(AJI/IFEX) – The following is an action alert by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), of which AJI is a member: In a 16 March 2001 letter to President Abdurrahman Wahid, SEAPA’s Jakarta Office expressed deep concern over ongoing pressure exerted on the press by his supporters. On Friday 16 March, thousands of Wahid’s followers […]
(AJI/IFEX) – The following is an action alert by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), of which AJI is a member:
In a 16 March 2001 letter to President Abdurrahman Wahid, SEAPA’s Jakarta Office expressed deep concern over ongoing pressure exerted on the press by his supporters.
On Friday 16 March, thousands of Wahid’s followers seized the Parliament House compound to support him. Unfortunately, they also threatened “to sweep away” all journalists whom they considered to do non-factual reporting. “Let’s look for those journalists who write lies,” yelled the field co-ordinator, who was standing in front of the turtle-shaped parliament building at around 10 a.m. (local time). “Our number is not just a thousand, we are thousands,” said the orator. “Let’s just capture them.”
The president’s supporters targeted journalists because they did not like some media reports that discredited Wahid. Many journalists expressed fear over this incident. None of them entered the crowd, stating that they were afraid of being “swept away.” Some reporters chose to flee the scene, covering their press ID cards and hiding their cameras.
This was not the first time that the presidents supporters have threatened the press. So far in 2001, SEAPA has recorded at least fifteen attacks on Indonesian journalists. Wahid’s supporters rank first among the perpetrators, having committed eight of the attacks, which include threatening, physically assaulting and banning journalists, as well as destroying media offices.
On 18 January, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the president’s Surabaya (East Java) party branch, banned all “Jawa Pos” daily journalists from reporting. Officials believe that the paper reported an incorrect number of protesters at a rally supporting Wahid, which took place in Surabaya on 17 January.
On the same day, in Pekanbaru (Riau), Wahid’s supporters attacked and destroyed the offices of the dailies “Medan Riau” and “Riau Mandiri”. They were objecting to a photograph printed in both papers of an anti-Gus Dur supporter holding a photomontage of a baby with the president’s head on it. For this same reason, followers attacked “Radar Cirebon” offices in Cirebon (West Java).
On 5 February, less than a month after the president took over office, his supporters were at it again. While rallying in Surabaya, in front of the People’s Representative’s offices, they again raised the issue of the press misreporting on the number of protesters. “If any of the press shrunk the actual numbers of our turnout by hundreds of thousands, then we will go to their offices and destroy them,” said an orator.
Two days later, on 7 February, the president’s supporters did not only threaten, but also assaulted journalists. “Tempo” reporter Adi Sutarwiyono and “Radar Surabaya” photographer Mamuk Ismuntoro were doing journalistic work when they were attacked, Radio Suara Surabaya reporter Fajar Arifiyanto had rocks thrown at him, and “Adil” tabloid photographer Kukuh S Wibowo was assaulted while he was taking photographs.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
- condemning his supporters’ violent acts toward the press
- stating that by attacking the press, his supporters are jeopardizing the democracy he is working toward, since the press is the fourth estate of democracy, as well as the legal supremacy for which he strives
- demanding that the president get control over his supporters, in order to prove that he is committed to democracy and legal supremacy
Appeals To
His Excellency Abdurrahman Wahid
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Office of the President
Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No. 17
Central Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 345 2685
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
