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Journalists Attacked by Palu Youth Mob Over Story: AJI
Ismira Lutfia | December 30, 2010

A police officer tagging evidence at the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) office in Palu, Central Sulawesi, after it was allegedly attacked by members of a youth group on Thursday. (Antara Photo) A police officer tagging evidence at the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) office in Palu, Central Sulawesi, after it was allegedly attacked by members of a youth group on Thursday. (Antara Photo)
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DrDez
1:09pm Dec 31, 2010

Chief of Police... I heard he had gone to Singapore for his Christmas shopping

He seems to always have a note from his mum excusing work, maybe he's SBY's closet brother???

exbrit69
7:11am Dec 31, 2010

Another government supported group with a law unto themselves. Where is the new chief of police?

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The Alliance of Independent Journalists says members of an ethnic youth group in Central Sulawesi injured four reporters at the association’s Palu office on Thursday.

The alliance, or AJI, believed the attack was prompted by an “unfavorable report” against a Kaili Youth Front (FPK) leader.

Muhammad Sharfin, one of the journalists hurt in the attack, said 20 assailants wearing FPK uniforms stormed the office at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

“They did not introduce themselves, they just asked me directly who wrote the report in question,” said Sharfin, a regional correspondent for news channel TV One.

The men reportedly demanded to know the identity of BP007, the code name of a reporter for beritapalu.com, which has its newsroom in the AJI office.

The attackers said they were unhappy about the reporter’s story on the previous day’s National Committee of Indonesian Youth (KNPI) election, in which Erwin S.L., the FPK’s nominee and chairman, failed to win the post of provincial chapter leader.

Sharfin said the men who stormed the AJI office accused the reporter of giving “unfair coverage” of Erwin.

He said Ridwan Lapasere, chairman of AJI-Palu, tried to reason with the gang, but this enraged the assailants even more. They began attacking reporters and vandalizing the office.

Sharfin said fellow journalists and AJI members Riski Maruto of Antara and Jafar G. Bua of TransTV tried to stop the mob, but were also beaten.

The TV One reporter said the perpetrators then fled on motorcycles and in a pickup truck.

The AJI has urged police to investigate the attack.

“The police have to prove that Indonesia is a law-enforcing country by catching the attackers,” said Nezar Patria, the AJI’s national chairman.

He said the attack could create a chilling effect on the press and freedom of expression.

Similarly, Ridwan said the case should be investigated thoroughly “so everyone can learn a lesson.”

Thursday’s incident is one of several cases of attacks against the media this year.

In July, Molotov cocktails were thrown into the editorial offices of Tempo magazine in Central Jakarta, causing minor damage. The attack was believed to have been prompted by a Tempo report on the hidden wealth of police officers.