indonesia.

"TNI objects that the Post used intelligence reports without carrying out further investigation. Nevertheless, should the Post object to TNI's demands, we (TNI) simply seek a letter expressing their apology," Trimoelja announced at a joint media conference.

TNI had threatened to file a US$1 billion lawsuit against the Post unless the daily ran a front-page apology in Indonesian and U.S. newspapers over its report that TNI leadership was implicated in killings at Timika, Papua, in August, at which two Americans and one Indonesian were killed.

The story, published on Nov. 3, was written, according to the Post, on information from a "highly reliable source -- a U.S. official -- and an intercept held by Australian intelligence."

According to the story, military top brass, including TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, held a meeting to discuss the attack in an attempt "to discredit the Free Papuan Movement (OPM)."

"In Indonesia, the use of intelligence data in newspaper reports is unusual but in the U.S, which respects press freedom, it is common practice," lawyer representing the Post Todung Mulya Lubis said at the same conference.

Todung and Trimoelja said both parties, "will seek dialog to explore options for a peaceful solution" to the dispute. --JP