Indonesia: Journalists covering East Timor referendum face violence, intimidation
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed by widespread instances of violence and intimidation directed against both foreign and local journalists during the period surrounding the August 30 referendum on the future of East Timor. In the course of the last week alone, CPJ has documented numerous cases in which journalists were singled out for attack. The vast majority of the incidents were apparently committed by pro-Jakarta militias backed by the Indonesian military.
American journalist barred from covering East Timor
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply troubled by the recent deportation of American journalist Amy Goodman, who was stopped at Bali’s Ngurah Rai international airport while en route to East Timor to cover the territory’s August 30 vote on independence. Goodman’s expulsion directly contradicts your administration’s pledges to lift restrictions on foreign journalists, and to ensure that international observers, including media representatives, are allowed free access to East Timor during the historic referendum.
Indonesia: Provincial Editor Attacked
August 12, 1999 His Excellency Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie President, Republic of Indonesia Office of the President Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No. 17 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned over the recent firebomb attack against Sjamsul Kahar, chief editor of the Aceh-based, Indonesian-language daily newspaper Serambi Indonesia and chairman…
Indonesia: Journalist murdered
August 9, 1999 His Excellency Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie President, Republic of Indonesia Office of the President Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No. 17 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely concerned over last week’s brutal murder of Supriadi, a reporter based in Aceh Province who was working for the Indonesian-language…
Contacts
For more information about this report, you may contact: A.Lin Neumann, Asia program consultant, in Bangkok (phone: 66-2-252-3429; e-mail: [email protected]) Kavita Menon, Asia program coordinator, in New York (phone: 212-465-1004 x140; e-mail: [email protected]) Judith Leynse, media relations director, in New York (phone: 212-465-9344 x105; e-mail: [email protected]).
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…
