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Farewell Atmakusumah, press freedom prodigy
In his Magsaysay Award acceptance speech in Manila on Aug. 31, 2000, Atma stated that despite press bans carried out by presidents Sukarno and Soeharto, “the spirit of press freedom and freedom of expression never dies.”
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Veteran journalist Atmakusumah Astraatmadja (right) shows off his new book Pers Ideal untuk Masa Demokrasi (The Ideal Press for Democracy) on Monday, while posing with former Press Council chairman Bagir Manan (left) at the National Library of Indonesia in Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/Charisa Vanessa G)
O
n June 21, 1994, the Information Ministry revoked the press permits of the weekly magazine Tempo, the weekly political tabloid Detik and Editor, a new news weekly. Their critical reporting upset then president Soeharto, particularly that Tempo revealed conflict between cabinet ministers in the purchase of naval vessels from the former East Germany.
Journalists, rights activists, academics and students marched to the office of then information minister Harmoko and demanded that the ban be lifted. One of the demonstrators was Atmakusumah Astraatmadja. As an editor, educator, author and rights campaigner, his speeches and written words championing free press were compelling.
Atmakusumah passed away Thursday at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) because of kidney failure. He was 86.
Atmakusumah normally used his first name only. People call him Pak Atma. He campaigned to protect and solidify press freedom in Indonesia as a journalist, teacher and legislative advocate.
Born Oct. 20, 1938, in Labuan, Banten, Atma in 1958 started as a cub reporter in the independent Jakarta daily Indonesia Raya, named after the country’s national anthem. But he only held the job for several months because the government banned the daily. That event helped Atma realize the meaning of press freedom as its curtailment affected him directly.
Indonesia Raya reported on corruption and government malfeasance in the 1950s under founder-editor Mochtar Lubis. Its crusading coverage earned the wrath of president Sukarno who banned the paper six times.
Atma moved to broadcasting for state-run radio service RRI, Radio Australia in Melbourne in 1961 and the Indonesia service for Deutsche Welle in Cologne in 1964. He returned to Jakarta in 1965 and joined state news agency Antara.
