Indonesian police tell Papuan journos to co-ordinate with them

Jayapura, Tabloid-Wani — Indonesian police have told journalists from an independent West Papua news outlet to co-ordinate with them over coverage of public demonstrations.

This comes amid a recent spate of large pro-independence demonstrations by West Papuans in cities across Indonesia’s eastern region.

Tabloid Jubi reports that two of its journalists were told by the Jayapura Police Deputy Chief Police Commissionaire Arnold Tata to make early coordination with police while covering a rally by the West Papua National Committee in Sentani on Wednesday.

The journalists said they were warned that their journalistic activity has been considered intrusive.

They indicated that as journalists, based on Indonesia’s Press Law, they had the right to do their job without restrictions.

However Mr Tata disregarded their explanation.

The senior police official complained that Jubi hasn’t been covering various activities carried out by Jayapura Police whereas other media outlets have.

Jubi’s Editor-in-chief Dominggus Mampioper said there was no obligation for reporters to make advance coordination with police for doing coverage.

He said regardless of whether the demonstration itself was legally sanctioned, if something newsworthy was happening, then Jubi would cover it.