Indonesia: Journalists in Indonesia told to be messengers of peace

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"The current journalistic code of ethics is actually what is needed by peace journalism. But many journalists might not read the code of ethics thoroughly."

Ahmadi Muslim community pray at the al-Hidayah mosque in Jakarta. (AFP)

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | UK desk
Source/Credit: UCA News [Excerpt]
By Katharina R Lestari | June 28, 2016

Reporters should avoid writing news that will worsen conflicts, bishops' conference official says 

In Jakarta, at a discussion held on June 25 by the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community (popularly known as JAI), Secretary-General of the Alliance of Independent Journalists Arfi Bambani Amri lamented that many journalists fail to promote peace journalism.

"The current journalistic code of ethics is actually what is needed by peace journalism. But many journalists might not read the code of ethics thoroughly," he said.

According to the code of ethics, journalists should write the news fairly, based on facts and without any intention to cause harm.

Indeed, JAI leader Maulana Abdul Basit claimed that many journalists failed to deliver the facts.

"It seems like we are blamed for conflicts related to Ahmadiyya," he said, mentioning as an example the recent case in Gemuh village of Kendal district, Central Java province.

On May 23, unidentified people destroyed JAI’s Al Kautsar mosque. Local residents had opposed the presence of the mosque since it was established in 2003.

JAI spokesman, Yendra Budiana, said it was their wish that journalists would not focus on Ahmadiyya followers’ faith in their reporting of the incident.

"If journalists can focus on the real situation, they won’t focus on religious belief," he said.

Basit, meanwhile, is hopeful. "If the quality of journalism is improved, it will improve education in society."


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