INDEPENDENT NEWS

Foreign Journalists Denied Visas For Aceh

Published: Wed 4 Jun 2003 11:16 AM
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
http://www.pmw.c2o.org
* Post a comment on PMWs' Right of Reply:
http://www.TheGuestBook.com/egbook/257949.gbook
FOREIGN JOURNALISTS DENIED VISAS TO COVER ACEH CONFLICT: OFFICIAL
JAKARTA (Jakarta Post Online/Pacific Media Watch): The martial law administrator in the restive province of Aceh has rejected requests from about 10 overseas journalists to cover the war there, an Indonesian Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
"Yes, there were several requests but nearly all were not accepted," said the official, Wahid Supriyadi, as quoted by AFP.
He said Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya has denied requests from about 10 foreign-based journalists wishing to cover the conflict.
Normally Wahid's office reviews visa requests by journalists based outside Indonesia. "But the authority lies with Suwarya since martial law was declared in Aceh on May 19," he said.
On Monday, Endang was quoted Tuesday as saying he did not need "foreign observers" in the province. "We are capable of overcoming by ourselves the problem here," he said.
The Jakarta government has also said foreign non-governmental organizations cannot work in Aceh without a permit. had opened fire on convoys of foreign and local journalists.
The military has invited Indonesian journalists to travel with its troops as they attempt to crush the Free Aceh Movement.
"We are already co-operating with the mass media to obtain criticism on the implementation of the integrated operation," Endang was quoted as saying.
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE http://www.pmw.c2o.org
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media based in Sydney, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and Community Communications Online (c2o).
(c)1996-2003 Copyright - All rights reserved.
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members.
Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.
For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch
listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific
Media Watch at: E-mail: delaro@clear.net.nz pcronau@hotmail.com Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia or, PO Box 78028, Auckland 1002, New Zealand. New website: www.pmw.c2o.org

Next in World

View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media