Indonesia: Independent Journalists Protest Censorship on Banks Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit "Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI)" Sun Nov 16 04:54:32 1997 Protesting the Censorship on the Controversy behind the Liquidation of the 16 Banks --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) is protesting against ABRI's (the Indonesian Armed Forces') attempt to ban Indonesian press from reporting the comments of Bambang Trihatmojo and Probosutedjo on the liquidation of 16 banks. The attempt is executed through ABRI Information Center, on November 4, 1997, by calling the mass media, one by one, concerning an accusation made by Bambang Trihatmojo, President Suharto's third son. He said that behind the decision by the Finance Minister to liquidate 16 banks, there was a political move to corner President Suharto's families and to disrupt the re-election of President Suharto in the People's General Assembly in 1998. Based on Finance Minister Mar'ie Muhammad's decree, dated November 1, 1997, Bambang's Bank Andromeda and Probosutedjo's Bank Jakarta were liquidated together with 14 other banks. Probostutedjo, President's half brother, and Bambang made an open statement that they will bring Mari'e Muhammad to the court in the case of liquidating their banks. On November 4, at the Parliament House, Jakarta, after attending a parliamentary meeting, Bambang told the reporters that there was a political move behind Mari'e's actions. As quoted by Merdeka Daily, Nov. 5, 1997, Bambang said, "I saw it as an attempt to sully our family's name, to topple the Family, indirectly Father, so Father won't be re-elected as the president." Bambang based his accusation on the fact many First Family members are on the list as the owners of some liquidated banks. "The ones on the list are myself, Titiek Prabowo, Probo. Before, it was Tutut [Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana, President's eldest daughter], Tommy [Hutomo Mandala Putra, President's youngest son] and Sudwikatmono [President's cousin]," he said. Moreover, Bambang said he had talked with his siblings about the suspicion, and will face it. "I will face anyone behind Mar'ie," said Bambang, as quoted by Merdeka Daily. According to "SiaR," an Internet-based news bulletin, the night before, around 10 p.m. Jakarta's time, State Secretary Minister Moerdiono, as ordered by the President, called the ABRI Information Center Chief from Kuala Lumpur, and told the Information Center to ban the press from reporting Bambang's talking about the political move. ABRI Information Center carried on the order by calling all of the local media. The phone calls were effective. Almost all local media did not report on Bambang's statements. The exception is some that already printed their editions. That proves how Indonesian government still practice attempts and actions that are against the freedom of press, and deny the public's rights to know. Therefore, AJI declares a protest and calls for everyone, especially the government and ABRI, to stop all kind of censorship, as it is against with the 1945 Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of press, the freedom to obtain and report information and the public's rights to know. Jakarta, November 5, 1997 Lukas Luwarso President Dadang RHs. Secretary Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (The Alliance of Independent Journalists) Office: Jl. PAM Baru Raya No.16, Pejompongan Jakarta Pusat 10210 INDONESIA Tel/Fax: (62-21) 572-7018, E-mail: jurnalis@idola.net.id ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-11.23.97-18:37:16-4296