Press ReleasesIndonesian Investigative Journalists Tackle Corruption in Post-Tsunami Aceh
(October 13, 2006) The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Indonesia’s largest independent journalists’ association, has published the first major series of investigative stories examining corruption, cover-ups and allocations of public and international resources in post-tsunami Aceh. The book, called, REPORTAGE: The Face of Corruption in Aceh (REPORTASE: Wajah Korupsi Di Aceh), marks the most detailed effort so far by print journalists to examine and report on the allocation of resources in what has been the biggest humanitarian recovery effort in Indonesia’s history. The book was published through AJI’s Print Investigative Journalism Training and Fellowship Program. Part of an Internews and USAID-funded media program, “Building on the Foundations,” the two-year project supports the professional development of media in Aceh, North Sumatra, and throughout Java. Conducting "gotcha" style in-depth investigations on malfeasance and misuse of public resources is the dream of many young journalists in a nation notorious for the depth and breadth of “korupsi” or corruption. But many Indonesian journalists have learned the hard way that reporting on these issues can be extremely dangerous. The number of criminal lawsuits in Indonesia has more than doubled since the sudden growth of independent media after May 1998. Some journalists, new to their craft, or having learned different ways of telling the stories, are discovering that reporting hearsay and rumors can quickly land you in a court of law facing criminal libel charges. The senior members of the AJI started their fellowship program with a training course for 20 journalists, and had them produce proposals for in-depth stories about the reconstruction and peace process now underway in Aceh province. The best 10 proposals were selected, and then AJI members mentored the successful Fellows through an intensive research and fact-checking process, producing a crop of stunning and revealing pieces. Investigative stories have covered how business is being done in rebuilding the devastated region, how the forests of Aceh are being sacrificed for illegal profits, and even how members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who disappeared under suspicious circumstances have yet to be found, one year after the peace with the government of Indonesia was won. One of the key challenges has been reporting and writing in context
with relevance to reading audiences. “One of the biggest problems for
Indonesian journalists…is insensitivity,” writes AJI General Secretary
Jajang Jamaludin in the foreword to the publication. “The journalists
who work in conflict areas can become insensitive to the victim’s misery.
The journalists who live in a country with abundant cases of corruption
can also lose their sensitivity. They only want to cover stories about
big corruption. They became insensitive towards small corruption even
though it affects so many people.” Bukit Seribu Counting the Days (Illegal logging network
in Bukit Seribu Forest, East Aceh) by Ivo Lestari Looking for Abdul Rani (Following the steps of missing
Ex-GAM) by Nasir Musa Who Got Slipped by Grant? (Corruption at a school for special needs children) by Robbi Zidnie In 2004, the local government of Bireun in Northeast Aceh budgeted 1.4 billion rupiah (USD $16,000) to build a school for special needs children. Robbi Zidnie discovered that the owner of the land bought for the school project was also the contractor hired to build the school. Although 70 per cent of the money for the school building is spent, the school is only 30 per cent completed to date. Robbi revealed that the landowner granted part of his land for this school in order to get the job to build it at great personal profit. There are also indications that some of the education officers involved in the school contract profited from the deal.FOR MORE INFORMATION: Wayne Sharpe, Internews Indonesia Country Director |
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