Content Analysis of Reporting on Religion on Republika Newspaper

By Yuri Alfrin Aladdin

Journalist and Ombudsman of Antara News Agency

(Note : in this article of this blog , I could not put all of my analysis and graphics or tables for certain reasons, considering my capacity as an ombudsman for Antara News Agency and our good relation with Republika newspaper. Thanks)


Introduction

There are three big issues related with muslim people on November 2008.
The first issue was about a blog in Indonesian containing cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad in wordpress.com. According to Chief of Public Relations of Indonesian National Police Inspector-General Abubakar Nataprawira, the content of the blog is upsetting the Moslem community.

“The cyber crime unit is looking into the case,” Abubakar said , noting that if his identity is revealed, the blog manager will be charged with the Criminal Code on defaming a religion. “To Moslems, the content of the blog is incorrect,” Abubakar said.

Communication and Informatics minister Muhammad Nuh said the government will immediately trace the owner of the blog which is potentially conflicting.

There are at least two blogs in the wordpress.com that is regarded to be insulting Muhammad and his teachings. The blog also contains various cartoon figures depicting the life of Muhammad with his wife and friends. One of the comics even shows the prophet's life and his wife inappropriately.

The blogger had violated the Information and Electronic Transaction Law and the Criminal Code. He has spread issues that can lead to conflict among tribal, ethnic and religious groups.

The second issue was about the management of Mitra International Hospital in East Jakarta which prohibit one of its nurse to use headscarf based on company’s rule. The nurse protested to the management and back up by the hospital trade union. Finally , the management give permission to the employees to wear headscarf started from July 2009. However, the hospital’s trade union refuse it and the management to give permission to wear headscarf started from January 2009.

The third issue was about management of Hajj Pilgrim conducted by Indonensian Religious Affairs Ministry. For years , the ministry has been critized by muslim people since it was not transparent. Some top officials of the ministry have been arrested for corruption in managing the fund for hajj pilgrim. However, the Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni (2004 – now) was praised by the State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta as he manage to make the management of hajj pilgrim more transparent.

I try to observe the three issues published by Republika newspaper. Republika is one of several national leading daily newspapers in Indonesia. The newspaper also known as a Moslem mass media. The target market of the newspaper are muslim people.

Republika was founded in 1992 and the first edition was published on January 3, 1993, by Yayasan Abdi Bangsa (Abdi Bangsa Foundation) -- a foundation that supported by Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia (ICMI -- Indonesian Moslem Intellectual Association). Now, Republika Daily Newspaper was published by PT Republika Media Mandiri and become a public and common mass media.

This observation was conducted in order to get conclucion whether Republika could be create a peaceful situation with its news stories -- although it is a muslim newspaper -- or not , and how the newspaper present its news stories.

Methodology

I selected the news stories published by Republika newspaper which were only related with actual religious issues in Indonesia. The stories should be in the front page or inside but with depth column more than 10 cm. I tried to analyse and interpret the story from the angle, lead, headlines (titles), language , and sources.

Definition of Variables

- Prohibition on prophet’s picture

In Muslim societies, insulting Muhammad is considered one of the gravest of all crimes. Some interpretations of the Shariah, in particular the relatively fringe Salafi (Wahabi) group, state that any insult to Muhammad warrants death.

Many Muslims have explained their anti-cartoon stance as against insulting pictures and not so much as against pictures in general. According to the BBC: “It is the satirical intent of the cartoonists and the association of the Prophet with terrorism, that is so offensive to the vast majority of Muslims.”

Why is the insult so deeply felt by some Muslims? Of course, there is the prohibition on images of Muhammad. But one cartoon, showing the Prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse, extends the caricature of Muslims as terrorists to Muhammad. In this image, Muslims see a depiction of Islam, its prophet and Muslims in general as terrorists. This will certainly play into a widespread perception among Muslims across the world that many in the West harbour a hostility towards – or fear of – Islam and Muslims.

- Muslim Headscarf

Traditionally, Muslims have recognized many different forms of clothing as satisfying the demands of hijab. Debate focussed on how much of the male or female body should be covered. Different scholars adopted different interpretations of the original texts.

Site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab stated that all four Sunni schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali) hold that entire body of the woman, except her face and hands, is part of her awrah, that is the parts of her body that must be covered during prayer and in public settings.

Some Sunni Muslims recommend that women wear loose clothing that is not form fitting to the body either modest forms of western clothing (long shirts and skirts), or the more traditional jilbāb, a high-necked, loose robe that covers the arms and legs. A khimār or shaylah, a scarf or cowl that covers all but the face, is also worn in many different styles.

Some Salafi scholars encourage covering the face. Many of them say it is mandatory to cover the face. Other scholars oppose face covering, particularly in the west where the woman may draw more attention as a result. These garments are very different in cut than most of the traditional forms of ħijāb, and they are worn worldwide by Muslims.

Most scholars agree that the basic requirements are that when in the presence of someone of the opposite sex (other than a close family member - see mahram), a woman should cover her body, and walk and dress in a way which does not draw sexual attention to her.

Some scholars go so far as to specify exactly which areas of the body must be covered. In some cases, this is everything save the eyes but most require everything save the face and hands to be covered. In nearly all Muslim cultures, young girls are not required to wear a ħijāb. There is not a single agreed age when a woman should begin wearing a ħijāb; however, in many Muslim countries, puberty is the dividing line.

In private, and in the presence of mahrams, the rules on dress are relaxed. However, in the presence of husband, most scholars stress the importance of mutual freedom and pleasure of the husband and wife.

Along with scriptural arguments, scholars argue that head covering should not be compulsory in Islam because the veil predates the revelation of the Qur'ān. Head-covering was introduced into Arabia long before Muhammad, primarily through Arab contacts with Syria and Iran, where the hijāb was a sign of social status. After all, only a woman who need not work in the fields could afford to remain secluded and veiled.

The Hajj Pilgrim

The Hajj (Arabic: حج‎) is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah), Saudi Arabia.
It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world. It is the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. It is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah.

The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date of the Hajj is eleven days earlier from year to year. In 2007, the Hajj was from December 17–21; in 2008 it will take place from December 7–11.

Limitation of the study

I just only observed the news stories related with muslim issues with more than 10 cm depth column in Republika newspaper from November 20 to November 26, 2008.

Findings

News stories related with muslim big issues are always placed in the front page.
Titles and angles of the news stories usually are not in sensational or vulgar sentences.

The news stories are seldom accompanied with pictures. For sensitive issues related with muslim , Republika always rely on sources such as official government (from Religious Affairs Ministry), Indonesian Muslim Clerics Council (MUI) and the two biggest muslim organizations in Indonesia, namely Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama and very selective muslim clerics.

The newspaper use good language in presenting their news stories.

Conclusion

a. Republika is a muslim colored newspaper but its news stories reflected that it has a mission to create peaceful situation among religious followers.

b. Republika seems very careful in publishing news stories related with muslim issues. The newspaper always refer to the the opinion of Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry, Indonesian Muslim Clerics Council (MUI) and the two biggest muslim organizations in Indonesia, namely Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama and very selective in getting their sources.

c. Republika always put big muslim issues news stories in front page with more than 10 cm depth column to get more attention from muslim people. However, the newspaper always avoid to use hard words which could create unrest among religious people. The news stories are seldom accompanied with pictures in order to avoid tense situation.

Interview

This is my interview with editor of Republika newspaper, Mr.Firkah Fansuri on Sunday , Dec.7, 2008 in Depok, West Java.

a. Republika is a muslim colored newspaper. What is the newspaper's policy in publishing the story related with muslim issues ?

- As a muslim colored newspaper, of course our market target is muslim community in Indonesia. Therefore, we should be careful in publishing such issues which have a conflict potential among muslim groups.

Before publishing a sensitive religious issue, we will discuss it in a an editorial meeting. Our mission as a muslim ideological newspaper is to create a peaceful situation among people. Therefore, if the issue has a potential conflict among muslim groups, then we will refer to the opinion of Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry, Indonesian Muslim Clerics Council (MUI) and the two biggest muslim organizations in Indonesia, namely Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama.

We are so selective to get our sources. We will not ask very liberal muslim cleric such as Mr. UAS (initial name, he is famous liberal muslim scholar) since our newspaper will get a huge protest from our readers. We can not ask opinion too from fundamentalist muslim clerics.

b. How about if the issue has a potential conflict between muslim and other faith followers , for example : muslim people burn church or christian people burn mosque ?

- We will publish the facts but we will not defend the muslim people who make a crime or attack to other religious people. Of course , we should be careful in publishing this kind of story. We will ask such statements from government officials, police, leaders of muslim organization, or leaders of christian organization which could play down the tense situation. Generally speaking, we will not publish pictures related with this issues as it could trigger such retaliations from the victims.

c. How abot Republika's policy in publishing news stories related with armed conflict between muslim and other faith followers , such as muslims and christians in Maluku province in 1997-1998 ?

- We published the stories about "war" between muslim and christian people in Maluku province, dominantly from muslim side. But this policy we took as our reporters could not enter the Christian's people area. Why ? Because Christian people knew that Republika was muslim newspaper and they would not let our reporters came to their bases. Moreover, it will be so danger for our reporters to come to their bases. Although our news stories maybe could not meet the priciple of cover both side, but we tried to publish the news stories which could create a peaceful situation among them.


References

a. Cartoon of Prophet Debate in the Internet Age : Indonesia Case by Rien Kuntari,
http ://www.ocrpl.org/ ?p=115.

b. Ethics and Responsibility in Journalism : An Islamic Perspective by Mohammad
A.Siddiqi, reading material from Dr. Eric Loo for students of MA Journalism
programme of Ateneo de Manila University.

c. Republika newspaper from November 20 – 26, 2008.

d. Interview with senior editor of Republika newspaper, Firkah Fansuri.


e. http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2008/11/20/brk,20081120-147160,uk.html

(end)