Residents carried billboards with their demands for action, including demanding that KfW Bank stop funding the geothermal project and revoke the Manggarai Regent's Decree regarding the determination of the project location. (Floresa Documentation)
Jakarta, sumbarsatu.com—The National Strategic Project (PSN) is again asking for victims. This time it happened at the Geothermal Project in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Public protests against this project resulted in the arrest of a journalist by police officers.
The Indonesian Journalist Safety Committee (KKJ) strongly condemns the actions of police officers from the Manggarai Police who arrested Floresa Editor-in-Chief, Herry Kabut, while covering the actions of Poco Leok residents who were protesting against the land clearing for the Geothermal Project in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday , October 2, 2024.
Based on news published via floresa.co, Herry Kabut was transported in the authorities' car along with several other Poco Leok residents who were also arrested. According to residents' statements, Herry was pulled and forcibly carried into the authorities' car while being abused. The incident was documented by local residents.
This project is a collaboration between the State Electricity Company (PLN) and the Manggarai Regency Government which is also part of the National Strategic Project (PSN) project which is included in PT PLN's 2021-2030 Electricity Supply Business Plan.
PLN and the Manggarai Regency Government forced their way into the Pocoleok area to open access to the Geothermal project road last Wednesday. The entry of PLN and the Manggarai Regency Government was accompanied by security from the police, Army and Civil Service Police. This attempt was blocked by residents and the authorities responded with beatings and arrests.
Based on direct information obtained from local residents, the police, TNI Army and Pol-PP did not allow Poco Leok residents to take pictures.
The officers pushed and broke, so that several residents were injured because they were hit by police in full uniform. Based on information from residents, there are around four people currently detained and the authorities said they would release them when the protesters dispersed. Editor-in-chief Floresa was also arrested while reporting.
Based on this incident, the Journalist Safety Committee considers this case to be a serious violation of journalistic work protection guarantees as regulated in the provisions of Article 18 paragraph (1) of Law Number 40 of 1999 concerning the Press.
"Any person who unlawfully intentionally carries out an action that has the effect of hampering or hindering the implementation of the provisions of Article 4 paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of 2 years or a fine of a maximum of IDR 500 million."
"Acts of violence by security forces in the form of ill-treatment and torture which resulted in serious injuries to journalists while carrying out their profession are criminal acts regulated in the provisions of Article 351 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) with the threat of a sentence of 5 (five) years in prison," said Erick Tanjung, Indonesian KKJ Coordinator, in his release, Thursday 3 October 2024.
This act of violence, which was full of violations of the law, KKJ urged the police to process the officers who committed violence and intimidation against journalists according to criminal law and the code of ethics.
"The National Police Chief and his staff are to stop all forms of use of tear gas, intimidation, obstruction, attacks (repression), arrests and violence in any form against journalists who are on duty in covering public actions as protected by law," added Wahyu Dhyatmika, General Chair of AMSI.
Meanwhile, Nurina Safitri, Amnesty International Indonesia, urged the TNI Commander and his staff to withdraw all of his subordinates who were assigned to secure civil actions because they were not in line with their duties and obligations as mandated by law.
"The National Police Chief and the TNI Commander and all their staff must immediately carry out investigations and thoroughly investigate violent practices in the form of abuse, intimidation and physical attacks targeting journalists who are carrying out reporting duties," stressed Nurina Safitri.
"KKJ Indonesia urges victims of violence to report all forms of violence experienced during the reporting process," said Erick Tanjung
The Journalist Safety Committee was declared in Jakarta, 5 April 2019. The committee consists of 10 press organizations and civil society organizations, namely; Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI), Press Legal Aid Institute (LBH), SAFEnet, Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Indonesian Cyber Media Association (AMSI), Federation of Independent Media Workers Unions (FSPMI), Amnesty International Indonesia, the Media and Creative Industry Workers Union for Democracy (SINDICATION), the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), and Indonesian Photojournalists (PFI). SSC/MN
