Readwrotes Blog

Kornelius Purba , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/28/2009 10:38 AM | Headlines “Ha ha, ha ha,” I responded when a friend told me Monday afternoon to avoid Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta. According to my friend, a dozen protesters were burning the effigy of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), as they accused the retired four-star general of being responsible for the bloody attack against the supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri on July 27, 1996. “They should burn Megawati’s [effigy] not SBY’s,” I teased the friend while driving near the aforementioned street. I do apologize to the victims of the 1996 tragedy, which occurred in the early hours of July 27, for they may conclude that I am not sensitive to their suffering. Five people were killed, 23 disappeared (some of whom are still missing to date), 144 were injured and 136 were jailed at the time. I felt very angry, but powerless against her Monday. Angry, because she should have...

Sirikit Syah , Surabaya | Sun, 07/26/2009 11:56 AM | Opinion Every journalist should know about the presumption of innocence when covering events. The journalist *code of ethics' forbids judgement or trial by the media. But this past week, we as media consumers have witnessed the madness of media coverage over the Jakarta bombings, none more so than when publications named suspects. Without a proper trial, even without sufficient investigation or evidence, people's names were published and action was taken. Imagine if you were Arini, or her parents, or children. Being detained by the police for a crime her husband possibly committed is far from the justice that we, as a nation, believe in. She was arrested after police raided her Cilicap home in a scene so dramatic it would not have been out of place in a Hollywood film. The media treated her like a criminal and violated her privacy. Why? She is suspected of being the wife of Noordin M. ...

Erwida Maulia , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 08/01/2009 10:02 PM | National The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced Saturday the recent Supreme Court's verdict would not change the allocation of legislative seats that the polls body had signed off. KPU chairman Abdul Hafiz Anshary said the verdict, which had sparked criticism for giving big parties extra seats at the expense of minor parties, would not change the decision made by the KPU and its local branches regarding party seat allocation in both central and regional legislative councils. "The KPU really appreciates, respects and is ready to implement verdicts [regarding the elections] from authorized institutions, in this case the Supreme Court," Abdul told a press conference after a marathon meeting discussing the court verdict. "The court verdict, however, is non-retroactive, thus all other decisions or rulings the KPU had earlier made are valid." Abd...

By VOA News 01 August 2009 Afghan security man looks at burning tanker carrying fuel for NATO forces in Afghanistan on the Jalalabad-Kabul highway, east of Kabul, 01 Aug 2009 Military officials say two separate attacks have killed three U.S. soldiers and a French soldier in Afghanistan. NATO and the U.S. military say two roadside bombs exploded Saturday as a military patrol passed through the southern province of Kandahar, killing three U.S. soldiers. In a separate incident, the French military says one French soldier was killed during a clash with insurgents north of the capital, Kabul. July was the deadliest month for international forces in Afghanistan since 2001, with at least 75 coalition troops killed. Thousands of U.S., British and Afghan troops are taking part in an offensive against the Taliban in southern Helmand province ahead of the August 20 presidential vote. Saturday, suspected Taliban militants attacked ...

By VOA News 02 August 2009 Scene in Tehran court room where trials are taking place A trial opened in Iran Saturday for about 100 activists and political moderates accused of trying to topple the country's government. Prominent reformists arrested during the country's post-election unrest appeared in a packed courtroom in Tehran. The defendants include former vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former parliament vice-speaker Behzad Nabavi and onetime government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh. Some defendants, including Abtahi, retracted their claims that Iran's June presidential election was rigged. U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch says authorities have used harsh interrogations and beatings in an effort to extract false confessions from the detainees. And it says some prominent lawyers were recently arrested to prevent them from representing the defendants in court. Abtahi's lawyer, Salih Nikbakht...