Indonesian newspaper "Sinar Harapan" Banned by Suharto
- Artist/Author/Producer: Sinar Harapan, newspaper
- Confronting Bodies: Sinar Harapan, newspaper
- Dates of action: October, 1986
- Location: Indonesia
- Description of the Art Work
- An article which appeared in the Indonesian newspaper "Sinar Harapan,"
the country's second most influential paper, revealing the
government's planned abolition of a number of import monopolies.
- Description of incident
- "... In October 1986, Suharto temporarily banned "Sinar Harapan" for
breaking a story on the planned abolition of a number of import
monopolies. The article was based on a draft Trade Ministry proposal to
eliminate 44 import monopolies, including several important ones held by
Suharto's relatives. While "Sinar Harapan" did not directly mention the
Suharto clan, 'they put the problem right in the president's living
room,' a Western diplomat said. Suharto apparently had not seen the draft
proposal, and his reaction to its appearance in "Sinar Harapan"
effectively communicated his feelings about the plan. About two weeks
after "Sinar Harapano's" banning, the government announced the abolition of
165 import monopolies-but not those controlled by the Suharto family,
such as steel, plastics and milk. And in a surprise move, Suharto family
members Bambang and Sudwikatmono made offers to buy the paper-an offer
that was not pursued apparently because Suharto's advisors convinced him
that a buyout would hurt his international image... "
- Results of incident
- "... "Sinar Harapan" reappeared in February, 1987 as a new paper,
"Suara Pembaruan," but with a different publisher, editor-in chief and
business manager, and with the strongest Suharto critics no longer on the
editorial board... "
Source: A Fund for Free Expression Report, "Off Limits and Corruption", July
1991, pg. 30