Tragic Accident Highlights Need Safer Journalism

Tragic Accident Highlights Need For Safer Journalism

SYDNEY (IFJ/Pacific Media Watch) - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called for greater protection for the safety of journalists after two camera persons were killed on assignment, when a wrecked ferry sank on February 25 in Jakarta.

According to IFJ affiliate, Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI), Suherman, 31, from Lativi, and Muhammad Guntur, 36, from SCTV, were among 18 journalists accompanying experts from the National Committee for Transport Safety and Forensic Laboratory Centre, on board the vessel to investigate a ferry fire which had killed 50 people.

Another journalist, Bima Marzuki, with the private broadcaster RCTI, was hospitalised in the accident, and two police personnel and a member of the transport safety committee were also killed.

None of the journalists were wearing life jackets, according to local reports.

IFJ president Christopher Warren said: “This is a very tragic event, which unfortunately may have been prevented if adequate planning and protections had been put in place.”

The IFJ, the organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries, maintains that all parties, including employers and the government, must provide efficient safety equipment and training for all staff. These requirements come under the International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism.

“While accidents are sometimes sadly unavoidable, there are steps that organisations should take to minimise the risks to staff,” Warren said.

“In this case, the organisers should have made sure the journalists were wearing life jackets, when they climbed on board the wrecked vessel,” Warren said.

There are also concerns regarding comments from the head of the transport safety committee, Setyo Rahardho, which indicated journalists would be banned from accompanying investigators in future.

“Shutting out journalists and blocking access is not the answer,” Warren said.

“It is simply a matter of making sure everything possible is done to ensure proper procedures are in place to protect, support and prepare journalists,” he said.

This news came as AJI concluded a series of four three-day safety trainings in Indonesia in January: in Bali, Padang, Kendari, and Jakarta, as part of the IFJ-AJI project “Media for Democracy in Indonesia”, supported by the LOTCO and the European Commission.

“The IFJ again stresses how important it is that journalists and other media workers are properly equipped for all assignments, so that the chance for tragedy is reduced, and journalists are able to safely carry out their work,” the IFJ president said.

“We give our full support to AJI in their efforts towards safer journalism in Indonesia.

ENDS

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