---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, October 5, 1999 E Timor-media: Foreign Press Becomes Political Tool Jakarta, Oct 5 (ANTARA)- The foreign press has tended to represent the interest of their own countries instead of upholding objectivity in reporting about the East Timor issue, while the national press seems to be dragged into and trapped by the agenda of the foreign media, a media figure said. Commenting on reports disseminated by the foreign press on East Timor, Secretary-general of the Association of Indonesian journalists (PWI), Bambang Sadono, told the press here Tuesday that the propaganda has especially been exhibited by the Australian media, whose country leads the International Force for East Timor (Interfet). On the other hand, the national press does not seem to excite the democratic spirit to advocate their own nation. Instead of doing so, he said, they too much criticize and condemn the government. He meanwhile believes that the presence of Interfet in East Timor has automatically supported the domination of foreign media. He has noted that Interfet has made two big mistakes: the UN- approved multinational force has practiced discrimination, and it does not give protection to Indonesian journalists carrying out their journalistic duties in violence-ridden East Timor. As discrimination as well as limitations are implemented by Interfet on the Indonesian journalists, Sadono said, the foreign media have positioned themselves as tools for certain powers. He considers the positioning ironic, because the media are expected to be objective and not to be used for political power-plays by their countries. "We protest the United Nations for the (unfair) attitude shown by the Interfet, and we also regret uncooperative manner of the foreign press towards Indonesian journalists," he said. Sadono said that the Indonesian press has shown its solidarity with their foreign fellows by defending them, e.g. if they have been improperly treated by security forces or governmental officials. "However, they (the foreign press) do not do the same thing (concerning solidarity) towards Indonesian journalists receiving improver treatment by the Interfet," he said. The PWI, he said, has also urged media actors of the Australian press and Australian embassy here to hold dialogs. But so far, there is no response from them yet. (T.PTU-03/NN07/INT-TA/nn-03/14:31/tb05) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 8 Oct 1999 jam 07:41:19 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
