(AJI/IFEX) – AJI strongly criticises the suggestion made by The East Timor People’s Front (BRTT), who requested that the regional office of the Department of Information prohibit the distribution of four alternative media in East Timor, as reported in the “Voice of East Timor” daily newspaper on 22 June 1999. In an editorial entitled “BRTT […]
(AJI/IFEX) – AJI strongly criticises the suggestion made by The East Timor
People’s Front (BRTT), who requested that the regional office of the
Department of Information prohibit the distribution of four alternative
media in East Timor, as reported in the “Voice of East Timor” daily
newspaper on 22 June 1999. In an editorial entitled “BRTT Writes to the Head
of the East Timor Regional Office of the Department of Information”, it was
reported that a group calling itself the BRTT, under the leadership of
Fransisco Lopes de Carvalho and Salvador J Ximenes Soares, editor-in-chief
of the East Timorese daily “Suara Timor Timur”, made a request to the head
of the East Timor regional office of the Department of Information to ban
the circulation of four alternative media in East Timor, namely: “Talitu”
(possibly referring to Talitakum), “Unidade”, “Avante” and “Tuba”.
AJI rejects all efforts to obstruct the free flow of information. According
to AJI, the stated reason that the four media do not have a licence is not a
valid basis upon which to ban media that have established their place in
society. BRTT’s evaluation that the media are propaganda designed to
undermine the government’s authority is merely an impression – an impression
that must then be tested against the existing yardstick, namely the
Journalistic Code of Ethics.
In this context, AJI hopes that the regional office of the Department of
Information will not heed BRTT’s letter, which clearly denounces press
freedom. In this reform era, obstructing the flow of information is akin to
an undemocratic act. In short, there is no democracy without press freedom.
In addition, the Minister of Information himself, in several discussions,
has agreed to abolish the political SIUPP licence – a licence that,
according to AJI, is used by the New Order as a slashing weapon to kill off
the press. Among the various draft press laws which are currently the topic
of much discussion, including the Department of Information’s own draft law,
not one of these proposes that those operating a publication should have to
apply for a SIUPP. This considered, it is curious that an editor-in-chief,
such as Salvador Ximenes, still reveres this SIUPP.
AJI is appealing to all alternative press workers in particular, and to
journalists in general, to remain independent and fight for press freedom.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
media.
Department of Information ignore this proposal, which is at odds with the
spirit of reform
Appeals To
Yunus Yosfiah
Minister of Information
Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax: 62 21 384 9336“Suara Timor Timur” daily
Dili, East Timor
Fax: +62 390 322 821
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
