Ignorance Of States Crimes In Kashmir Makes Indians Unknowing Partner
Observer News Service
SRINAGAR: In a strong indictment, civil society members in Kashmir on Tuesday deplored what it called a near total blackout, by the Indian media and sections of the Kashmir media, of a damning IPTK-APDP report on perpetrators of human rights violations in the state.
They said that the blackout amounted to keeping the Indian masses ignorant of the crimes committed by the Indian state in Jammu and Kashmir, and therefore (the Indian people) might find themselves unknowingly party to criminality and human rights violations.
While the international media carried out extensive reporting of the issues raised, the reporting of the Indian media, and some segments of the Jammu and Kashmir media, was extremely disappointing, civil society members said in a joint statement today.
It is clear that in the Indian media particularly, and some segments of the Jammu and Kashmir media, there was a near complete black out of this report, they said.
The report titled Alleged Perpetrators: Stories of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir which, according to the civil society members was carried extensively by the international media, examines 214 cases of human rights violations and the role of 500 alleged perpetrators in these crimes.
According to its authors – the International Peoples Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir (IPTK) and the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) who released it on Dec 6 – this is the first time here that the role of such a large number of perpetrators involved in specific cases has been formally documented.
The release of this report, a few days before the Human Rights Day, was an important moment in the ongoing struggle against impunity of the Indian State in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, civil society members said.
Beyond the reaction to this specific report, it is clear that there has been a worrying long-standing trend, exhibited by biased reporting or non-reporting, of human rights work that indicts the Indian State and its functionaries in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement signed by
Even for the release of the report on unmarked and unidentified graves in Jammu and Kashmir in 2009, the response of the Indian media was disappointing. It appears that the responsibility for this lies essentially with the editorial management, and possibly less with the actual reporters on ground, the statement said.
The media forms a very important part of any struggle against impunity, human rights violations and the misuse of State power. Impunity is furthered when the State is not held accountable. This is an important role of the media. Further, the Indian State carries out crimes in Jammu and Kashmir in the name of the Indian people. The media must therefore ensure that people are provided information on human rights violations by the Indian State in Jammu and Kashmir, failing which the Indian people might find themselves unknowingly party to criminality and human rights violations, it said.
The signatories to the statement include Dr. Altaf Hussain, Dr. Javid Iqbal, Dr. Mubeen Shah, Prof. Hameedah Nayeem, Huma Dar, Zareef Ahmed Zareef, Anwar Ashai, Gowhar Geelani, Idrisa Pandit, Syed Ather Zia, Mohammad Junaid, Shakeel Qalander, Arjimand Hussain Talib, Najeeb Mubarki, Arif Ayaz Parrey, Zahir ud Din and Parvez Imroz.
The media cannot allow itself to be subservient to the diktats of the State. This trend of being subservient is particularly troubling when one considers that certain media houses do in fact exhibit substantial power that could withstand the orders of a State. By following the real or perceived preferences/orders of the State, the media itself stands culpable. The dismal or unprofessional role of the Indian media so far has only endorsed the crimes, their statement said.
It is also important for the media to inform the public about the real circumstances that are often manipulated by certain sections of the media, resulting in the diversion of their tax money from more pressing social necessities towards unnecessary expenditure, it said.
Similarly, the political formations have also remained silent. On trivial issues all political formations compete with each other to issue statements. But, on this grave issue they have preferred to remain silent and exposed their false support for human rights, it said.
The alleged Perpetrators report, and other human rights concerns are a public issue. Serious debate is needed, it said.
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