Authorities were called out for their failure to properly investigate previous attacks against the news outlet.
This statement was originally published on advox.globalvoices.org on 24 October 2024.
The editor said a bomb was also placed near his house in 2023.
A Molotov bomb was thrown outside the office of Papua-based media outlet Jujur Bicara, popularly known as Jubi, an act that was quickly denounced by media and human rights groups as an attack on press freedom in Indonesia.
The bomb damaged two cars before Jubi staff were able to extinguish the fire. This is not the first attack that targeted Jubi. In 2023, Jubi editor Victor Mambor filed a police report after a bomb was placed near his house. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote about the series of attacks against him which he believes were all connected to his work as a journalist.
First, they broke the brakes on my car and almost drove me off the road on my way to work. Second, they vandalized my car and scrawled all over it. My windshield was damaged and had to be replaced. Third, they terrorized me by placing a homemade bomb next to my house. The bomb exploded but there was no damage or casualties. And few days ago, they threw Molotov cocktails at my office. Two cars were burnt and damaged. What will they do next?
Authorities were called out for their failure to properly investigate these previous attacks.
Jubi is known for its critical reporting on Papua, an island that has been fighting to gain independence since the Indonesian government annexed it in 1963. The Indonesian government has been accused of perpetuating racism in Papua, violently oppressing the Indigenous people there, and suppressing media coverage that highlights its abuses.
Jubi has reported on numerous controversial topics, including the impact of large-scale projects on the local population and the human rights abuses perpetrated against Indigenous communities. Journalists and foreign institutions also cannot easily enter Papua, which makes the work of independent media outlets like Jubi important in promoting access to credible information.
In another post on X, Mambor uploaded a video of the attack:
Media and civil society groups were quick to condemn the attack on Jubi. The Media and Creative Industry Workers Union for Democracy described it as an “irresponsible act” and added that “this act will not discourage journalistic work that sides with the truth.”
The Alliance of Independent Journalists emphasized that “it is critical to ensure that the media can operate without fear of retribution.”
Chanry Suripatty, coordinator of the Papua-Maluku Indonesian Television Journalist Association, said in a statement that the attack further undermines press freedom and democracy in Papua:
Attacks on the media cannot be taken lightly. This is not only a physical threat, but also a direct attack on press freedom, and democracy in the land of Papua.
We suspect this is a systematic effort to curb press freedom and democracy in the land of Papua. If press freedom continues to be intimidated, what is at stake is not only the right of journalists, but also the public’s right to obtain information that is truthful, and balanced.
Father Bernard Baru, an Augustinian Catholic priest and activist, highlighted the impact of the attack on the work of the local media. He also noted that the attack took place a few days before the inauguration of Indonesia’s new government headed by Prabowo Subianto, a former military official accused of committing human rights abuses during the Suharto regime.
Papuans rely on media like this to convey their voices to outsiders.
This is an attempt to scare journalists.
Gustaf Kawer, director of the Papua Human Rights Lawyers Association, urged authorities to arrest those responsible for the attack:
If left unsolved, the public will wonder who is behind it. Are they outsiders or part of the authorities? I believe it is essential to clarify the perpetrators to prevent future incidents and ensure that the press can operate freely.
The Merdeka West Papua Support Network expressed solidarity with Jubi and other journalists who continue to report about the situation in Papua:
We stand with Jubi and Mambor and all the journalists braving the most dangerous situation for the press and democracy in West Papua. The Indonesian government maintains its ban on United Nations officials and journalists to enter and report inside West Papua.
These violent assaults are nothing but utmost desperation to sow fear and intimidation from those in power to expose the reality in West Papua, and silence and vilify any efforts to amplify the West Papuan’s call, Papua Merdeka! [Free Papua!]
Written by Mong Palatino
