An Indonesian newspaper reporter in the western province of Aceh has had to go into hiding after being threatened and beaten by an army officer over a report about illegal logging, according to Reporters sans Frontières (RSF). The reporter, who just uses the name Ahmadi, works for the local daily Harian Aceh.
“It is unacceptable just days after World Environment Day on June 5 that a journalist is being treated like this for writing about deforestation,” Paris-based RSF said. “The Indonesian authorities, especially the defence minister, must react by punishing the army officer responsible for these threats.”
During a visit to Alapan district on May 19 to do a story on flooding, Ahmadi and another reporter, Aziz of News Investigasi Medan, noticed illegal logging taking place on land place belonging to the local police station. When they contacted a local army officer, Lt Faisal Amin, for a comment, he told them not to write anything about it.
Harian Aceh ran a story by Ahmadi on May 21 linking Lt Amin to the illegal logging. The same day, Ahmadi was “invited” to meet Lt Amin at a military base. When he arrived, his mobile phone and laptop were taken from him and, when he tried to recover the phone, Amin let off several shots with his firearm and shouted, “You liar. You have humiliated me three times. I told you not to publish it but you insisted.”
Lt Amin then beat Ahmadi about the head, face and chest and threatened to kill his family if he did not retract the article’s claims. Ahmadi refused and, after four hours of mistreatment, he was released. He filed a complaint at the Simeulue district police station before going to a hospital for treatment to his injuries.
Yuli Maroko, a regional army spokesman, subsequently acknowledged that Ahmadi had been given a beating by a “military officer” but no action was taken against Lt Amin. Soldiers were sent to protect Ahmadi’s family at their home.
Ahmadi has been living in hiding, far from his family, since the incident. He told RSF, “I want justice to be done. I want my assailant to be tried before a civilian court. I also request protection for my family and myself during and after the trial. Despite the appointment of a new commander in the district of Simeulue and his attempts to reassure me about our safety, I am still worried.”
In its recent report 'Deforestation and pollution, high-risk subjects,' RSF noted that local and foreign journalists are frequently threatened or bribed in connection with their coverage of illegal logging in Indonesia, which leads the world in deforestation.
