The Age [Australia], November 26, 2003
Rights body attacks Jakarta on Aceh media curbs
By Matthew Moore
Indonesia Correspondent Jakarta
A US-based human rights group has criticised the Indonesian Government for "a
pervasive pattern of intimidation, abuse and censorship of journalists" it says has
been implemented to stop critical coverage of its war in Aceh.
The Human Rights Watch report also criticises the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that
is fighting the Indonesian army for intimidating journalists, including two it kidnapped
on June 29 and continues to hold captive.
The report, published a week after Jakarta extended martial law in Aceh for a second
six months, said the restrictions on foreign and domestic journalists had stopped
most serious reporting of the conflict.
"These developments have led to limited and skewed coverage of the conflict, with
Indonesia's domestic media under enormous political pressure to censor their
reporting of what is going on in the province."
With access to Aceh province in Sumatra's northern tip denied to almost all
diplomats, international human rights organisations and humanitarian agencies, the
report says it is critical that journalists have enough access to report what is
happening.
But it says regulations restricting foreign journalists and threats against Indonesian
reporters have prevented examination of systematic human rights abuses that were
common in the weeks after martial law was declared in May.
The report rejects the claim by the Indonesian military that the restrictions are
essential to protect journalists, particularly foreigners, several of whom were shot at
earlier this year.
Although Indonesia's press has been very free since the fall of former dictator
Soeharto, the report provides numerous accounts from Indonesian journalists who
have been pressured to tailor their reports to satisfy the military operation.
Copyright © 2002 The Age Company Ltd
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