Truth becomes casualty of war as military restricts media

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Truth risks becoming another casualty in the conflict in Aceh after the military ruler instructed the media not to print statements from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members.

Media groups quickly raised strong objections to the new guideline on Wednesday, branding it news censorship, and a violation of a journalist's basic principle of covering both sides.

In its statement, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) said the military's main duties in Aceh were to restore order, protect Aceh civilians and assist the local administration, instead of controlling journalists.

"Just because a journalist quotes GAM leaders does not mean that person is promoting GAM. The media is required to cover both sides, which is in accordance with the principle of balanced reports," the statement said.

Agus Sudibyo, the Institute for the Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI) coordinator for public policy freedom mediation, said the censorship revealed the military's arrogance.

"This is not about taking sides with a certain party. But the issue is that the media must give the same coverage to each of the conflicting parties. That is what we call fair coverage," he told the Post.

AJI and ISAI were responding to Aceh military ruler Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya, who said the restriction was aimed at preventing the media from reporting statements made by GAM leaders.

"I want all news published to uphold the spirit of nationalism. Put the interests of the unitary state of Indonesia first. Don't give statements from GAM any credence as they are made without facts and evidence," he explained.

As the administrator of martial law, Endang has the authority to impose a complete news blackout according to the Law No. 23/1959 on emergencies.

Aceh-based daily newspaper Serambi Indonesia was the first to be scolded for its coverage.

Reporters from private television channel Metro TV have also been given a firm tongue-lashing from the military at the central command in Lhokseumawe because of their footage displaying a group of people wearing GAM symbols who were helping local residents extinguish a fire at a school in Bireuen.

"The officer spent almost two hours laying into us and threatened to expel us from Aceh if we continued airing such footage," one of the reporters said.

AJI demanded that the military drop rulings that would create difficulties or endanger journalists in the conflict area.

"The media's credibility and journalists' safety in conflict areas can only be guaranteed if there is fair and partial coverage, not one-sided propagation," it said.

Citing the 1949 Geneva Convention, the alliance urged both the warring parties to protect journalists and consider the press as civilians who shall not be attacked during war time.

Agus also criticized the military's decision to embed a group of journalists with its troops in Aceh, effectively restricting their perspective.

"Their argument that the media must produce reports in favor of the unitary Republic of Indonesia is absolutely unacceptable. It definitely goes against the public's right to truthful information," he asserted.

TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that, so far, the military had no plans to completely restrict the press, but insisted that there was no need to interview GAM in order to cover both sides.

"Of course we acknowledge the principle of covering both sides, but it must be conducted in a way that supports the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia," Sjafrie instructed.