[Kabar-indonesia] Journalists question absence of Israel in Bali

[Joyo at aol.com]

Jakarta Post website 
September 2, 2006

Journalists question absence of Israel in Bali

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Journalists taking part in the Global Inter-Media 
Dialogue Saturday criticized host Indonesia at the absence of an Israeli journalist 
who had earlier been invited to the forum, raising questions about Indonesia’s 
commitment to freedom of the media, the theme of the one-day gathering.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda in a press conference however 
denied that Indonesia had refused visa to Yossi Sarid, a well known Israeli 
columnist and former education minister.

“We had hoped that Norway would have come up with a constructive way out,” 
Hassan said, referring the issue to his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store 
at the podium.

Store explained that Norway had asked Sarid to travel on a Norwegian-issued 
travel document, rather than an Israeli passport, and the latter declined the 
offer.

“We respect his decision,” he said, stressing that his absence in Bali has 
been most regretful.

The one-day forum saw the participation of more than 70 journalists world 
wide. One of the main themes of the discussion was the role of the free media in 
promoting greater tolerance around the world. The Indonesian and Norwegian 
governments are sponsoring the event, which was opened by President Susilo 
Bambang Yudhoyono.

As if underlying his commitment to free press, Yudhoyono in his keynote 
address said he owed his position to the freedom of the media in the country which 
opened up with the democratization process began in 1998.

Mike Chinoy, a former CNN journalist and now with LosAngeles-based Pacific 
Council on International Policy, said in the forum that he saw two dynamics 
working at the same time on Indonesia’s commitment to democracy and freedom of 
expression.

A foreign ministry official said Indonesia cannot put a visa on an Israeli 
passport given that it does not recognize the state of Israel. Many Israelis who 
visited Indonesia in the past came on other travel documents.

Hassan admitted that the presence of an Israeli journalist in Bali could 
potentially take the focus of attention away from the main topic of the dialog.

But Store said that had Sarid decided to take up the Norwegian offer, he 
would still be recognized as an Israeli participant in Bali.

Hassan was also questioned at the press conference about the government’s 
policy of restricting foreign journalists from visiting Papua.

He said the government is opening up the area to foreign journalists on 
selective basis, noting that the security and political situation was improving 
there, now that the region had conducted local elections. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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