Introduction
On the eve of Indonesia’s first free elections in more than a generation, government officials eagerly point to the country’s open and virtually unfettered press as one of the major accomplishments of interim President B.J. Habibie’s tenure. With the Indonesian economy still reeling from the Asian economic crisis, unrest simmering in many provinces, and the…
Indonesia’s Press Flourishes Despite Uncertainty
Journalists in Jakarta estimate that 1,000 new publications have sprung up throughout the country since Suharto was forced from office a year ago. While some of them are supported by one or another of the 48 political parties vying in the June 7 elections, many others profess independence and seek readers rather than partisan victories.…
Indonesia’s Press Flourishes Despite Uncertainty
In the run-up to August’s United Nations-sponsored vote on East Timor’s future status, political instability in the territory has escalated dramatically, prompting fears of a full-scale civil war. This grim backdrop is darkened further by the scarcity of independent news and information reaching East Timor’s citizens as they choose whether to accept Indonesia’s offer of…
Indonesia’s Press Strives to Maintain Its Hard-Won FreedomUpcoming Election Tests Government’s Commitment to Media Rights
New York, N.Y., June 2, 1999–The flowering of press freedom in Indonesia in the year since President Suharto was forced from office is one of the few tangible reforms of interim President B. J. Habibie, but also one of the most fragile, says the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in a special report released today…
Southeast Asian Press Group to Monitor Abuses
Thai Newspaper Editor is First Chairman of Regional Free Press AllianceThai Newspaper Editor is First Chairman of Regional Free Press Alliance A senior Thai newspaper editor was named the first chairman of the newly formed Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) on May 22, as the group announced plans to begin monitoring conditions for working journalists…
Enemies of the Press: The 10 Worst Offenders of 1998
On May 3, in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, CPJ announced its annual identification of the top 10 Enemies of the Press worldwide. Those who made the list this year, as in the past, earned the dubious distinction by exhibiting particular zeal for the ruthless suppression of journalists. Gen. Sani Abacha of Nigeria was…