Freedom of the Press? Not in Papua
 |
| JUBI, one of the rare independent Papuan tabloids |
A good press is supposed to educate the nation, not babysit it. Real journalism speaks truth to power. Real journalists challenge governments—not worship them. But in Indonesia, when it comes to Papua, the so-called "mainstream media" has traded its spine for a press card. Instead of questioning authority, they parrot propaganda. They don’t inform the public—they numb it.
Let’s ask the uncomfortable question:
Are Indonesian media under direct government pressure, or are they simply licking the boots of power voluntarily? Either way, the result is the same—silence, distortion, and betrayal.
Yes, freedom of speech is written into the Indonesian Constitution. Beautiful words, dead on paper. In Papua, where that freedom is needed most, it’s crushed. In the Press Council’s latest report, Papua ranks 33rd out of 34 provinces for press freedom. That’s not a slip—that’s systematic.
Peaceful protests? Met with tear gas and batons. Independent journalists? Harassed, threatened, jailed—accused of "defamation" for doing their jobs. Reporting the truth in Papua is now a crime of courage.
Let’s stop pretending. This is not journalism—it’s state-sponsored obedience.
And here lies the danger: when public space is suffocated, when dissent is demonized, when truth becomes illegal—despair grows, resistance hardens, and trust dies.
Papua has been bleeding for over six decades. And yet Jakarta still wonders why the wounds won’t close.
Silencing voices won’t bring peace. It just buries the truth deeper—until it explodes.
Comments
Post a Comment