FOR YEARS KASHMIR VALLEY WILL NEVER FORGET.
ROLE OF NATIONAL MEDIA IN HIGHLIGHTING THE MASS
DISAPPEARENCES
(HUMAN
RIGHTS
VOILATIONS) IN THE VALE OF KASHMIR.
Submitted to:
submitted by:
Human resource Devlopment centre JAMIA MILIA ISLAMIA UNIVERSITY
sajad Ahmed
INTRODUCTION:
Media is regarded as the fouth pillar of the society which is the backbone truthfullness
of
the and
society
transcends
communicates
the
helps in transitional justice to administration
apart reflects transitional happenings of any event in the society and the responsibility goes high when the violation of masses took place,the expectation and role of every medium of society is to denounce such events which carve the human misery and caranage of sufferings inflicted upon.The valley of kashmir since three decades witnessed so much untoward painful incidents from the administration end at the front of defence which is hardly been seen in any part of the world be it the extra judicial killings,tortures, mass killings masss dis appearances, labelling innocents with false fabrication put them behind bars etc. The media’s role was to exegerate such happening to bring the truthness to fore before the civil society and common masses in india.The peoples of Kashmir are struggling for their political and birth rights. Indian forces of occupation have committed massive human rights violation in
Kashmir,National media has every responsibility to viel the same but they dubbed and and neglect the true voices of valley over the last three decades.kashmir experienced an unpridicted political turmoil during the last three decades besides affecting the south asian peace ,security and devlopment.Its created through media an impression by government that kashmir was always a voilent zone and its people were devoid of essentials of harmony and mutual existance .Kashmir has been under Indian military occupation since October 1947. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been granted the right of self-determination under the UN Charter, and under several UN Security Council resolutions, more specifically under UN (UNCIP) resolution of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949. These and subsequent UN resolutions have affirmed that, the question of accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the political democratic method of free and impartial plebiscite.Since then, the people of Kashmir are struggling for their political and birth rights. Indian forces of occupation have committed massive human rights violation in Kashmir over the period of time which remained unheard and undued throught the prism of national media (Studies of Changing Societies:Comparative
and
Interdisciplinary
FocusVol.
1'(2)2012).Muhammad Tahir Tabassum , Indian aministered kashmir over the years seen such a brute repression and opression which can’t be seen any where in the world. Over the last three decades mass disappearances are at peak and history witnessed that scores of unmarked graves are in the every district of valley.media gaze is synonium to uphold the true spirit of society against violence, voice is influential through media in that sense national madia shows abysmal performance and settles the scores through false intrusion on a state which remained hot bowl of Human rights violations. CONCEPTUAL OVERIEW/ENGAGEMENTS: The ethics of media and its relationship to truethness of events in a society. The violence shaped the destiny of a conflict trodden land vis vis media has to bridge the tension through the prism of truthness and transitional justice so as the cries and human sufferings will be heard."Enforced disappearance" is defined in Article 2 of the Convention as the arrest, detention,
abduction
or any other form of deprivation of
liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared
person, which place such a person outside the protection of the law.
MEDIA
AND
ROLE
ITS TO
HIGHLIGHT VOILENCE Human rights are very much basics to any community in the world and has been the central theme of human history which are very much prevelant in all the mythologies.Media has tremondous role to play and to act as a fourth pillar of the democracy rather their should be transtional juistice through mass media which will not only magnify the truth and show mirror reflexs of the society but in the sense it should highlight the work of other three organs of the government i.e; the legeslature ,judiciary and excutive .Mass media is considerd as fourth pillar of the Democracy.There are certian obligation upon media towards masses be it in advarsity, jubilaince or in any form,by which it will report and propagate the reality of events that has taken place.When it comes to a conflilict zone like a Kashmir,media has certain add on responsibilities by which it can address certian issues in conflict resolution but the
national media in that respect has not only failed to propogate the reality but also false propoganda being shown and aired .since the last three decades Kashmir issue and human rights voilation in Kashmir is a serious and grave concern,attrocites commited by defence and successive Governments in Kashmir valley is not only heinous and grave in nature but crosses the boundries of human evil.Since the last three decades the national media is not able to show the real plight of the Kashmiri society.The attrocieties ,operation ,repression,caused by conflict and the sheild given through draconion laws to defence i.e APSAFA, Disturbed Area Act ,POTA
etc, the national media never try to be admant of
transtional juistice which was not only there prime duty to show real apathy,agony of survivals of the victims and kashmir society as a whole,but instead of that the creaped salt on the wounds of people of kashmir by leving propoganda of terrorsim on common kashmir innocents.since the decades hundreds of crimes took place in the valley ranging from innocent killings,custodial killings,extrajudicial killings,operation vijay or putting innocent people behind bars and the most heinous against is mass disappearances which is against the treaties and conventions india has ratified and conventions in the united nations. Mr padgaonkar, Dr Radha Kumar, MM Ansari who were acting as
interlocators on kashmir while submitting their report to the Govt of India said they want to give some very essential detail of human rights voilations commited by indian forces in Indian admisistered kashmir since january 1989 till february 2012,but the indian national media never paid any heed to such revelations . Mr Govind acharya : south asia co. Group amnesty international USA taks about the mass graves in kashmir & the other things that the international human rights organisations has raised in the recent passt . In the recent case first time in the history of kashmir valley the govt agency state human rights commissions revealed the truth about the mass graves iddentified over 2700 marked graves in north kashmir and another 3844 un identified bodies in mass graves in ponch and rajouri . NGO’s estimated around 800010000 persos have disappeared since 1990’s -2014. Amnesty international proposed indian govt. That an impartial probe should be conducted where has that reached? While as AI has reported on a titled “BURIED EVIDENCE” by the International tribunal findings in 2008. Back then no action was taken against india internationallly for violating several international laws to which country is sigitory to.(BURIED EVIDENCE) International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir 103
Appendix IV: Relevant Conventions and India’s Status 1. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) Status: Signed on October 12, 1997, has not ratified it 2. Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2006) Status: Signed on October 12 ,1997, has not ratified it 3. Convention on the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons Status: Terminated January 24, 1972 4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) Status: Ratification July 9, 1993 5. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) Status: Accession December 11, 1992 6. Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992) Status: Adopted by General Assembly resolution 47/135 of December 18, 1992 without a vote 7. General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962, “Permanent sovereignty over natural resources” Status: India voted in favour of the resolution
8. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) Status: Accession April 10, 1979 9. Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (1989) Status: India is not a signatory 10. International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006) Status: Signed February 6, 2007, not yet ratified; Convention has not yet entered into force 11. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) Status: Accession April 10, 1979 12. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966) Status: Ratified December 3, 1968 13. ILO Forced Labour Convention (1930) Status: Ratified November 30, 1954 14. ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957) Status: Ratified May 18, 2000 15. United Nations Charter (1945) Status: Ratified October 30, 1945
16. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) Status: India voted in favour of the adoption of the Declaration by the UN General Assembly in 1948.
For years kashmir has been been lamenting there loved ones,the pains and agony dismayed the opression being not shown .The Govt and Defence personals claimed that they have gone to pakistan to join militant ranks.but these unknown graves define the human misery and pain which signfy
that
there is every
possiblity of mas murder of innocent kashmiris. If authorities are not wrong then why they are not allowing impartial probe. In the year 1995 (600 year) old shrine was destroyed by what indian media describes it cross firing with militants but after several days when firing stopped no militant was there.its an irony on part of indian authorities they barred Amnesty international to enter kashmir since 1978 it has drawn iron curtain upon the killings & mass dis appearances took place
over the years. Its really a
shame of democracy where media has not been able to lime the innocent killings and sufferings besides left no corner unturn to fabricate the news with there content never act as transparent as they act in other parts of the country. The national media shows a grim picture of kashmir and propogate a false wave in the indian
society regarding kashmir valley. The pain misery and oppression which should have been in the news content committed by the armed forces under draconian laws and shield has been granted to the autonomy of crimes. The national media which oftenly put emphasis on integral part of country thats valley of kashmir. (Pain in kashmir :a crime of war issued jointly by asia watch and physicians for human rights, may 9,1993.on 23 feb,1991 )atleast 30 women were repeatedly raped in the homes by security forces at gun point(at kunan poshpora in kashmir )of which there are scores
of
evidence
march1992)sexual
and
witnesses(Amnesty
molestation,beatings,threat
of
international violenceand
electric shock are the most common form of torture in kashmir(Asia watch ay 1991) Toranto star jan, 25,1991 all foreign journalists have been recieved brutual treatment at the hands of security forces expelled them from entering kashmir.the world has kept largly on dark. More recently in the year 2008 and 2010 heinous human rights violations done by security forces international media was banned to enter kashmir and air anything the so called national media was busy showing false image of kashmir and tarnishing the innocence of beauties and bounties of valley. Besides the local media offices were putted under lock on behest of govt of india.
The US human rights department in its annual report 2001 in original dipicted the violations done by forces in indian occupied kashmir. AL JAZERA 17 Apr 2011 Essa assad political india the report 8000-10000 enforced disappearances in indian administered kashmir are just one part of a series of human rights voilations attributed to indian govt,including extra judicial killings,torture and illegal detentions.but indian govt has been able to side stephuman rights conventions through a series of laws that gave speicial rights to armed forces in kashmir. (“clark cathy scott”) “The mass graves of kashmir””the London guardian,9jul2012.for 22 years this contested region has endured a regime of torturen& dis appeared civilians now a local lawyer discovering the unmarked graves & challenging indian abuses. (day of Disappeared Amnesty international Raheela Nardor Amnesty india researcher).Wednesday 24th Dec 2010 APDP association of parents of disappeared persons demanded their shold be a tharough probe through ICRC by Govenment.Human rights watch 24 Aug,2011 official enquiry by theState HR Commision confirmed some bodies of disappeared persons exehmued
from
graves
found
locals
.As
per
Minakshi
Gangualy,Director South Asian HR Watch India must instigate
such happenings which took place in Kashmir Tribune The Express Feb 5, 2015 South Asian states asked India to ratify convention against torture to which India is signitary since 1997. The great Democracy of the World has not ratified the Treaty yet.It is the media’s duty to be impartial without any bias to put emphasis upon the state regarding the gross voilations of Human Rights, if witnessed in any part of the country.National media recognised as one of the corner stones in a democratic country has always a crucial role to play while highlighting the issues and happenings within the democratic setup.But the National media while covering of the Kashmir region always propogate a view within the country whuch is full of bias and trajected the news in unrealistic manner,which does not come under the domain of media ethics and true journalism.The media over the years has not done any justice in Kashmir conflict, rather the national media hyper the tension between the State and the Centre.It is tyranny on part of media from the last three decades that while reporting from the vale of Kashmir the truth has not been brought up to the fore.It is evident from the instances that occured in the valley at the hands of security forces,be it mass disappearences, sexual exploitations,extra judicial killings ,illegal detentions etc.National media never unvieled the true stories about such incidents and
heinous offences being commited ,due to which subjects of the valley have lost trust on this pillar of the society which is a bad ommen not only for the Government but also for the reflex mirror of the society.The role of media through the prism of United Nation is recognised as necessary tool to acheive good governance as media stresses upon participation and transparency.
CONCLUSION Kashmiri civilians are repeatedly murdered by Indian forces andthrough the prism of national media then pawned to the international community as foreign terrorists. This should no longer be a tolerated enterprise for India's militarization of Kashmir. Kashmiri mothers, fathers, and the youth are against terrorism being that Kashmiris are themselves the main victims of grenade attacks by Pakistani-backed militants, as well as, the bullets and mortars of Indian state security forces. Kashmiris believe in democracy and civil society and that is why they continue to carry out civil protests amidst the bullets and batons of brutal of state security apparatuses. Yet, they are human and they desperately hold on to the fragile hope for justice and accountability. It is time the world stands with them and not let more 17 year-old boys be slain in vain.
Through the Millennium Declaration, United Nations member states expressed their strong, unanimous and explicit support of democratic and participatory governance and recognized free and open media as one of the tools necessary to achieve this goal. They called for participation and transparency in decision-making, non-discrimination, empowerment and accountability in the quest for development.This event gives the media and civil society an excellent
opportunity
to
comeVibrant
democracy
needs
independent and pluralistic media. Here, the word independent refers to independence from governmental, political or economic control, or from control of materials and infrastructure essential for the production and dissemination of media products and programmes.By pluralistic media, we mean the end of monopolies of any kind and theexistence of the greatest possible number of newspapers, periodicals and broadcasting stations reflecting the widest possible range of opinions within a country so the national media must understand the values and ethics by which they can air the true stories of kashmir and kashmiri’s through this gaze of media, kashmir conflict can be adressed. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1.(Studies of Changing Societies:Comparative and Interdisciplinary
FocusVol. 1'(2)2012).Muhammad Tahir Tabassum , 2.“BURIED EVIDENCE” by the International tribunal findings in 2008. 3.(Pain in kashmir :a crime of war issued jointly by Asia watch and physicians for human rights, may 9,1993.on 23 feb,1991 ) 4.AL JAZERA 17 Apr 2011 Essa assad political india. 5.(“clark cathy scott”) “The mass graves of Kashmir””the London guardian,9jul2012 6..Wednesday 24th Dec 2010 APDP association of parents of disappeared persons demanded their shold be a tharough probe through ICRC by Govenment. 7.Human rights watch 24 Aug,2011 SHRC kashmir. 8.Tribune The Express Feb 5, 2015 South Asian states