Violence continues threatening the press and journalists in the
Violence continues threatening the press and journalists in the reform era due to the lack of protection of the profession from relevant authorities.
According to data presented by press observer Leo Batubara, violence against press workers has been committed by almost all elements of the society, including security personnel, government officials, legislators or mobs.
From May 1999 to May 2000, common people were in the top rank of the list of elements that exerted violence against the press and journalists. Out of 106 cases reported to the Independent Journalists' Alliance (AJI), 61 involved common people.
Of the 61 cases, 33 were physical abuses and the remaining 28 were verbal threats.
Authorities and legislators were in the second rank with 35 cases recorded with AJI. As many as 24 --14 of physical abuse-- were committed by military and police officials, nine by government officials and two by legislators.
From May 2000 throughout May 2001, authorities and legislators occupied the top rank with 48 cases recorded by AJI. Twelve cases involved police and military officials, three cases by government officials and one by legislators. Common people occupied the second rank with 47 cases.
The tendency continued in 2002, with 38 abuse cases committed by security personnel and legislators. The abuse against press and journalists committed by common people dropped significantly to nine cases only, seven of which were physical abuses.
Police and military officials committed 13 physical abuse, government official three and legislators involved in two physical abuse against press and journalists.
Physical abuse relates to any acts that physically harm journalists and press.
Leo told a discussion on Wednesday that the condition was a result of the ignorant and corrupt governance.
"Press is supposed to acts as a monitor for the corrupt government. But when press publish about irregularities, no law enforcement have been applied by law enforcers. Instead, people tend to be violent against the press which is accused with slander," he said.
Unfortunately, last year only five percent of a total of 65 cases reported to AJI were settled by police.
Didik Supriyanto, a member of the Election Supervisory Board (Panwaslu), said that police have been usually reluctant to investigate violent actions committed by security personnel against journalists and the press.
"It is impossible," he said, without elaborate.
Former deputy attorney general for special crimes Antonius Sujata disclosed that the police have often imposed light charges against those committing violence against journalists.
Even worse, prosecutors usually approved the charges to pass it to court, he said.
"It has been systemic," commented Antonius, who is now the chairman of National Ombudsman Commission.
Spokesman of the National Police headquarters, Insp. Gen. Ahmad Basyir Barmawi, said that it was not easy to judge personal accountability of police officers handling such cases.
"But we always proceed any reports to our institution," he said flatly.
Leo suggested authorities apply available press law to protect freedom of the press in the country.
"Journalists must be treated as a neutral party such as Red Cross members during the war," he said.
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Indonesia revises SARS death report
A Taiwanese thought to be the first person to die from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Indonesia died from a heart attack, the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.
"The autopsy and pathological tests proved that the person died of heart failure," ministry verification team spokesman Sjafii Ahmad said.
"We indeed found an indication of lung infection, but it was related to his heart problem. Actually, before he was suspected of having SARS, he had suffered from a heart problem."
Indonesia had earlier put the 56-year-old businessman among its suspected SARS cases.
The man arrived from Taipei on April 17 and was admitted on April 23 to Husada Hospital in Central Jakarta with a fever and heart problems. The hospital later transferred him to Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital (RSPI) in North Jakarta, where he died one hour after receiving treatment.
Sjafii said the man's body had been cremated.
WHO technical officer in Jakarta, Mark Brooks, confirmed the man was not a SARS victim.
"It's based on the autopsy result, which just came out today," Brooks said, as quoted by AFP, adding it was involved in the examination.
WHO had excluded the man from the list of probable SARS cases. Officially, Indonesia has reported two probable cases.
The first was a Briton who had been treated in RSPI and later discharged as his condition had improved. However, he fled to Hong Kong without informing Indonesia's health authorities.
The second is still being treated in Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatra. His condition is reportedly improving.
On Wednesday, one new potential case was admitted to RSPI.
The Taiwanese government, meanwhile, announced two new SARS deaths, including a 26-year-old Indonesian female contracted to take care of patients in the northern city of Keelung.
Her body would be cremated in 24 hours, a health official told AFP.
WHO's April 29 report on probable global SARS cases showed 5,462 people had been infected, 353 of whom had died.
In Singapore, 201 people have been infected and 24 have died.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said Wednesday that the Singaporean government had been implementing tight measures to curb the spread of SARS, standards beyond those of WHO.
Herman Susanto, a businessman who just arrived from Singapore on Tuesday, told the Post that spread of SARS had slowed in Singapore thanks to the standards.
"The country's government installed temperature scanners in Changi Airport. They also used news media effectively to raise people's awareness of the disease," he said.
Citing an example, he said the Singapore government, using the media, had told people to take care when visiting a particular drugstore and shopping center after a new SARS patient admitted to having visited them.
Another traveler said he was appalled that he was not subjected to any testing at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after arriving from Singapore on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the United States government is donating 5,000 N-95 respirator face masks to help Indonesia combat the spread of SARS.
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Survey: Regional autonomy still shuns public
After three years of implementation, regional autonomy remains a distant ideal as it fails to ensure the balance of power between the local government and the stake holders, according to a recent study.
In its recent Rapid Decentralization Appraisal (IRDA) study, the Asia Foundation revealed limited public participation in the policy making process and its monitoring, hampering public accountability of local governments.
The program was supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Jon Lindborg, acting USAID Mission Director said during the IRDA presentation here on Wednesday that regional autonomy had placed Indonesia at a center of change with huge challenges facing ahead, particularly regarding the country's readiness to provide better services and accommodate public participation.
"Has each individual's voice been accommodated as we believe that all politics start locally," he said.
IRDA revealed that public participation in the policy making in all regions remained low, with the public often becoming spectators in the democratic process.
During the process of policy making, public opinion has often been regarded as a discourse in response to the policy, without any power to affect the process, the report said.
The public has more often utilized informal channels such as dialogs, public hearings and complaint letters through mass media to express support or opposition to a certain policy.
However the local government often prefers formal mechanism to promote public participation through institutional discussion or plenary meeting, which has proven to fail to attract public awareness.
The problem, the survey said, resulted mainly from different perceptions among policy makers and the public on the role of public monitoring of a bylaw implementation.
It is evident in some areas where local officials assume that public participations is not binding and will only be heeded if necessary.
One of a few good examples is the case of Sumbawa in East Nusa Tenggara, where the regional legislature has taken initiatives in inviting public participation in its bylaw drafting.
In 2002, the Sumbawa legislature endorsed a bylaw on forestry by involving participation from the public, non-governmental organizations and labor organization.
The IRDA program proposed several recommendations to boost public participation in the policy making and monitoring in regional administrations.
It suggested that local government actively and intensively hold dialog with the stake holders to build a common frame of mind on accountability and public participation in policy making.
Public awareness of the significance of their participation in a democratic government is also needed to ensure an effective regional development.
The result of the study will submitted by the Asia Foundation to all regional decision makers, according to Hana A. Satriyo, the foundation's senior program officer.
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1,901 illegal RI migrants face deportation from U.S.
NEW YORK, U.S. (JP): A total of 1,901 illegal Indonesian migrants in the United States are facing deportation for failing to present complete immigration documents.
Out of 12,310 Indonesians who have registered at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), 1,901 are currently awaiting their court processes, information chief of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C. Soehardjono Sastromihardjo told Antara on Tuesday, local time.
The INS had summoned them to appear in court, he said.
"I don't know when they will be deported. They must wait for the court's decision, including the 62 Indonesians who are in jail," he said.
The 62 were detained when they appeared at INS offices, but no official explanation has been given as to why they were immediately detained, while others were given a summons to appear in court.
According to immigration lawyers representing several of the migrants, the Indonesians were detained because they had criminal records, which include minor violations such as failing to pay traffic fines.
The Indonesian Embassy and Consulate offices have said they could not do more to help those facing deportation, except to provide them translation services when they appeared in court.
Indonesia is one of 25 predominantly Muslim countries whose male citizens have been required to register with the INS. Men from other countries, mostly Arab and Middle Eastern nations, registered earlier this year.