Transcript
ALEX RHEENEY: There were incidents of violence against journalists. There were issues with the treatment of indigenous journalists versus journalists who are Indonesian, not West Papuan. There were incidents of women journalists being targeted, sexual harassment, because of the sort of reports they were trying to write. So yes, there's still a lot of concerns, press freedom issues in West Papua and Indonesia.
BEN ROBINSON-DRAWBRIDGE: They also noted that foreign journalists who were allowed into West Papua, some of them were only allowed to work with an escort.
AR: Definitely, you can expect them to be given some sort of parameters in which to work in and to report on. The journalists concerned weren't given the freedom to go out and cover the sorts of issues they wanted to cover for their respective media organisations.
BRD: Are these the sorts of things you would expect to hear about what's happening in Indonesia, only months out from it hosting World Press Freedom Day?
AR: The Indonesian government did come out quite strongly, close to two years ago, when the Indonesian president did announce giving access to West Papua to foreign and local journalists. The reports to us indicate all is not well for journalists who want to get into Papua. And the fact that the theme of the World Press Freedom Day, being hosted by the Indonesian government and the Press Council of Indonesia, the celebrations will revolve around a theme of 'Critical Minds for Critical Times' and media's role in advancing critical, just and conclusive societies. The findings that have come out from West Papua from the group of journalists who went in, does not show that the Indonesian government is taking the undertaking that it's given to the international community, to give journalists access to West Papua freely and without any strings attached.
BRD: The assumption I'm making is that this team of journalists were trying to report perhaps on the independence movement of indigenous people in West Papua. Do you think this is the story that they are being prevented from reporting fully?
AR: That could be the case. The independence aspirations of the West Papuans is a story that hasn't been given a lot of coverage in recent years in mainstream media. Not only in Indonesia, but here in Papua New Guinea as well as in Australia and in the wider region. West Papuans fight for freedom is an issue that doesn't get mainstream media coverage. We would want that to change for the sake of the indigenous West Papuans themselves. There are issues with human rights abuse, there are issues with empowering them, giving them that platform to aspire to be citizens with their human rights recognised and having justice, peace and prosperity just like any other human being. The media can play a very critical role in advancing their cause. Consequently giving the media access into West Papua could be a box the Indonesian government can tick for itself if it definitely wants to address the issues in West Papua that continues to come to the international limelight.
