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Kashmir press in peril

The mindless murder of the Editor-in-Chief of the Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari, has again exposed the militant organisations'' attempt to block out the truth by attacking an important institution of democracy — the Press.

Kashmir press in peril


Vinod Sharma
Delhi-based senior journalist 

The mindless murder of the Editor-in-Chief of the Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari, has again exposed the militant organisations' attempt to block out the truth by attacking an important institution of democracy — the Press. Shujaat was a fearless media soldier who advocated peace in Kashmir — which did not find favour with Pakistan or Pak-sponsored militant organisations. And he may not be the last mediaperson to fall prey to the attempt to silence peaceniks as presspersons cover Kashmir under the reign of the gun.  

Kashmir has a list of journalists and mediapersons who have had sacrificed their lives at the altar of militancy since militancy gained roots in the Kashmir valley in 1989. During the initial years, no one could dare to write anything which went against militants. Only news favourably tailored for them and their versions of the incidents were splashed in the newspapers. There was hardly any news except handouts by militant outfits, whose number was put at 150 those days. 

Initially, journalists liaisoned with militants, some in a bid to gain circulation and others to ward off fear and backlash. But it was like riding a tiger. The Press in Kashmir had come to be an arm of militants' propaganda machinery and anybody who took an independent approach, faced their wrath. Bans were ordered against critical and 'unobliging' newspapers and media persons. Journalists were killed, their offices burnt, staff kidnapped and beaten. Independent-minded correspondents were asked to leave the valley and circulation of some newspapers banned. Though some mediapersons have had close affinity with top-ranking militants and served their purpose, it is a tight ropewalk for everyone in view of the proliferation of terrorist outfits, having no respect for freedom of speech and expression. 

Four major killings were executed by terrorists in the Valley. Three of them belonged to the official media — Lassa Koul, director, Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar, Syed Ghulam Nabi, joint director, Information, Srinagar, and PN Handoo, assistant director, Srinagar — and one was the Editor of the Daily Alsafa, Mohammed Shaban Vakil. These killings shocked Kashmir in particular and the country in general. All four were eliminated by militants who accused them of working against the 'movement'. These killings had the desired impact on the Press, which lost its moorings. 

The first major attack was made on February 13, 1990 when Lassa Koul was gunned down as he was entering his house at Bemina Colony. On March 1, 1990, PN Handoo was killed by the notorious Bitta Karate at the Balgarden locality as he was leaving for office. Shaban Vakil was gunned down in his office on March 23, 1991. Syed Ghulam Nabi was first kidnapped on October 16, 1992, tortured and then killed by pro-Pak Jamait-ul-Mujahideen four days later. 

The list of other attacks on the freedom of Press is long. On May 1, 1990, the circulation of national and Jammu-based newspapers was stopped following a threat by the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Militants exploded bomb in the Dalgate house of the Editor of the daily Srinagar Times, Ghulam Mohd Sofi on October 2, 1990. His Badshah Chowk office was subjected to arson on October 5 and October 10, 1990 and ultimately burnt. On November 4, 1990, the printing press of Daily Afthab was damaged in an explosion in Gowkadal. The copies of the paper were burnt by a group of militants at Pampore in Pulwama district, who had described the paper as being 'anti-movement'. 

Two Jammu-based English dailies, Excelsior and Kashmir Times, were banned in the valley by pro-Pak outfits on December 20, 1990 and this ban was lifted only on February 10, 1991. Then, the Hizbul Mujahideen threatened the newspapers against advocating a 'solution' of the Kashmir issue on the basis of 'give and take'. It imposed a ban on May 15, 1991 on the publication of statements of Farooq Abdullah and other political leaders who talked of peace in the valley. The Mahaz-e-Islami had slapped a ban on Delhi's Urdu periodical Al Risala on October 7, 1991 in a bid to muzzle the dissenting voice. 

BBC's Srinagar correspondent Yusuf Jameel's house was made the target of a grenade attack twice on February 18 and March 31, 1991. The entry of the Delhi edition of The Indian Express was banned by the Hizbul Mujahideen and its Srinagar-based correspondent George Joseph was 'directed' to leave the Kashmir valley within 48 hours for his alleged 'anti-movement' reports. Another outfit — J&K Liberation Army — had imposed a ban on government and private advertisements in Srinagar Times on April 18, 1992 and imposed a 'fine' of Rs 1 lakh on Alsafa newspaper for defying its instructions. 

Another militant outfit, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), banned the entry of the Sunday weekly and its correspondent Shiraz Sidhva, on May 2, 1992, as she 'dared' to cast aspersions on the outfit. She had been consistently highlighting militants' point of view, but she once made an 'uncharitable remark' against one outfit, and pat came the 'ban'. Al-Umar Mujahideen also put a ban on the Sunday Times on May 14, 1992. Another outfit — Allah Tigers —had also imposed a 'ban' on an English daily of Srinagar, Greater Kashmir. The house of Aftab Editor Sanaullah Bhat was also burnt by militants and the office of Alsafa ransacked. 

Interestingly, the demand for front-page treatment to statements and claims of various militant outfits was so heavy that once Srinagar Times carried a box item, explaining: “Almost three dozen statements are received daily from the militants and all demanded to be on the front page of the newspaper.” Once, the Hizbul Mujahideen had told the newspapers what to write and what not to write. No suggestions were to be made that the Kashmir issue could be settled through negotiations. Stern action was threatened if the Press did not provide bold coverage to the activities of Hizbul Mujahideen on the front page.

Gagging the Press is a convenient and an effective tool to prevent the truth about the strife-torn Kashmir valley from appearing. This is the one reason that the misdeeds and atrocities of militants in the valley could never be highlighted. Hence, peace initiators like Shujaat Bukhari are silenced.

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