Final Draft Report (Version: 30 July 04) The Role of Media in Supporting Peace-Building and Reconciliation Efforts in Central Sulawesi, Maluku and North Maluku Researched and Prepared By: The Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of Information Institut Studi Arus Infomasi (ISAI) (Jakarta, Indonesia) With Technical Support From: International Media Support (IMS) (Copenhagen, Denmark) June/ July 2004 Final Draft Report (30 July 04) Table of Contents Executive Summary i. Introduction ii. Media and Conflict in Maluku, North Maluku and Central Sulawesi iii. Focus Areas for Recommendation 1. Introduction 1.1. Background to Assessments 1.2. Conduct of Assessment 1.3. Report Structure 1.4. Acknowledgements 2. Media and Conflict: Methodological Considerations 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Analysis and Definitions 2.3. Interrelationship between Media and Conflict 2.4. Structural Considerations 2.5. Content Considerations 3. National Media Landscape 3.1. Media Legislation 3.2. Media Institutions 3.3. Professional Media Organisations and Associations 3.4. Commercial Media Networks 4. Central Sulawesi 4.1. Conduct of Research 4.2. Background to Conflict 4.3. Media Landscape 4.4. Provincial Mainstream and Alternative Media 4.4.1. Mainstream Print Media 4.4.2. Alternative Print Media 4.4.3. Broadcast Media 4.4.4. Media Content 4.4.5. Education and Skills 4.4.6. Safety Issues 4.4.7. Associations and Networks 4.4.8. Media Policy and Legislation 4.4.9. Legal Cases and External Pressure 4.4.10. Revenue and Income Generation 4.4.11. Ownership, Employment and ‘Envelope Journalism’ 4.4.12. Gender 4.5. Provincial Traditional Media 4.5.1. Indigenous Community Forums and Ceremonies 4.5.2. Migration, Local Government and Organised Religion 1 Final Draft Report (30 July 04) 4.5.3. Communicative Art Forms 4.6. New Information Technologies 4.6.1. Cellular Phone and SMS 4.6.2. Internet 4.6.3. Handy Talky 4.7. Information Flows 4.7.1. Rumour and Gossip 4.7.2. Media to Consumer 4.7.3. Primary Source to Media 4.8. Additional Information 5. Maluku 5.1. Conduct of Research 5.2. Background to Conflict 5.3. Media Landscape 5.4. Provincial Mainstream and Alternative Media 5.4.1. Mainstream Print Media 5.4.2. Alternative Print Media 5.4.3. Broadcast Media 5.4.4. Media Content 5.4.5. Education and Skills 5.4.6. Safety Issues 5.4.7. Associations and Networks 5.4.8. Media Policy and Legislation 5.4.9. External Pressure and Legal Cases 5.4.10. Revenue and Income Generation 5.4.11. Expenses and Institutional Resources 5.4.12. Employment and ‘Envelope Journalism’ 5.4.13. Gender 5.5. Provincial Traditional Media 5.5.1. Community Forums and Ceremonies 5.5.2. Organised Religion 5.6. New Information Technologies 5.6.1. Cellular Phone and SMS 5.6.2. Internet 5.6.3. Handy Talky 5.6.4. Video Compact Disc (VCD) 5.7. Information Flows 5.7.1. Rumour and Gossip 5.7.2. Media to Consumer 5.7.3. Primary Source to Media 5.8. Additional Information 6. North Maluku 6.1. Conduct of Research 6.2. Background to Conflict 6.3. Media Landscape 6.4. Provincial Mainstream and Alternative Media 6.4.1. Mainstream Print Media 6.4.2 Alternative Print media 6.4.3. Broadcast Media 2 Final Draft Report (30 July 04) 6.4.4. Media Content 6.4.5. Education and Skills 6.4.6. Safety Issues 6.4.7. Associations and Networks 6.4.8. Media Policy and Legislation 6.4.9. External Pressure and Legal Cases 6.4.10. Expenses and Institutional Resources 6.4.11. Revenue and Income Generation 6.4.12. Ownership, Employment and ‘Envelope Journalism’ 6.4.13. Gender 6.5. Provincial Traditional Media 6.5.1. Community Forums and Ceremonies 6.5.2. Organised Religion 6.5.3. Communicative Art Forms 6.6. New Information Technologies 6.6.1. Cellular Phone and SMS 6.6.2. Internet 6.6.3. Handy Talky 6.7. Information Flows 6.7.1. Rumour and Gossip 6.7.2. Media to Consumer 6.7.3. Primary Source to Media 6.8. Additional Information 7. Activity Recommendations for Central Sulawesi, Maluku and North Maluku 7.1. Strengthening the Media Environment at Provincial Level 7.1.1. Media Policy and Legislation 7.1.2. Associations and Networking 7.1.3. Monitoring and Advocacy 7.2. Developing Professional Skills and Resources 7.2.1. Content Transformation 7.2.2. Institutional Capacity-Building 7.2.3. Safety Issues 7.3. Facilitating Information Flows and Access 7.3.1. Media to Consumer 7.3.2. Primary Source to Media 7.4. Supporting Community-Based Communication 7.4.1. Community Forums 7.4.2. Arts, Music and Literature 7.4.3. Civil Society Initiatives 8. Implementing Considerations Annexes Annex 1: Additional Information on Media Annex 2: List of Local Researchers Annex 3: List of Interviewees Annex 4: Overview of International Media Development Activities Annex 5: UNDP Media Activities 3 Final Draft Report (30 July 04) Acronyms AJI Alliance of Independent Journalist ARSSI Indonesian Association of Private Broadcasting Radio BBC British Broadcasting Corporation CG Common Ground (Indonesia) CPRU Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit DANIDA Danish International Development Agency DFID Department for International Development (UK) EC European Commission FKKAUB Forum of Harmony and Communication among the Religious Disciples HRW Human Rights Watch ICCO Interchurch Organisation for Development Co-operation (NL) ICFJ International Centre for Journalists ICG International Crisis Group IDP Internally Displaced Person IFJ International Federation of Journalists IMS International Media Support INGO International Non-Governmental Organisation INSI International News Safety Institute ISAI Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of Information (Institut Studi Arus Infomasi) KPI Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (Komisi Penyiaran Indonesia) LPS-HAM Institute for the Development of Legal Studies and Human Rights Advocacy MDG Millennium Development Goals MDLF Media Development Loan Fund MMC Maluku Media Centre NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NORAD Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation OTI Office of Transitional Initiatives (USAID) PRSSNI Indonesian Alliance of National Private Broadcasting Radio PWI Indonesian Journalist Association RRI Radio Republik Indonesia SEAPA Southeast Asian Press Alliance SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIUPP Press Publishing License (now removed) SPS Union of Newspaper Publisher TAF The Asia Foundation UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development VoA Voice of America 4 Final Draft Report (30 July 04) Executive Summary The Executive Summary provides a brief description of the media and conflict environments in Maluku, North Maluku and Central Sulawesi, as well as an overview of the rationale behind the identification of the specific recommendations. The chapter on ‘Activity Recommendations for Central Sulawesi, Maluku and North Maluku’ provides a description of the key findings, activity rationale and recommendations, and should therefore be read in conjunction with this section. i. Introduction Reliable, accurate and objective media, whether it be mainstream, alternative or traditional/non- conventional, can both prevent and resolve conflict through the automatic functions of responsibly disseminating information, furthering awareness and knowledge, promoting participatory and transparent governance, and addressing perceived grievances. In this regard, the effects of media on conflict can be viewed both in terms of the negative repercussions that inadvertent or overtly propagandistic media may have in terms of fuelling tensions and provoking conflict, as well as the potential positive impact it may have if based on basic professional standards, combined with diverse access to information, reasonable financial resources and adherence to ethical codes. Such media can contribute to societal reconciliation, change misperceptions and broaden understanding of the causes and consequences of conflict. ii. Media and Conflict in Maluku, North Maluku and Central Sulawesi Since the Reformasi era started in 1998, the three provinces of Maluku, North Maluku and Central Sulawesi have been affected by conflict. With the Reformasi era came press freedoms under the new Indonesian Press Law (August 30, 1999), which meant that all three conflicts were covered by the first ‘free’ Indonesian media since more than 30 years. The national media, to a fairly large extend, covered the conflicts in each province. However, due to the emergence of a number of conflicts in Indonesia in the early post New Order days, the continuity and depths of this coverage varied significantly. The national coverage also tended to focus on Ambon and Maluku, whilst the coverage of the other two provinces received less consistent attention. In all three conflict areas, the provincial media (including mainstream, alternative, traditional and non- conventional forms) addressed the conflicts from different perspectives and with varying intensity. Many failed to provide consistent independent balanced coverage and in the early phases physical attacks against and abuse of the media by the combatant groups took place in all three provinces. Media infrastructure and buildings were destroyed or looted and in many cases local outlets chose to close down during the most intense fighting. This has meant that all three provinces have had periods with none or almost no local media coverage, leaving rumours and propaganda as the prime local information source. Local media in all three provinces were, and still are, accused of being biased. Sometimes these accusations came from the combatant parties who expected the media to be their mouthpieces, whilst at other times the media took sides in the conflict or were forced to choose sides. In certain cases the lack of independent and balanced local coverage can be explained by the fact that local media owners were not sufficiently isolated from society and their outlets reflected popular opinions.