Dessy Sagita & Fitri – Another journalist said she received death threats after writing about evidence of government corruption in Rote Ndao district, East Nusa Tenggara.
Endang Sidin of Erende Pos daily newspaper said on Friday that she had received threats similar to those received by Dance Henukh, a reporter for Rote Ndao News whose house was stoned and burned down in a mob attack on Sunday.
Endang, the only female journalist based in the district, said an official from the public order agency (Satpol PP) threatened her on Thursday when she visited the local district office building as part of her reporting work.
"I was threatened by Jhon Therik. I hid in one of the rooms at the district office building for 30 minutes," she on Friday told beritasatu.com, with which the Jakarta Globe is affiliated.
Endang said she tried to call the provincial police chief and some district council members for help, but eventually sought protection from a police officer who happened to walk past the room where she was hiding.
When the officer escorted her out of the building, she said, Jhon was waiting at the gate. She said she immediately reported the incident to the police. "The police said they would act on it," she said, adding that on Friday she received death threats on her cellphone.
She said that prior to the incident, she, Dance and another journalist, Ishak Doris, had received death threats for reporting on corruption allegations.
Dance's home was attacked early on Sunday morning, leading to the death of his one-month-old daughter, Gino Novitri Henukh, who reportedly died from shock. After Gino was buried, the mob returned and burned Dance's home to the ground.
Eko Maryadi, chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), said Dance was now in hiding for fear of his life. "Dance and his family are shocked and terrified because of the prevailing threats and terrors," Eko said.
He also criticized Rote Ndao Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Widi Atmono for saying that Gino's death was the result of an accidental fire, not a mob attack. "If the National Police are not serious in investigating the case, then AJI will send its own investigation team to Rote Ndao," the AJI chairman said.
In the neighboring province of West Nusa Tenggara, dozens of reporters staged a rally at a police station in Mataram, the provincial capital, to condemn the attacks and threats. Journalists at the rally put their press badges and cameras on the street to protest against the slow police investigation.
Dance, Endang and Ishak had written about corruption allegations in the construction of 100 houses for transmigrant workers in Kuli village. They reported that local officials could have misappropriated some of the Rp 3.1 billion ($344,000) earmarked for the project. Local law enforcers have not acted on the allegation.