Publishing a report on illegal logging, the Teropong News media was attacked by a mob

Description

The Teropong News media editorial office, which is located on Jalan S. Kamundan Km.12, Sorong City, Southwest Papua, Indonesia was visited by a group of mobs on Monday, March 13 2023, around 13.00 PM.

Local media reported that a group of mobs riding in two trucks, when they arrived at the Teropong News editorial office, threatened to burn down the office and kill an employee who was at the Teropong News Media Editorial Office that day.

The mob even recorded the faces of the employees who were at the reception desk that day, and threatened to behead them if they met on the street.

According to the masses, who are mostly male, the threat will be carried out if the news regarding illegal logging in Sorong Regency, which is published in the media, is not removed immediately. After making the threats, the mob rushed to leave the Teropong News Editorial Office. After making the threats, the mob rushed to leave the office.

The Chief Editor of Teropong News Media, Imam Mucholik suspects that there was an attempt to instigate the mob that attacked the Editorial Office of Teropong News. This is because the news they published regarding illegal logging did not attack or link it with any community activities.

According to him, the Sorong Regent Regulation issued by Regent Stepanus Malak, still permits the community to sell forest products or timber. This activity is not a problem or violates the law, because it is a community right.

The thing at issue is the timber storage area (TPK) which already has a permit, but some are abusing the permit. There are indications that the TPK buys wood from the community, then sells it as industrial raw material, then sends it outside Papua. It is suspected that the TPK's activities want to make big profits, but are judged to be detrimental to society.

Because it is known that timber storage area has an Timber forest product collection permit, which strictly prohibits community processed wood from being sold to industry. According to the permit, TPK is only allowed to sell wood for local needs, in this case the people in Sorong and for development purposes in Sorong and Sorong Raya Regencies.

The editor of the Teropong News media has taken legal steps by making a police report at the Sorong City Police.

Information
Number of attacked persons or entities related to media
1
Do they work as freelance or media?
Yes
Position in media
Status of journalists
Gender
Data not collected
Country
Southwest Papua
Full name or name of group
Identified
The name of perpetrator (individual/group)
Group of mobs
Gender
Attack mention about gender background/sexual wording?
No
Date of incident
Year of incident
2023
Type of incident
Terror