The reason why press freedom in Indonesia is under
attack is because the government and news organizations often fail to protect
journalists, according to press advocates.
"The government and news companies should be at
the forefront in aiding journalists, not watchdog groups," said Agus
Subidyo, a member of media rights group Press Council.
Agus also lashed out against individuals who attacked
journalists. "If you have a problem with a published work, complain to the
editors. Don't attack journalists. Once an article has been printed, it becomes
a collective work."
For the sake of print media every article that is
published is under the control of the editors not the journalists they just
report and how the general public consumes it is their business but beating up
journalists for their effort is inhumane.
These criticisms fresh on the heels of reports from
watchdog groups that violence against Indonesian journalists is a pressing
issue in the country.
The Legal Aid Center for the Press (LBH Pers) said
that there were 45 cases of physical attacks on reporters so far in 2012. They
added that there were 95 reported incidents of violence in 2011, up from 66 in
2010, most of which remain unresolved.
Similar reports from groups like the Alliance of
Independent Journalists (AJI) and the France-based Reporters Without Borders
presented grim results.
According to Fachry Ali, a political scientist,
violence against journalists is a result of the country's democratization
process.
From his point of view the press gets stronger but
there are always individuals or groups who feel threatened by what they see.
These are the types of people who are not ready to accept democracy and a
free press.
Indonesian press freedom is much better compared to the past, despite the watchdog reports.
During the New Order period, the press went against an organized state. Today
it goes against unorganized individuals," he said.
He added that the press was now on more equal terms
with the state.
"For example, if there was a political issue, whose word does the public trust? Is it the word of politicians or is it the word of a political discussion on TVOne? Of course people trust the word of the media more," Fachry said.
Agus, too, shared Fachry's praise for the way press
freedom has grown and criticized Reporters Without Borders for placing
Indonesia as the third-lowest ranked country in Southeast Asia for press
freedom, just above Laos and Vietnam.
"But from a freedom-from-state-control point of
view, is Malaysia or Singapore freer [than Indonesia]? Obviously not,"
Agus said. "If they're going to evaluate press freedom in this country,
they should also take into account the ways that the press has fought hard to
expose corruption."
