TEMPO Magazine Apologizes
Wednesday, 06 February, 2008 | 16:22 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Tempo Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Toriq Hadad, conveyed his apologies to Christian people regarding the cover of the magazine’s February4-10, 2008, edition.

A drawing depicteing Suharto and his family was the cover of Tempo magazine special edition entitled “After He Left.”

“We didn’t intend to hurt Christian people’s feelings. We were only inspired by the composition of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, not the concept and the context of the event inscribed in the Bible,” said Toriq.

According to Toriq, there was no intention to harass or belittle any religion.

“For everything that is discomforting as regards the cover, I on behalf of the Tempo institution apologize,” he said.

The apology will also be published in Tempo magazine next week.

In the special edition, Tempo magazine depicted Suharto surrounded by his six children.

The drawing composition was similar to the layout in “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci which portrays Jesus Christ and his disciples.

In addition to protests via email and short messages, yesterday afternoon (5/2) many people representing Christian followers came to Tempo’s office in Jakarta in order to have a dialogue.

Among those who came were Hermawi F. Taslim (Head of Republic of Indonesia Catholic Students Association Alumni Forum PMKRI), Roy Rening (Head of the Religious Freedom Defender’s Legal Team), Paskalis Pieter (Deputy Chairman of the Religious Freedom Legal Team), Natalis Situmorang (General Chairperson of the Catholic Youth Group), Osbin Samosir (Head of the Catholic Scholars Union) and Barnabas (Head of the North Sumatra Traveling Catholics).

“We come in the spirit of brotherhood. But we would also
like to show that our existence isn’t separated from this nation’s community,” said Hermawi, who is also one of the National Awakening Party’s Leadership Council chairpersons.

Tempo very much appreciated Hernawi and the others’ coming to deliver their opinions and having a dialogue.

“Tempo magazine will also convey apology publicly in Koran Tempo tomorrow (today) and a week later in the magazine,” said Hermawi after the dialogue.

Readers in several areas also conveyed objections regarding Tempo special edition’s cover.

DWI WIYANA | RIKA P. PARDEDE | WIDIARSI AGUSTINA I JUPERNALIS SAMOSIR