Asia-Pacific Regional Press Freedom Seminar

Country Report - Indonesia

Since the archipelago got its first newspaper, the Dutch language weekly Bataviasche Nouvelles en Politique Raisonnementen (Batavian Political News and Reasoning) on August 7, 1744, not one era in Indonesia's history has ever allowed the opportunity to guarantee press freedom fully. In the past 257 years, there has not been one period of considerable length without government pressure and suppression against the press.

Repressive measures have occurred during the Dutch colonial period up to 1942, and throughout the Japanese military occupation in World War 2 in 1942-45.

The fate of the press remained the same after Indonesia declared independence. In the early years of national freedom, 1945-49, and even in the "liberal democracy" period of 1949-59, press history in Indonesia has been marked by numerous clampdowns.

Observers and writers of press history often tout "the honeymoon of press freedom" between the press and the government during the beginning of the New Order, from October 1965 to January 1974 when the government banned eleven "opposition" newspapers and one newsmagazine.

However, although there was no shutdown for nine years, a reality check revealed a previous blind spot that the government did close 46 left-wing newspapers it believed to be in support of the September 30 Movement putsch (1965) and "those that do not abide to the (1966) press law". The failed coup was blamed on the now banned Indonesian Communist Party.

The banning of the press media during the Soeharto government lasted until June 1994, the year of the last bans of press publications (the weekly news magazines Tempo and Editor and the weekly political tabloid Detik.)

It is only now that, after the fall of President Soeharto on May 21, 1998, Indonesia for the first time has a law that clearly intended to protect freedom of the press. The new (1999) Press Law provides protection against harassment of press freedom, notwithstanding strong criticisms - from some senior journalists - of some of its articles considered as interfering with editorial independence.

The Law stipulates that the press media could be fined up to Rp500 million if they do not pay heed to the rights of reply or if their news reports "do not respect religious norms and public sense of morality and the presumption of innocence." The stipulations are intended to protect the public from possible unfairness or negligence of and resistance from the media.

On the other hand, it also states that imprisonment up to two years or a fine of maximum of Rp500 million is awaiting for "anyone who acts against the law by deliberately taking action which could cause hindrance or obstructing the implementation of those stipulated in the articles 4 (2) and (3)." The two paragraphs state: "(2) Towards the national press there shall be no censorship, banning or prohibition to publish or broadcast. (3) To guarantee press freedom, the national press has the rights to look for, acquire and to disseminate ideas and information."

The initial draft of this bill, submitted by the Department of Information to the parliament (DPR), interpreted the word "press" only for activities of the print media. But the meaning of "press" under this law is extended to include journalistic works and activities of the electronic media, like radio and television, "and all kinds of available channels." Therefore, the protection of press freedom now not only applies to print media, but also to radio and television news broadcasts. Throughout this time, press freedom is not protected in the existing Broadcast Law.

Over the last three years of reformasi we have seen the increase of press publications from almost 300 to between 600 and 700, radio stations from about 800 to more than 1,200, and we will very soon have a dozen of television stations from the current 7 stations. There may be even many, many more regional TV stations in the not-too-far future when we have a new, more liberal Broadcast Law.

However, we are still in need of professional as well as fresh journalists and other staffs to cope with the ever growing number of the mass media, both print and electronic media, across the country.

In proportion to the increased quantity of the mass media, Indonesia is very much lacking in the numbers of journalists and, I assume, also of other staffs. The past statistic showed that we had only 7,000 journalists, who mostly worked in print media. The figure should have increased during reformasi, but not substantially, to approximately 8,000 to 10,000. (Compare, for example, to Germany that has 90,000 journalists including 40,000 freelancers.)

To give you a clearer picture of the lack of journalists in our print media, for instance, the weekly news tabloid Tifa Irian in Jayapura, the provincial capital of Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), has only five editorial staff and reporters including its chief editor. There are even less editors and reporters in several press publications in other provinces.

The survival of freedom of the press (and that of expression) in Indonesia in the future will depend on the level of understanding of the society at large and those in power toward democracy - the one that essentially needs the support of press freedom and free expression.

That is to say that the creation of media laws and regulations which guarantee freedom of the press is not sufficient if it is not accompanied with long-term enlightening educational campaigns in society to convince them that a free press is aimed at the interest of the public in general.

Education of general public: this is what our first independent Press Council is doing in Indonesia. Since the establishment of the Press Council in April 2000, members of the Council have travelled to at least nine out of 30 provincial cities outside Jakarta to propagate the meaning of free press and free expression and how to settle conflicts between society and the pres - by using the rights of reply or going through court of law, but avoiding the use of repressive measures and violence.

Atmakusumah Astraatmadja
Chair, Press Council of Indonesia

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