Tuesday, May 26, 2015

1) Foreign journalists in Papua must abide by Indonesian laws: Minister

2) RI should not be wary of  foreign journalists: Expert 


3) President Jokowi to monitor Papua`s development: Chief Minister

4) Jokowi to regularly visit  Papua
5) Journalism education crucial for Papuans: Indonesian Press Council
6) Widowo relaxes security measures in Papua, announces pardon for political prisoners

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/99064/foreign-journalists-in-papua-must-abide-by-indonesian-laws-minister

1) Foreign journalists in Papua must abide by Indonesian laws: Minister

Selasa, 26 Mei 2015 20:21 WIB | 635 Views
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno asserted that foreign journalists who wish to cover Papua should abide by the laws of Indonesia.

"As a sovereign country, Indonesia has laws and territorial sovereignty. Foreign journalists should abide by the rules that apply in Indonesia," Purdijatno said at a seminar on "Providing Open Access to Papua for Foreign Journalists" here on Tuesday.

The minister remarked that providing open access to journalists to enter Papua was a strategic policy and that it will help to establish a positive image of Indonesia in the international community.

"It can change the idea the international community has of Papua. The message that violence and violations of human rights do not happen in Papua can be disseminated," Purdijatno pointed out.

In addition, he believes that there are parties who deliver negative information about human rights violations in Papua.

Therefore, any foreign journalists wanting to cover Papua must follow legal procedures such as immigration laws.

Foreign journalists intending to report on Papua are required to fill out permission request forms and submit a letter of assignment from their respective media houses.

Purdijatno also explained that clearance house was essentially to preserve national interests and national sovereignty.

"For a while, the term "clearance house" was renamed to the foreign monitoring team of Indonesia that had the same duties and functions," he added.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo had ordered the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police to stop using repressive security approaches in Papua. The president also stressed on the need to engage in a dialogue with Papuan people as one of the key measures to build mutual trust.

With regard to providing open access to foreign journalists and international organizations to enter Papua and West Papua, Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Tantowi Yahya lauded the governments step to resolve the problems occurring in Papua.

"It is a good motive to handle the problems in Papua," he said.

Moreover, Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Mahfudz Siddiq stated that the TNI should not be provoked by the OPM that challenges it to wage a war.

"The TNI must promote smart power through the optimization of intelligence operations in handling the OPM," Siddiq remarked here on Monday.

Siddiq pointed out that the Indonesian government should pay serious attention to the region, which is prone to political and military conflicts.

He strongly believes that the OPM wants to incite the Indonesian government into using hard power to handle the separatist movement.

"Because the OPM will take a lot of advantage," he noted.

Siddiq emphasized that the problems in Papua cannot be separated from the interests of foreign actors.

Therefore, he called on the Indonesian government and the TNI to not be provoked by the OPM.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
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2) RI should not be wary of  foreign journalists: Expert 
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Tue, May 26 2015, 4:52 PM -


An international law expert with the University of Indonesia, Hikmahanto Juwana, is calling on all elements within society not to be wary of foreign journalists, especially those assigned to report on Papua and West Papua.
“Both local and foreign journalists work to get news stories. It doesn’t matter as long as journalists and media outlets have professional attitudes and are balanced [in their reporting],” he said as quoted by Antara news agency in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Hikmahanto said foreign journalists’ access to Papua had been enthusiastically welcomed by international media outlets because they could now get information directly from primary sources.
Therefore, he said, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to open access to Papua for foreign journalists had positive impacts on Indonesia. It was hoped that such appreciation from the international community could help eliminate negative perceptions of Indonesia, especially regarding Papua-related issues.
Hikmahanto said, however, that foreign journalists who wanted to report on Indonesia, including Papua, must follow the prevailing codes of ethics and journalistic principles in Indonesia.
“There should not be any discrimination. Foreign journalists and media outlets are subject to sanctions from the Indonesian Press Council if found guilty of violating the Journalistic Code of Ethics. It doesn’t mean that because they are foreign journalists, they should get special treatment,” said Hikmahanto.
On May 10, President Jokowi announced the revocation of restrictions on foreign journalists entering Papua. Indonesia had long taken a cautious approach toward foreign journalists wanting to enter the territory.
In 2014, two French journalists, Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat, were arrested and jailed for entering and reporting on Papua without permits. The journalists were caught trying to make a documentary on the Papuan separatist movement. (ebf)(++++)

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/99066/president-jokowi-to-monitor-papuas-development-chief-minister

3) President Jokowi to monitor Papua`s development: Chief Minister

Selasa, 26 Mei 2015 20:31 WIB | 494 Views
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has pledged his commitment to monitor the development in Papua and West Papua provinces, Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno stated here on Tuesday.

"The president has decided to visit Papua once in three or four months to monitor the progress of development in Papua," he noted at a national seminar on Papua openness for foreign journalists organized by LKBN Antara news agency.

Tedjo remarked that the cabinet ministers had also committed to visit Papua.

He pointed out that one of the governments commitments to develop Papua was to specifically allocate funds in the national budget for the region.

Tedjo condemned those who consider that Jakarta has so far only tapped Papuas resources.

"Indeed, Papua contributes a total of Rp10 trillion in funds to the budget. However, a total of Rp35 trillion has also been allocated in the budget for Papua. So, actually, we have paid "excess," but so far, only the Rp10 trillion has been highlighted," he affirmed.

Minister Tedjo stated that several efforts have been undertaken to accelerate development in Papua, but so far, they have never been widely reported in the media.

Foreign media have reported more about the conflicts and human rights issues in Papua, he remarked.

"Violent incidents in Papua are not different from those found in other places involving two sides and not only the security forces," he pointed out.

Minister Tedjo affirmed that the government has reached out to all parties in Papua to accelerate development in the city and now refers to the Free Papua Movement as the Organization for Papua "Membangun" (development).

Tedjo was the key speaker at the seminar that also featured other speakers such as Head of the Papua Parliamentary Caucus Paskalis Kossay, member of the Press Council I Made Ray Kusuma Wijaya, and international law expert from state University of Indonesia Prof. Hikmahanto Juwana.

(Reporting by Dewanto Samodro/T.D018/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
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4) Jokowi to regularly visit  Papua
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Tue, May 26 2015, 8:20 PM -  
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has pledged a commitment to monitoring the development in Papua and West Papua provinces, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said on Tuesday.
"The President has decided to visit Papua once every three or four months to monitor the progress of development," he said, adding that Cabinet ministers had also committed to visiting the easternmost region, where rights violations are common.
He said one of the government's commitments to developing Papua was to allocate funds in the national budget for the resource-rich region.
Tedjo condemned those who said Jakarta had so far only tapped Papua's resources. "Indeed, Papua contributes a total of Rp 10 trillion (US$757 million) in funds to the budget. However, a total of Rp 35 trillion has also been allocated in the budget for Papua. So, actually, we have paid 'excess'. But so far, only the Rp 10 trillion has been highlighted," he said.
The minister added that several efforts had been undertaken to accelerate development in Papua, but had yet to be widely reported in the media. (++++)
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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/99065/journalism-education-crucial-for-papuans-indonesian-press-council

5) Journalism education crucial for Papuans: Indonesian Press Council

Selasa, 26 Mei 2015 20:26 WIB | 514 Views

T
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Journalism education is important for Papuans, now that foreign journalists and international organizations have been given open access to Papua and West Papua, the Indonesian Press Council said.

"It is important to ensure that Papuan people are educated about ways to defend their rights from unbalanced news," a member of the Indonesian Press Council, I Made Ray Karuna Wijaya, said after speaking at a seminar on "Opening Access to Journalists to Enter Papua" here on Tuesday.

Wijaya wants Papuan people to be able to report directly to the press council if they are harmed by foreign and national media.

In addition, Papuan people must also be aware that they have the right to contact the media directly.

"Everyone has the right to hold a dialogue with the media, from the head of the region to government officials, tribe leaders and community members," he affirmed.

The Indonesian Press Council itself refused to bring the issue of unbalanced reporting to the criminal realm. The agency encouraged people to act in accordance with Law Number 40 of 1999 on the press and journalistic code of ethics.

"We have to put forward the right of reply and correction," he stated.

Therefore, Wijaya urged national and foreign journalists who wish to cover Papua to be mature.

"Journalists in all countries follow the same code of ethics," he emphasized.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo had ordered the TNI and the National Police to stop using repressive security approaches in Papua. The president also stressed on the need to engage in a dialogue with Papuan people as one of the key measures to build mutual trust.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/A014)


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05/26/2015
INDONESIA
6) Widowo relaxes security measures in Papua, announces pardon for political prisoners
by Mathias Hariyadi
Journalists, especially foreign ones, will be able to visit Indonesia’s easternmost provinces, a decision initially opposed by the country’s military and police. The Indonesian president also expressed his intention to pardon political prisoners. However, most are refusing, calling instead for an amnesty.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – In a surprise move during a visit to Papua, a province rich in oil and minerals in the eastern part of the country, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has decided to relax security measures for foreign journalists. In addition, he has offered a general pardon for all local political prisoners, who may soon be released.

President Widodo is currently on his first official visit to Papua and West Papua provinces. As part of his trip, he has relaxed security measures in the territory, a decision initially resisted by the Indonesian military and police.
Journalists, including foreign ones, will be allowed to visit and report from the provinces. Until now, the authorities exerted strict controls on media coverage in the territory.
National Security Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno announced that the president was also considering a pardon for all Papuan political prisoners. The president “wants to free all of them,” the minister said.
However, to benefit from a presidential pardon political prisoners must admit to the crimes for which they were convicted, a condition few plan to accept. Most reject Widowo’s proposal.

According to Minister Purdijatno, most Papuan political prisoners want parliament to approve an amnesty bill.
For National Papua Solidarity, a pro-Papuan activist group, “Amnesty is the most effective option to gain the heart and mind of Papuans”.
In 2001, Indonesian authorities granted the area "special autonomy". However, it was never implemented and the indigenous people continue to denounce "unfair treatment."
The province was the scene of a military campaign under Sukarno before it was formally annexed in 1969 following a UN decision to grant the former Dutch colony in trusteeship to Indonesia.
Suharto’s dictatorial regime (1967-1998) and the massive invasion by foreign and Indonesian companies fuelled the emergence and growth of a Papua nationalist movement.
Former President Abdurrahman Wahid chose the area’s current names in 2002.
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