The Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu – IST
Jakarta, Jubi – The Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu said the government’s policy of allowing foreign journalists to Papua should prompt an increase in awareness of any violations by foreign journalists in Papua.
“If they started a provocation, just expel them! No need to bother. Because sedition is regulated by law,” Ryacudu told reporters at the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday (26/5/2015).
He said he would fully support access for foreign journalists to Papua on condition that they were able to communicate the needs of Indonesian people and the Papuan community as well, and to describe the actual condition.
He also expected the sensitivities of all parties, including the local security forces. This includes the identification and monitoring of foreign journalists who enter Papua.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno told the policy of the President Joko Widodo allowing the foreign journalists to Papua is a strategic move that could improve Indonesia’s human rights record in regards to the Papua issue.
However, foreign journalists must respect the law. “As a sovereign state, Indonesia has territorial and legal sovereignty,” said Tedjo during a seminar on access for foreign journalists.
So far, there are those who aggressively spreading the negative issues about Papua, especially related to the issues of violence of security forces, human right violation and development gap in Papua. In addition, the presence of foreign media might have a particular interest that aimed to disturb the national concerns.
Therefore, the precaution would apply to any foreign journalists who intend to come to Papua. They have to pursue the legal procedure as regulated in the immigration law, propose an application and enclose a letter of reference form their media. (*/rom)
