Environment and South Asia by South Asian Media Net

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan South Asian Free Media Association South Asia Media Commission South Asian Women in Media

Contents

Session I: Inauguration Environment and South Asia Media, SAARC and SAFMA Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA

Appeal to SAARC and its Member/Observer countries to help create South Asian Media Endowment Fund Let's reverse climate change Bhutan's Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley

Session II Session II report Connectivity and Information Conflict, Connectivity and Progress Khaled Ahmed

Climate Change and Water Security in South Asia Syed Iqbal Hasnain

Session III Session III report Debate on Declaration Bhutan Declaration on Climate Change Plenary Session Session IV report New LFA, work plan & budget 2010-12 Regional executive body meetings Minutes South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Regional Executive Body Meeting Minutes South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) Regional Executive Body Meeting Minutes South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) Regional Executive Body Meeting Delegates list

EDITOR: Waqar Mustafa RAPPORTEURS: Sadaf Arshad, Mehmal Sarfraz

PUBLISHER: Free Media Foundation DESIGNER: Muhammad Adeel

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan

Session I: Inauguration

The conference venue in Paro, Bhutan

INAUGURAL SESSION REPORT

Environment and South Asia

s Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, a fledgling democracy nestled cosily in the lap of the picturesque Himalayan mountains, hosted th the 16 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SAARC summit, Paro town too had a touch of glory. Journalists from SAARC countries gathered there to attend the 5th SAARC Journalists Summit hosted by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA). Such gatherings preceding the SAARC summits have been a regular feature of the last five SAARC summits. Having held the previous gatherings before the SAARC Summits in Islamabad, Dhaka, New Delhi and Colombo, South Asian Free Media Association arranged the fifth such conference two days before the 16th SAARC Summit in Bhutan which was held on April 28 and 29. This year was to see regional executive body meetings of SAFMA, South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) and South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) also.

SAFMA Bhutan President Needrup Zangpo: We would like to welcome all the journalists from SAARC countries. We would like to welcome the officeholders of SAFMA, SAMC and SAWM and the officials of the Royal government of Bhutan.

More than 130 journalists and media personnel from South Asia attended the fifth SAARC South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) summit. Themed 'Environment and South Asia,' the summit was inaugurated by Bhutan's Prime Minister, Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley. He also opened the SAARC Summit in Thimphu. Ten delegates from Afghanistan, 13 from Bangladesh, 15 from India, seven from the Maldives,

12 from Nepal, 20 from Pakistan, 10 from Sri Lanka and 30 from the host country Bhutan participated in the conference which had sessions on Environment: A Looming Threat on South Asia and Connectivity and Information. SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam highlighted the objectives of the 5th SAARC Journalists' Summit. Imtiaz Alam: We have been holding these summits since 2004 with the objective of facilitating the SAARC process. We are very happy to be in this paradise on earth. Bhutan is very beautiful. Whenever I come here, I realise how small is beautiful, and how the bigger you go, the greater you become ugly. Bhutan deserves to be the leader in conservation, in protecting environment, and in harmony and peace in the community. Due to global warming, Himalayan glaciers are melting and weathers are changing. Bhutan should teach us how not to spoil our environment. The last two summits focused on connectivity. But this region has the least connectivity. Nothing has moved actually though we have pursued this agenda for 10 years now. SAFMA has achieved the goals which the SAARC information ministers had committed to attaining in their action plan for media. We have established a South Asian Media Centre, SAARC has not. SAFMA is proud to report

SAFMA NEEDS SUPPORT: Secretary General Imtiaz Alam

that since 2003, we have been producing the largest portal in South Asia with daily news and views from the whole region. We offer the SAARC Secretariat to maintain their website without any cost. We have established a South Asian Media School (SAMS) and have held seven courses. I would like the Bhutanese prime minister to lobby with SAARC for recognising SAFMA as its Apex Body. Member governments should give scholarship to young journalists to study at the SAMS. A South Asian Free Media Endowment Fund should be established out of the SAARC Development Fund to make SAFMA self-sustaining. We only need $ 20 million out of the SAARC Development Fund. SAARC and its member countries should consider the South Asian Media Centre in Lahore as SAARC's Media Centre and allocate funds for the creation of a South Asian Media Endowment Fund. The funds

could be channelled either out of the SAARC Development Fund, the SAARC Media Development Fund or with contributions from member countries.

Former journalist and Information Secretary Kinley Dorji

Bhutanese Information Secretary Kinley Dorji: In 2006, our king stepped down from the throne as he wanted democracy in the country. People walked and camped at the polling booths and cast their votes. From these dramatic movements emerged a figure of destiny. The people of Bhutan offered the mandate to rule to us winning us 45 out of 47 assembly seats. Mr Thinley is the first elected prime minister of Bhutan. Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley: It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Bhutan. I have the unique pleasure of attending two very important summits in one week: SAFMA Journalists' Summit and SAARC. I would like to express my appreciation for the

MEDIA MUST MEAN TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE: Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley flanked by SAFMA President Reazuddin Ahmed and a Bhutanese minister

good work SAFMA has been doing, successfully achieving its mandate that is truly following the SAARC objectives. South Asia must take a leading role in reversing the adverse climate changes of the past century. The Bhutanese PM endorsed SAFMA proposals made by Mr Alam, assuring that he would forward them to all member countries during the summit. His vivid portrayal of the emerging, young democracy of Bhutan was cogently linked with the unique Bhutanese concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as contrasted with the familiar yardstick of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Questioning the efficacy of growth-oriented economic development, he held this squarely responsible for both global environmental degeneration and the recent disastrous financial crisis and devastating recession worldwide.

Prime Minister Thinley sounded a clarion call to the media, especially the South Asian media, to play a vital role in making democracy vibrant and meaningful. He also urged the media to work for correcting the course of development to ensure environmentally sound and sustainable development (ESSD). His appeal was elegant: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that the media have the added responsibility in emerging democracies, where the literacy rate is low, of educating the people on the real values of democracies, going beyond elections. Democracy and GNH are all about giving the public the right information because an uninformed public, without critical thinking skills, is considered undemocratic in nature, and a democratic system without an educated constituency that understands political debate cannot be democratic. Media must mean transparency in government and governance, thus deepening democracy.â&#x20AC;?

Dwelling on the profound role of media in the broader context, Premier Thinley eloquently observed: “Journalists need to understand issues ranging from economics to science and development. You must play a constructive role in channeling your passion and your desire for change by exploring ways out and offering solutions, being both torchbearer and public watchdog. Our media must expose the illusory nature of wealth as illustrated by the Great Depression, the recent Asian financial crisis and the global economic recession. The paradigm shift will, however, entail unfathomable social ramifications.”

caution against the tide of commercialism that is driving media towards the lowest common denominator, against the seduction of society by blatant materialism, against the voices of professional journalists being drowned by authoritarian leaders, corporate owners, advertisers, and even against poor journalism. We see, in our region, that commercially driven global media has become a pure business activity with little regard for people and people's interests.” Calling for a massive change of direction from globalisation to “glocalisation,” Premier Thinley asserted: “The media must help construct cultures that will build creative nations so that cultural diversity does not become painful difference.”

He also underscored the moral role of media as he remarked: “The premise here is that media must be more than a watchdog for society and public space for discourse. Media must perform a critical public function because they are expressing values all the time and, thereby, cultivating the public mind. Therefore, media must help society to process, define and promote the right values that contribute to the happiness of the individual and well-being of society.”

He said: “It is important for media to understand what the average person thinks and feels, their daily concerns about housing, roads and parking, litter, safety on the streets. You must give us, and our children, healthy role models.” His final words were moving: “As a citizen of South Asia I appeal to you, the leaders of South Asian journalism, to see your audience — readers, listeners, and viewers — as citizens, not consumers.”

Critically assessing the undesirable inroad of commercialism in the media world, he said: “Gross National Happiness, in essence, conveys a strong

The prime minister received a standing ovation from the audience as he finished his speech.

SAFMA President Reazuddin Ahmed: You deserved that standing ovation, Mr Prime Minister. You have shown that you are a media-friendly premier. What you have said in your speech is inspiring and you have addressed the real issues. We hope that you will take up these issues with your colleagues in the summit for tangible results. We are happy and share the happiness of the Bhutanese people that you are organising such a big event competently. I can assure you of SAFMA and the media support for your democracy. I SAFMA President Reazuddin Ahmed must thank you Excellency for your speech and presence here. Our colleagues feel the same. I thank the Information Secretary, and the Foreign Ministry of Bhutan, foreign ministers of all SAARC countries, all SAFMA national chapters. I would like to thank Mr Satish Jacob who studied with the prime minister of Bhutan at St Stephen's College. I would also like to thank P L Uniyal, Waqar Mustafa and Bilal Naqeeb. Mr Imtiaz Alam, your dynamic leadership has brought SAFMA to this level. Thank you!

OPEN HOUSE Sivanti Ninan: Would you say that to achieve GNH, you would need to have a guided media just like you have your democracy?

PM: Is that a trap? Ha ha ha. Well before I answer that question, there are one or two things I would like to clarify. One, the accusations that the government is being too paternalistic. That is not the case. When our king promoted GNH as the guiding philosophy, he was only talking about his own people. How happiness is to be pursued, an individual has to decide about it. GNH requires that it be the role and the purpose of the government to enable people to achieve it by giving them such conditions. State institutions and the media are Senior Indian journalist and commentator Sevanti Ninan independent of each other, like the judiciary and the executive. Media is an independent sector that has a role to play in developing/shaping policies. The three elements of the state are the king, the country and the people. It will ensure democracy. SAFMA India President Nihal Singh: What do you think is the greatest challenge for Bhutan in the next five years? PM: The biggest challenge as an emerging democracy is to nurture, promote and develop a democratic culture. Democracy as we have seen in the region and beyond is very fragile, especially if you have socioeconomic disadvantages. We will try to lay the foundations of a democratic culture, which is the only way to ensure the survival of Bhutan as a democratic country. The failed examples of democracy are worrying us. But we will move on and it will take time. SAFMA Sri Lanka President Lakshman Gunesekara: More than two centuries ago, there was 70 percent forest cover in Sri Lanka. Now

SAFMA Bangladesh General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Faruque: What do you think SAARC should discuss after 25 years? What are the challenges for SAARC countries when you talk of GNH and GDP?

SAFMA Bangladesh General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Faruque

only 15 percent is left. Can you describe it for us how much has it cost you to preserve your forests? PM: We are a country just like the other countries in South Asia. Agriculture is a livelihood of people. By force of economic development, material growth and urbanisation is taking place. We need to industrialise and exploit natural resources. We have stringent policies and rules, laws and regulations that restrict and make it absolutely difficult to take advantage of our virgin forests for urban expansion and/or industrialisation. There is definitely a major political cost to it as well. It will test the will of the future governments.

PM: Bhutan is to propose at the summit that the SAARC community consider very seriously the adoption of an alternative development paradigm. It will focus less on consumption and more on mental and psychological wellbeing. A model that is holistic, guaranteeing stability, a model that is based on saving our future generations. The will of the SAARC family is going to be tested. Change in any sense is a challenge. Those who have the will and are daring often pay a heavy price. Let's see how this proposal is received. But it is time! There is a huge body of evidence to prove that we are not acting responsibly. How we react and respond to the evidence as opposed to the compulsion to produce more by extracting more of the limited resources we have, creating so much waste, climate change and global warming, this is something that is going to be a challenge for us. South Asia has a heritage in terms of culture and values to convince and to guide and to insist on the leaders to take bold and courageous decisions. The West is already beginning to be disillusioned. We cannot go on living the way we do. Irresponsible macro-economic system has crumbled. Even as we see signs of recovery and revival, we know that this recovery is going to be short-lived. What has caused Great Depressions? More of the same poison! You, the media, have a powerful role to play in creating that will in our leaders.

Exchanging greetings, SAFMA India General Secretary Satish Jacob, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam and Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley

The Prime Minister leaves the conference venue after the inauguration. Asking questions are Bangladeshi journalists Iqbal Sobhan Chaudhury and Shamim Ahmad

The Prime Minister with SAFMA Sri Lanka Vice President Selliah Nadarajah Pillai, Indian journalists Swati Bhattacharjee and Uma Sudhir

Media, SAARC and SAFMA Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA Connectivity The end of Cold War allowed connectivity and interdependence, a byproduct of information/communication revolution and globalization, to flourish. The new mantra to outmaneuver conflict and war is trade, investment and economic interdependence. As opposed to the antiroutes and closed-door nationalist ideologies that served isolationist and exclusivist nation-states, it is time for opening minds, routes, markets, communication and connectivity. However, the issues of connectivity, communication, routes, crossborder linkages, free movement of people, goods and information still remain unaddressed despite various declarations and recommendations by the relevant forums of SAARC. The 14th SAARC Summit in April 2007 stressed â&#x20AC;&#x153;the need for closer regional cooperation in the field of information and communication technologyâ&#x20AC;?. It also directed the

member countries to take steps on other ICT-enabled fields. The 15th SARAC Summit in August 2008 recognized “the importance of connectivity for realizing the objectives of SAARC … and stressed the necessity for fast-tracking projects for improving intra-regional connectivity and facilitating economic, social and people-to-people contacts”. The SAARC Transport Ministers Meeting anticipated road corridors from Bangladesh and Nepal through India and Pakistan to Afghanistan via the Attari–Wagha border post of India and Pakistan; Colombo-Kochi sea-link and a Container Train from Pakistan through India to Bangladesh and Nepal. But things have not moved on these tracks and the SAARC visa exemption scheme has not worked. Media and information remain the most neglected area despite SAFMA's persistent efforts and successive SAARC Summits and the commitments made by the foreign ministers at SAFMA's successive Journalists' Summits since 2004. The SAARC visa quota for journalists remains unimplemented in India and Pakistan.

Media, SAARC and SAFMA The SAARC information ministers had agreed to implement the following measures through a Plan of Action and set the following objectives: 1.

To actively encourage greater flow of information in the SAARC region. (SAARC region remains prohibitive of free flow of information and movement of journalists across borders, despite SAFMA's lobbying for the last 10 years and despite repeated presentation of its Protocol on Free Movement of Journalists and Media Products to successive SAARC Summits since 2003.) 2. To generate, disseminate and exchange information material. (Nothing has moved on this count. However, SAFMA has been running since 2003 a daily news and views portal, southasianmedia.net, on the countries of South Asia with two million hits a month.) 3. To strengthen cooperation in media and information and upgrade professionalism of media persons through human resource

development programs and regional exchanges. (Nothing was done for the professional development of journalists. A few exchanges of journalists did take place. SAFMA has, in the meanwhile, held and organized more than 50 regional conferences and exchanges, involving journalists/editors, experts, academicians, parliamentarians and politicians. For the professional uplifting of young journalists, SAFMA has developed a South Asian Curricula on Media, South Asian Faculty and a South Asian Media School (SAMS), which has held seven 2-month courses for young journalist from the eight countries.)

4. To allow Access to Information. (Only India has so far adopted a relatively good law on Right to Information. SAFMA has proposed a model Protocol on Information to the member countries and the SAARC for adoption)

SAFMA's Proposals to SAARC At its Fifth SAARC Journalists Summit, SAFMA proposed the following steps and measures which it is ready to facilitate, and which the SAARC and its member/observer states must help implement: 1. Ensure an easy and unrestricted visa regime for journalists and for the people at large, for free movement of media persons across South Asia. SAFMA has proposed once again its Protocol on Fee Movement of Media Persons and Media Products to the 16th SARAC Summit for adoption. 2. Lift all barriers on free flow of information, newspapers, magazines, books, radio and TV channels and other electronic products. Remove all bottlenecks in postal and telecommunication services and allow a South Asian information highway. 3. Help create a South Asian News Agency, which SAFMA is capable of running. 4. Recognize SAFMA as SAARC's Regional Media Forum and grant

10.

SAFMA the status of SAARC's Apex Body. SAFMA is ready to organize the conferences of editors and working journalists from the platform of SAARC with the backing of the SAARC Secretariat. SAFMA has created South Asian Media Net which covers South Asia and member countries of SAARC. The SAARC must support southasianmedia.net. SAFMA is ready to help develop and update the SAARC website. SAFMA has organized documentary festivals in most countries of the region, besides a South Asian Documentary Festival. SAFMA is ready to organize South Asian Documentary Festivals for SAARC with the support of member countries. Recognize South Asian Media School as an affiliate of SAARC in media training. The member countries of SAARC are requested to approve scholarships for young journalists and fresh graduates for media training from their countries through SAFMA National Chapters for training at South Asia Media School. SAFMA is also ready to help SAARC Audio Visual Exchange (SAVE) Program by making them more attractive and popular. SAFMA is prepared to help develop model guidelines for transnational broadcasting in the region with the participation of major stakeholders. SAFMA proposes to SAARC and its member countries that the South Asian Media Centre it has established in Lahore be considered as SAARC's Media Centre. Help create a South Asian Free Media Endowment Fund either out of SAARC Development Fund or with the contribution from member/observer countries of SAARC. Discourage negative projection of member countries by the media in South Asia. SAFMA is ready to propose professional ethical standards for voluntary adoption by the media outlets and professional media bodies.

Appeal to SAARC and its Member/Observer countries to help create South Asian Media Endowment Fund South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA): South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body of the region formed in July 2000 with eight national chapters and Media Centers/offices in member countries of SAARC, is an associated body of SAARC. SAFMA has worked on two planks: I. Media: Access to and free flow of information, journalists' exchanges and training, media monitoring, media laws, joint media productions, etc.; II. Peace and Cooperation: Engaging media with major stakeholders for conflict resolution, peace and regional cooperation while strengthening the SAARC process. It has helped establish South Asia Media Commission in all countries of the region to monitor media and South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) to mainstream gender issues and protect women rights. SAFMA/SAWM/SAMC works through Free Media Foundation, registered under the Societies Act 1860 in Pakistan, to run South Asian Media Centre and manage activities, administration and finances of the Program. On the media plank, SAFMA has organized journalists from across all political divides in all countries; initiated joint media productions, such as South Asian Journal, South Asian Media Net, South Asian Free Media Production House, South Asian Media School (SAMS), South Asian Media Monitor, rewriting media laws/code of professional ethics, besides holding more than 50 large media moots on various issues faced by the region and the media. On the peace and regional cooperation plank, SAFMA has worked for confidence building between India and Pakistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bangladesh and India; it has also organized regional and sub-regional conferences/exchanges on major challenges faced by the region, such as South Asian Parliamentary Conferences, Indo-Pak and Afghanistan-Pakistan Parliamentary; have undertaken research on vital policy issues of South Asia through its virtual think-tank, South Asian Policy Analysis (SAPANA)

network, which produced 13 books on South Asia and 10 more books are under preparation. SAARC, Connectivity, Information and Media The SAARC information ministers had agreed to implement the following measures through a Plan of Action and set the following objectives: 1.

To actively encourage greater flow of information in the SARC region. (SARAC region remains prohibitive of free flow of information and movement of journalists across borders, despite SAFMA's lobbying for the last ten years and its Protocol on Free Movement of Journalists and Media Products repeatedly presented to successive SAARC Summits since 2003.)

To generate, disseminate and exchange information material. (Nothing has moved on this account. However, SAFMA has established a daily news and views portal, southasianmedia.net, on the countries of South Asia with two million hits every month, since 2003. SAFMA is producing South Asian Journal, a quarterly academic and analytical publication.)

To strengthen cooperation in the field of media and information and upgrade the professionalism of media persons through human resource development programs and regional exchanges. (Nothing was done for the professional development of journalists. Few exchanges of journalists did take place. SAFMA has, in the meanwhile, held and organized over 50 regional conferences and exchanges, including journalists/editors, experts, academicians, parliamentarians and politicians. For the professional uplifting of young journalists SAFMA has developed a South Asian Curricula on

Media, South Asian Faculty and a South Asian Media School (SAMS), which has held seven 2-month media courses for young journalist from the eight countries. SAFMA has taken the following measures to strengthen SAARC process, connectivity and access to and free flow of information: 1.

To allow Access to Information. (Only India has so far adopted a relatively good law on Right to Information. SAFMA has proposed a model Protocol on Information to the members countries and the SAARC for adoption)

Ensure an easy and unrestricted visa regime for journalist and for the people at large, for free movement of media persons across South Asia. SAFMA proposes once again our Protocol on Fee Movement of Media Persons and Media Products to the 16th SAARC Summit for adoption.

Lift all barriers on free flow of information, newspapers, magazines, books, radio and TV channels and other electronic productions. Remove all bottlenecks in postal and telecommunication services and allow a South Asian information highway backed by high speed optical fiber cables.

Help create a South Asian News Agency which SAFMA is capable of running.

Recognize SAFMA as SAARC's Regional Media Forum and grant SAFMA the status of SAARC's Apex Body. SAFAM is ready to organize the conferences of editors and working journalist from the platform of SAARC with the backing of SAARC Secretariat. SAFMA has created South Asian Media Net which covers all about South Asia and member countries of SARAC. The SAARC must support southasianmedai.net and we are ready to help develop and update SAARC website.

SAFMA has organized documentary festivals in most countries of the region, besides a South Asian Documentary Festival. SAFMA is ready to organize South Asian Documentary Festivals for SAARC with the support of member countries.

Recognize South Asian Media School as an affiliate of SAARC in the field of media training. We appeal to the member countries of SAARC to approve scholarships for young journalists and fresh graduates for media training from their countries through SAFMA National Chapters for training at South Asia Media School.

SAFMA is also ready to help SARAC Audio Visual Exchange (SAVE) Program by making them more attractive and popular. SAFMA is prepared to help develop Model Guidelines for transnational broadcasting in the region with the participation of major stakeholders.

10. SAFMA proposes to SAARC and its member countries that the South Asian Media Centre it has established in Lahore be considered as SAARC's Media Centre and allocate funds for the creation of a South Asian Media Endowment Fund either out of SAARC Development Fund or SAARC Media Development Fund or with the contribution from member countries of SAARC. 11. Discourage negative projection of member countries by the media and South Asia. SAFMA is ready to propose professional ethical standards for voluntary adoption by the media outlets and professional media bodies. SAFMA's Financial Sources: The programme has been supported initially by UNDP and significantly contributed by Royal Norwegian Embassy (RNE), later on joined by Royal Netherlands Embassy. So far SAFMA/FMF has generated USD 8.10 million to run its programme. At the time SAFMA is approaching to complete its first decade, many of its objectives are yet to be achieved. Thus Governing Body of

Free Media Foundation and the leadership of Regional Executive Bodies of SAFMA/SAWM/SAMC have learnt from funding agencies that due to their grant policies, they are unable to support partner organizations to make them self-sustaining by creating their Endowment Fund. On the other hand, changing policies may often divert organizations from their prime focus for the purposes of their survival. South Asia Free Media Endowment Fund: As per the situation, mentioned above, SAFMA/FMF has decided to put the request to the SAARC and its member countries to provide funds from SAARC Development Fund or pool resources to create a South Asia Free Media Endowment Fund to run and maintain all the above mentioned activities on a self-reliant basis. It will enable Free Media Foundation, the implementing arm of SAFMA, SAWM and SAMC to bear the expenditures required to perform the functions of SAFMA, SAWM and SAMC as well as its regular projects of South Asian Journal (SAJ), South Asian Media Net (SAMN), Annual Media Monitoring Report, South Asian Media School (SAMS), South Asian Free Media Production House. The Endowment Fund can be created with the amount of USD 20 million which will be maintained by a regional trust dedicated to the objectives and activities of SAFMA/SAWM.SAMC and their implementing Agency, Free Media Foundation. There are two options through which SAFMA is seeking support which are: Alternative-I: The funds for South Asian Free Media Endowment Fund be provided by the SAARC Development Fund;

And/Or Alternative-II: The Member Countries of SAARC share the funds among themselves on the following ratio: distributed as under: S. NO. Member Country

%AGE

AFGHANISTAN

1.5%

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

BANGLADESH BHUTAN INDIA MALDIVES NEPAL PAKISTAN SRI LANKA

3.0% 1.5% 48.0% 1.5% 1.5% 40.0% 3.0% 100%

Currency Rate of Cost in Name USD 1 local currency

300,000.00 600,000.00 300,000.00 9,600,000.00 300,000.00 300,000.00 8,000,000.00

Afghanis Takka BTN INR MVR NPR PKR

46.025 69.149 44.505 44.505 12.8 71.4 83.9

13,807,500 41,489,400 13,351,500 427,248,000 3,840,000 21,420,000 671,200,000

600,000.00

LKR

115.249

69,149,400

20,000,000.00

Scholarships for Young Journalists by Member Countries of SAARC: SAFMA and FMF are running South Asia Media School (SAMS) since 2007. The South Asia Media School has provided seven courses on both electronic and print media to seven groups of young journalists form the eight countries of the region with a South Asian perspective. It has established the SAMS Camus at South Asian Media Centre, created a South Asian Syllabus and Faculty. SAMS has spent USD 400,000 on the training of these young journalist, which do not include the expenditure on infrastructure. It is proposed to the Member Countries of SAARC to provide Scholarships to the young journalists from their own country through the good offices of SAFMA in their country. Cost per student is calculated USD 3000 approximately. Breakup as Follow:

S.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Country Name Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Total Costs

Scholarships per course 5 3 2 5 2 3 5 3

Number of Courses 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Cost (in USD) 60,000 36,000 24,000 60,000 24,000 36,000 60,000 36,000 336,000

Let's reverse climate change Bhutan's Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley

welcome all of you to Bhutan. I have the unique honour of opening two summits in one week and I am particularly happy that this year, apart from the 16th SAARC summit, we are the host for the fifth meeting of the South Asia Free Media Association, the South Asia Media Commission and the South Asian Women in Media. For me, as an admirer of your work, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to address such a powerful group of leaders of South Asia's media whose impact and reputations extend far beyond our region. I hope that, here in Bhutan, you are also able to find the inspiration to build on your noble causes to achieve media development, a free flow of information, a culture of dialogue, and cross-border cooperation leading towards as South Asian union. I agree with you that information and media form the nerve system of governance and, during the course of this summit, I hope that my friends in the Bhutanese media will have the opportunity to interact with our more seasoned visitors and gain professional insights that will be so vital in the process of nurturing our young democracy. I join you today, not in an attempt to lecture a room full of intellectual giants, but to take the opportunity to share some of my thoughts on our national vision, values, and priorities. I would also like to share with you some of my views on our experience with democracy, the theme of the SAARC summit, climate change, and some trends in the media in Bhutan and South Asia. I will try to place my perceptions in the perspective of the profound ideals of our philosophy of Gross National Happiness that, I believe, represents a higher goal for human development. GNH Let me start by anticipating the skeptics. Gross National Happiness is not a promise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or a guarantee - of happiness by the government of Bhutan to our people. First of all, we interpret happiness as the deeper sense of contentment or satisfaction with life and not the fleeting sense of pleasure. Happiness, we believe, is an individual pursuit and we must look deep within ourselves to find it because there is no external source for true happiness. Gross National Happiness, therefore, is a responsibility of the government to create the right environment for the people to seek happiness. GNH requires that, since the single most important desire of all citizens is happiness, the endeavour of government must be to create conditions that will enable its citizens to pursue happiness. GNH relates development to contentment and happiness. Conceived by our Fourth King, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, it is based on

the belief that happiness can be best achieved through development that balances the needs of the body with those of the mind within a stable and sustainable environment. It stresses that material enrichment must not lead to spiritual impoverishment and that it must address emotional and psychological needs of the individual. Bhutan's Constitution holds the state as having the responsibility of promoting GNH as an arbiter of public policies and plans. Accordingly, the Bhutanese Government has undertaken this responsibility through a fourpronged strategy popularly referred to as the four pillars of GNH. All development policies and programmes of the Kingdom must serve to strengthen these four pillars. These are: equitable and sustainable socio-economic development conservation of the environment preservation and promotion of culture and promotion of good governance. In our attempt to translate the concept of GNH into practical, measurable programmes, these four pillars have been elaborated into nine domains and 72 variables. In the context of your meeting, I will expand on two of the four pillars of Gross National Happiness – promotion of good governance and preservation of the environment. Democracy Today, nearly every Bhutanese citizen who meets a foreigner within or outside the country is asked: “How is democracy succeeding in Bhutan?” I would re-frame this question: “Why will democracy succeed in Bhutan?” While democracy is sweeping across the globe, in many ways as a brand name for socio-political change, I'm sure you will agree with me that it is up against formidable challenges in many developing countries, including our own region. So let me share with you some views on the latest developments and changes in our small country since we adopted our Constitution two years ago and created a polity that is often referred to today as the youngest democracy in the world. Our democracy has taken a unique path. It was initiated by a King who placed his trust in the collective wisdom and right of his people - a King who, in his wisdom, envisioned parliamentary democracy as an opportunity

and a responsibility of the people to decide their own destiny. Democracy is not a new goal for development but a path to good governance and, for us, good governance still means serving the people. We, therefore, see the democratic path as a means to achieve a pillar of Gross National Happiness. We are also fully aware that there is no necessary or intrinsic relationship between democracy, understood in an institutional and procedural sense, and "good governance," understood as a goal. We realise that there can be a vast gap between good governance and actual participatory democracy and that good governance is not synonymous with government. If democracies fail, it is not necessarily because of its inherent flaws but because it falls in the wrong hands - wrong hands because people are not empowered sufficiently to exercise their power with wisdom. People are not able to understand the power and value of the vote and the responsibilities therein in many developing countries. So it is imperative to build people's capacity to choose their representatives wisely and to hold them responsible and accountable. GNH requires that every citizen, to achieve happiness, must be empowered to make the right decisions and this resonates with democracy because democracy, in its purest form, is the empowerment of the people. Developing and nurturing of a democratic culture are moral obligations of our government and today's leaders. This is the biggest challenge and the most important commitment of my Druk Phuensum Tshogpa government. As we institutionalize the democratic process, as we introduce the mechanics and structures of democracy, we know that it is not the same thing as the development of a democratic ethos. We know that laws, and even a constitution, cannot create a democratic culture. Democracies go wrong not for want of good laws and systems but because of the lack of democratic culture and polity which must sustain them. Bhutan has gone through the mechanics of democracy by voting, but this does not mean we are now a democracy – a culture for democracy through public engagement and discourse where views and feedback are openly shared is yet to become visible except in the halls of parliament. Discourse has to go beyond the parliament and people have to be encouraged

to be open with their views. As citizens are given more access to information they are better informed and better able to take part in government and politics, the essence of democracy being the empowerment of the people.

Environment The theme of the Silver Jubilee SAARC summit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Climate Change: Green and Happy - could not be more relevant or timely.

This is where we appeal to the media to play a responsible role in informing the people, a role that includes media education and media literacy. I believe that the media have the added responsibility in emerging democracies, where the literacy rate is low, of educating the people on the real values of democracies, going beyond elections.

As we sit here on the Himalayas, I ask you to contemplate on some disturbing facts. The Himalayan glaciers are receding at an alarming speed. Our mountains are not as majestic, awe inspiring, breathtaking, grand, powerful, pure and pristine as they were before. More than one-tenth of the world's population depends directly on its waters for survival. The rising temperature has not only melted the fresh snow and stripped further layers from past centuries they now look like a high wall of grey and jagged outcrop of rocks, fragile and crestfallen with patches of grey and brown.

Democracy and GNH are all about giving the public the right information because an uninformed public, without critical thinking skills, is considered undemocratic in nature and a democratic system without an educated constituency that understands political debate cannot be democratic. Media must mean transparency in government and governance, thus deepening democracy.

Meanwhile the sea levels are rising at an equally alarming pace and, together with the glacial melt, causing climatic trends that are devastating South Asia. So we are losing our water and food, suffering calamities like floods, earthquakes, and storms, and all that is basic to human well-being and

happiness. South Asia cannot afford to ignore these ominous signs. We must take a lead in reversing climate change. Why is this happening? Developments, particularly in the past century, have not advanced human civilization or refined human behaviour. Instead, it is driven by a raging greed and an excessive desire to consume. Development has been based entirely on GDP, the model that promotes unlimited economic growth as the means to human well-being and satisfaction. This has led to mindless consumption, more waste at the cost of more resources. The very air, water and soil that are human's sources of sustenance and being are being poisoned. How will the human race survive?

Despite its limitations as a least developed country, a country most vulnerable to climate change, Bhutan is doing its part to protect and save our planet. In the past five decades since Bhutan embarked on planned development, we have consciously sacrificed faster economic growth from exploitation of our natural resources such as forests and minerals. We have also deliberately avoided intensive agriculture based on use of chemicals as well as mass tourism. As a result, today we can boast of an increase in forest cover from around 45% in the early sixties to over 72%. We have also placed more than 50% of our land area under parks and protected areas thereby providing a safe haven for flora and fauna. This successful conservation agenda comes at a cost and has placed a huge burden on our national economy and the livelihood of our people.

Growth has its inherent problems. There is no limit set on how much and for how long it is to continue and if it is sustainable in a finite world. The planet is no longer as bountiful as it was before, feeding and nourishing a population that has shot up to 6.7 billion people from just 2.00 billion a hundred years ago. The population forecast is indeed grim: it will soon touch 9.00 billion. So each human being inherits less and less space and resource.

Bhutan is carbon negative. And we have committed to remain carbon neutral. This commitment is in line with our philosophy of Gross National Happiness and our role as a responsible member of the global community. We believe that the path we have taken is not only ecologically correct, but also a morally correct one.

Humans need to change and mend their ways, acknowledge that life as they live it is propelling them toward self-destruction. We need to realise that high GDP targets are achieved at the high price of social dislocation and environmental devastation and dispel the notion that unlimited economic growth equates well-being. A more holistic model and indicator is needed to set human society on a sustainable path.

These are questions for the media for it is the media that can help the world garner the political will and courage to undertake a paradigm shift that will bring about fundamental changes in the way international and national security, finance, politics and power are structured and conducted. Journalists, now more than ever, need to understand issues ranging from economics to science and development.

Ecological footprint analysis shows the present generation has consumed its share of the planet's resources and capacity and has already begun depriving the future generations of their share of resources and chances of survival. It has been predicted that, with business as usual, two planets will be required by the early 2030s to keep up with humanity's demand for goods and services. How can we reduce production and consumption levels to stay within the limits of biologically productive capacity of the planet? How can we ensure that in so doing, we will not lower or reverse the level of our well-being? This begs for an alternative development model based on a correct notion of what constitutes human well-being.

You must play a constructive role in channeling your passion and your desire for change by exploring ways out and offering solutions, being both torchbearer and public watchdog. Our media must expose the illusory nature of wealth as illustrated by the Great Depression, the recent Asian financial crisis and the global economic recession. The paradigm shift will however entail unfathomable social ramifications.

This is why Bhutan sees virtue in the GNH-inspired development model.

Are we ready to undertake it? Media As we emerge from a communication system strongly steeped in the oral tradition, Bhutan is experiencing a rapid growth in both traditional and new

media. Even as the oral media, including stories, rumour, and gossip, remain influential factors in our society, the power of the written word and, particularly, the image, is already an all-pervasive influence especially on young minds. For a country with just over half a million people, we have six newspapers, three magazines, four radio stations, one television station and numerous blogs and internet sites, most of them having emerged in the last three years. As we enter the age of information, Bhutanese society is being transformed by the media which are influencing the way we live, learn, work and relate to each other. Our children are now being brought up, not by their parents, but by the media, even in the development of their values. Media are not just reflecting the changing realities but they are constructing new realities. There are three specific clauses enshrined in our Constitution that are designed to inspire a healthy growth of the media: freedom of speech,

opinion, and expression; freedom of the media; and right to information. For us in Bhutan we understand that the ultimate purpose of these rights is not to benefit journalists but that they are rights bestowed for the benefit of the people. The media, like the government, is mandated to serve the people those rights. In this context we are in the process of establishing clear legislation, policies, regulations, and laws for the healthy growth of the media. Our government will support media development, particularly at this early stage of their growth, to ensure that they are effectively involved in governance. The media provide public space for discourse and are, in fact, the public space with important social responsibilities and obligations. In our national vision the role of the Bhutanese media - and the information society at large - is to nurture a shared national consciousness. This means a

shared sense of social, cultural, economic and political values and the need to nurture the emotional ties of citizens to our country through a shared understanding of our problems, our successes and failures, our pride and disappointments. This consciousness will be the foundation of a national identity that is built on the values of Gross National Happiness. The premise here is that media must be more than a watchdog for society and public space for discourse. Media must perform a critical public function because they are expressing values all the time and, thereby, cultivating the public mind. Therefore, media must help society to process, define and promote the right values that contribute to the happiness of the individual and well-being of society.

Region I would also think that, while this is the experience of a small society just beginning to feel the force of global media penetration, the same issues and challenges face South Asia, home to one-fifth of mankind. The media in all the eight countries of SAARC must feel the need to â&#x20AC;&#x153;glocaliseâ&#x20AC;? in the face of globalization. The South Asian media must create a 21st century South Asian identity and this calls for creative and participatory media rather than media that just re-produces foreign programmes and transmits foreign ideas. It is great that we talk about giving people the freedom to choose and to make their own decisions but I would argue that, in terms of media content, it is more important to give them the choices in the form of home grown content. The media themselves are always making choices â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what to broadcast, what to print. People must be empowered to make the right decisions and choices. And, in a GNH context, the regulators, the government, and professionals

must make conscious choices for the good of the people.

diversity does not become painful differences.

Gross National Happiness, in essence, conveys a strong caution against the tide of commercialism that is driving media towards the lowest common denominator, against the seduction of society by blatant materialism, against the voices of professional journalists being drowned by authoritarian leaders, corporate owners, advertisers, and even against poor journalism. We see, in our region, that commercially driven global media has become a pure business activity with little regard for people and people's interests.

We must share the ideas, values, sentiments, and traditions, and all the manifestations like language, dress, behaviour, that tell us what it means to be a South Asian. It is important for media to understand what the average person thinks and feels, their daily concerns about housing, roads and parking, litter, safety on the streets. You must give us, and our children, healthy role models. You must engage our massive rural community and analyse how we can best serve the community and society's many needs. And we must all ask ourselves: “Do we know what kind of media content our children are absorbing… do we care?

A GNH-inspired information society in South Asia must enrich our countries and ensure that our cultures continue to evolve and grow. The media must help construct cultures that will build creative nations so that cultural

Conclusion As we gather to celebrate 25 years of SAARC, I believe that we should ask ourselves: “How do we share the values that will ensure the well-being and happiness of our men, women and children? How do we create a South Asian community?” The concept of a shared consciousness tells us that we can only realise such a vision through the media… the fact that we are connected by the media - we listen to the same radio programmes and folk tales, watch the same TV programmes and films, read the same newspapers and books, and enjoy the same songs and dances and festivals. Being better connected than ever before, media and democracy, media and environment, media and culture, media and people are inseparably entwined. Finally, as a citizen of South Asia I appeal to you, the leaders of South Asian journalism, to see your audience - readers, listeners, and viewers - as citizens, not consumers. Thank you, and Tashi Delek!

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan

Session II

SESSION II REPORT

Connectivity and Information

SAFMA-India General Secretary Satish Jacob conducts the proceedings of the session. The presidium is shared by SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA India President Nihal Singh, SAFMA Afghanistan President Ehsanullah Aryanzai, SAFMA Nepal President Shiv Gaunley and SAFMA Bhutan President Needrup Zangpo.

AFMA-India General Secretary Satish Jacob conducted the proceedings of the session. The presidium was shared by SAFMA Afghanistan President Ehsanullah Aryanzai, SAFMA India President Nihal Singh, SAFMA Nepal President Shiv Gaunley, SAFMA Sri Lanka President Lakshman Gunasekara, SAFMA Maldives President Mariyam Sohana, SAFMA Pakistan President Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA Bangladesh vice president Iqbal Sobhan Chaudhury and SAFMA Bhutan President Needrup Zangpo. The session began with a keynote address by Khaled Ahmed, Director of the South Asian Media School (SAMS). He suggested that on the occasion of 16th SAARC summit, we as South Asians reflect upon our trials of the past few years and the destiny that lay ahead. “Undoubtedly, the idea of SAARC is wholly focused on nation states and no leader has ever realized or capitalised upon the emergence of market states.” He gave the example of ASEAN, which looked towards the European Union as a role model, and had shifted to the idea of the market overshadowing the significance of the nation state.

The speaker indicated that the main obstacles had remained unchanged for the last 25 years of SAARC's existence, which prevented any sort of interference in bilateral issues, the most recent example being the Mumbai attack in 2008. In his view, Pakistan's civilian government was more focused on a positive change in relations with India. Bangladesh had also shown signs of normalising relations with India. And he felt the region was moving towards a status of market states. Citing the ASEAN agenda to achieve complete integration soon, the speaker emphasized how the intra-region trade had been an important factor. Discussing the tariff barriers, he said importing 2000 items from India did not cost Pakistan very much. He suggested the need to ratify the free trade treaty with India. The speaker said he was “alarmed” that the idea of market state had not yet made strides into the regional way of thinking, still heavily tilted towards nation states. Over periods, people from Southeast Asia had shown keen interest in trade, however. He felt that South Asia confronted several obstacles to the movement of goods but, as a region, it would overcome them.

Keynote speaker Khaled Ahmed presents his paper on Conflict, Connectivity and Progress. SAFMA Sri Lanka President Lakshman Gunasekara, SAFMA Maldives President Mariyam Sohana, SAFMA Pakistan President Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA-India General Secretary Satish Jacob, SAFMA Bangladesh General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Faruque and SAFMA India President Nihal Singh listen in.

He pointed out that a degree of economic connection between the Big 4 would be a huge achievement for South Asia. “The goal should be to achieve a degree of connectivity that is rooted in civilization and culture.” He recalled the promises of building roads to facilitate goods across borders. Hinting at the energy crisis the region is facing, he said that energy would be required from outside the region. Steps like getting Iranian or Central Asian gas would be significant for integration. The real question, he said, was how to link up all the states and move towards a South Asian market. “We, as South Asian nations, should be ready to accept this integration in coming years. There is no doubt that SAARC has to reach out to the regions adjacent to it, a throwback to how trade routes in the past came through Central Asia.” Highlighting the role Indian films played, he said that after the Mumbai attacks, Bollywood intentionally made pro-Pakistan movies. “The reason behind this change was Pakistan permission to cinemas to run Indian movies.”

After the keynote address, Satish Jacob offered a complimentary illustrative point: the anger in Pakistan over Pakistani cricket players being snubbed by the Indian Premier League (IPL). SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam said the Journalists' Summit was a SAFMA, SAMC and SAWM joint venture. “The summit is dominated by SAFMA because of its status as a SAARC associate body.” He shared his experience of visiting the SAARC website and finding no updated material or information. Mr Alam noted that SAFMA had already achieved the goals set by information ministers of South Asian countries for the SAARC plan of action on media. He mentioned the similarity in the agenda over implementing an easy visa regime for free movement of media-persons and products. He said the SAARC secretary general and foreign ministers had advised SAFMA to propose a paragraph to be included in the SAARC declaration. He specifically mentioned India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as the primary hurdles in allowing

the free movement of journalists. He proposed that media products be free from barriers and rejected those clauses in custom rules which encouraged the confiscation of such materials. “The idea of a news agency and a website has been on the SAARC agenda, whereas, SAFMA has a website which is updated daily.” Mr Alam offered setting up a news agency for SAARC, relying on the large network SAFMA enjoyed in the region. Imtiaz Alam

He proposed forming a forum of editors. “SAFMA has already held many regional conferences and had mainstream journalists on board. And so, it is capable of taking up this responsibility.”

He said SAFMA must have an endowment fund out of the SAARC Development Fund. “The fund can be registered, with one trustee from each member country.” He invited all South Asian governments to contribute to the fund. “The accounts could be presented for scrutiny to SAARC Development Fund/Secretariat. In the end, he said the South Asian Media School could be developed into a media and South Asian studies university. Satish Jacob remarked that it was time for SAFMA to be self reliant. He said the organization should not look to donors but rather, develop its own business model.

Open House After this, the house was opened for a question-and-answer session and many suggestions were made by delegates. Dr Akbar-Akbar from Afghanistan offered the services of his organization - Aryana Radio - in training journalists.

“SAARC is keenly interested in regional documentaries. SAFMA in 2008 invited 70 filmmakers from South Asia and showcased the 24 best films in the regional festival in Nepal. If SAARC allows, SAFMA can take charge of documentaries for SAARC.”

Lakshman Gunasekera from Sri Lanka expressed his appreciation for SAFMA Bhutan for the hard work in setting up the venue. He extended his full support as a representative of the Sri Lankan chapter to the ideas proposed by Imtiaz Alam.

“There is a tussle between Bhutan and Nepal over the SAARC media center, whereas SAFMA has set up its secretariat in Lahore housing a school, a production house, a journal, media monitoring cell and documentaries facility.” He forwarded the proposal for making South Asian Media Centre in Lahore the SAARC media center.

He said it was practical to start with a subsidized model. Satish Jacob suggested a course in media management that SAFMA should conduct.

“SAFMA has raised 640 million rupees in eight years, a hallmark no other SAARC body has achieved.” He asked the SAFMA chapters to go to their respective countries and lobby for SAFMA to become the SAARC Apex Body.

Lakshman Gunasekera

Afzal Khan, a senior journalist from Pakistan, suggested that each chapter of SAFMA make efforts to raise funds. Swati Bhattacharjee, a delegate from India, objected to having a declaration ready prior to the conference. On her suggestion, a committee was formed to redo the declaration and it was announced that the changes and suggestion would be incorporated in the declaration. Uma Sudhir from India mentioned an important aspect of climate change: the particular vulnerability of women. Afzal Khan

Shaukat Mahmood asked whether the leaders of the South Asian nations had the will to establish multilateral connectivity, given that even bilateral relationships were not at ease and the pace was very slow.

Swati Bhattacharjee

Fielding questions on political environment, Khaled Ahmed said that the people in this region were very much aware of the conflict and the Mumbai attacks, was one such example. Media projection of the conflict created tension among people and was a barrier to connectivity. To make SAARC truly functional, a lot of groundwork needs to be done on a national level. Like ASEAN, he said, SAARC must move towards economic integration.

Uma Sudhir

Zahiduzzaman Faruque from Bangladesh raised a thought-provoking point about how audiences in South Asian states were distracted from the contiguous nature of South Asian issues.

Shaukat Mahmood

Vijay Naik from India raised the issue of SAARC stickers which, according to him, were only given to Bangladesh.

Session-III Climate Change: A Looming Threat on South Asia

Imtiaz Alam briefed the audience on the steps SAFMA had taken in this direction. He said the efforts had been successful and he wrote many letters to the foreign ministers and secretaries and directors. He emphasized the urgency for a strong lobbying with foreign offices in each country. He cautioned, however, that the bureaucratic authority over the stickers had the potential to manipulate the whole process.

Syed Iqbal Hasnain, a glaciologist and consultant at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India, in his paper titled 'Melting Glaciers and Future of South Asia' said: "the melting of the Himalayan glaciers is a phenomenon that clearly deserves greater study and closer monitoring, but the existing reality of deglaciation is already having downstream impacts. The first and most obvious concern with deglaciation is the threat of diminishing water flows to the hundreds of millions of the people in the downstream regions of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and China. The countries in the region are facing a wide variety of potentially massive threats as a result of glacial melting and related climate changes. Millions of South Asians hope this would be the main driver of cooperation in the 21st century." Vijay Naik

Media Commission Bangladesh President Mizanurrehman Shelley

(Waqar Mustafa read out key points of Syed Iqbal Hasnain's paper. He could not make it to the conference because of ill health. ) Satish Jacob: Syed Iqbal Hasnain's paper gave us very good reasons on why the glaciers were melting. “Before India was divided, it had more than 87,000 water bodies in the Indian subcontinent. They have been reduced by 40 percent. There is a very famous lake in Bharatpur. It is completely dried up. There is no water in it. The water in the rivers of India has depleted. Jamuna is a sewerage drain. The reason: population has increased at least five times. Haryana is very reluctant to release water for Delhi. There used to be two crops. But now farmers grow more crops, so more water is needed. People used to think that there was more money in growing rice than wheat. But though rice fetches more price, it needs more water.” “Another reason for melting glaciers is the use of air conditioners, fossil fuels and generators. In Delhi in 1956, there were only 38,000 registered cars. Today there are 4.5 million. These fossil fuels are causing temperatures to go high. For the sake of future generations, we have to make some efforts.” Mizanurrehman Shelley: As I was sitting there listening to this wonderful exposition of SAARC connectivity, I was thinking whether SAFMA like Shelley [famous English poet] is beating its wings of light ineffectually. Will that have any impact on the leaders of SAARC? As an optimist, I think it will. We represent a very potent force which is as much responsible for its destruction. One has to make his/her voice heard. The media can make sure that the devastations to the environment are stopped. This is a real threat, not something which will affect the island

states only. Nations like Bangladesh on the coastal belt of the Indian Ocean on the Bay of Bengal have to think about it seriously. The war against environmental degradation has begun! If prosperity means devastation, we should not go mad after it. While market states are in fashion, consumerism or the forces of market can also reduce our humanity. So how do we strike a balance? We need to seek a balance in our development efforts for happiness and prosperity. It is all well for the West to pontificate on the virtues of saving and not use fossil fuels. They can do it because they have already done it and never implemented this 'wonderful advice' before. If we remain divided, we will be inviting disaster at home. It is a collective threat that we are facing. If one is in trouble, all of us will be in trouble. If we do not help each other, nobody else will help us! The deliberations of this conference should be taken seriously. We need the South Asia that existed in splendour and glory back! We are different, but we can be one again without losing political and cultural differences. As Tagore said, “In this South Asian milieu, grand carnival of human beings, rise here in this holy bliss of pilgrimage…” Let South Asia rediscover its past routes and connections! Bushra Sultana: Women comprise a disproportionately large share of the poor in all countries. Producing between 60 to 80 percent of the food in most developing countries, women are also responsible for half of the world food production. Therefore, climate change impacts are, and will be, much stronger for women living in rural areas. Ban KiMoon, secretary general of the United Nations, admitted in 2008 that the challenge of climate change

SAWM General Secretary Bushra Sultana

is unlikely to be gender-neutral as it increases the risk to the most vulnerable and less empowered social groups. SAMC President Kumar Ketkar: More newsprint will be consumed and more trees destroyed to discuss this issue. I feel that more and more intellectuals, scientists, filmmakers, theatre people, writers, environmentalists are talking about climate change. But the policy makers are the political class, who go hand in glove with the industrial class and the global industrial class. We need green products and green industries. Unless the corporate class actually gets engaged, things will not change. People think that this is just an intellectual exercise, but they do not do anything about it. Many of the developing countries today engage in US-bashing, which is a usual game. It has become a kind of a gimmick. But to condemn the US is giving them a cover to pollute their own countries. Per capita does not mean that a landless labourer or a student or a common man is not contributing to carbon emissions as much as the rich. We all belong actually to Earth. We need to start thinking about how much we are contributing to the carbon crisis. Sometimes you are aware but you do not take any action against it.

There are numerous global commitments and agreements that make the linkage between gender equality and climate change. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) linked women and environment in 1980s. Since then Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW and Commission on the Status of Women, among others, have been working towards highlighting the women and environment linkage. The efforts of these various organizations are important because women are under-represented in the decision-making process on environmental governance. As the full implications of climate change are realised, it becomes imperative for the governments of SAARC member states to incorporate a gender perspective and apply gender analysis to all national environment policies. The governments need to ensure women's full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels of discussion on environmental issues. Failure to do so will put at more risk the already disadvantaged section of the world's population. Satish Jacob: We must revive the practice of using bicycles. In Delhi; the government has started making cycle tracks. Let's make a conscious effort to write more and more about this threat. People have to be aware of this great danger. We must do our part!

Khaled Ahmed

Conflict, Connectivity and Progress

bstract: Concept of connectivity; Globalisation and international economic integration; Regional economic blocs and their rationale; Idea of regional integration; Sources of Conflict at the global level; Conflict in South Asia; Lack of connectivity as consequence of conflict; Peace as a consequence of connectivity; Idea of integration in South Asia; Creation of Peace before the end of conflict; Rise of the market state; Idea of a common market in South Asia. Connectivity as economic integration; Example of ASEAN; Progression from nation state to market state and regional common market; Connectivity as communication through roads and electronic exchange; State of electronic connectivity; Natural connectivity through shared civilisation and culture; Role of trade in culture, cinema, etc. At the conclusion of the 14th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-

operation) summit in April 2007, the eight member states “stressed the need for closer regional cooperation in the field of information and communication technology. They noted with appreciation the establishment of a collaborative health care project involving a regional telemedicine-network. They directed that steps be taken to extend it to other (Information and Communication Technology) ICT-enabled fields such as education. They agreed to take steps to facilitate rationalisation of telecom tariff on a reciprocal basis. They also agreed that national and regional telecom infrastructure should be upgraded to boost people-to-people connectivity in the region”. The 15th SAARC summit that took place in August 2008 devoted a special passage to connectivity: “The Heads of State or Government recognised the importance of connectivity for realizing the objectives of SAARC. They

accordingly directed the SAARC mechanisms to continue to embody in their programs and projects a strong focus on better connectivity not only within South Asia, but also between the region and the rest of the world. They further stressed the necessity of fast-tracking projects for improving intra-regional connectivity and facilitating economic, social and people-to-people contacts”. Connectivity is a post-Cold War concept grown out of theorisings in favour of globalisation. It was a reversal of the thesis that when conflict occurs it seriously damages the economic capacity of the states. The new message was that, in a conflictual landscape, encouragement to trade and economic interdependence will make war redundant. The regions who wanted to create their own common markets borrowed the idea of connectivity in an attempt to prevent war so that intra-regional economic integration could take place. The idea of the common market is a concealed attempt at nudging the nation-state in the direction of becoming a market-driven state. Since war is the business of the nation-state, the hoped-for market-driven state within an integrated regional arrangement will reject war as an assertion of nationalism. In October 2008, barely two months after the pious assertions of the 15th SAARC summit, the Mumbai attacks pushed the region back into conflict with its two nuclear powers engaged in a dangerous exchange of threats of war. The nation-state was found to be alive and well as the media on both sides began to emphasise the rhetoric of two mutually opposed nationalisms. New Delhi accused Pakistan of sending its non-state actors into India. Another SAARC member, Afghanistan, was dragged into the new conflict as Pakistan accused India of encouraging rebellion in Balochistan from its new base of activities in Afghanistan. More 'findings' came to surface as India stated that it had found terrorists from Bangladesh involved in the Mumbai attacks. Soon, India admitted that its own Muslim nationals were found to be acting as ancillaries in the attacks. “Conflict” had surged back to defeat “connectivity”. The progress of SAARC was once again halted in its tracks. One can say that it was in fact a continuation of the pattern that had hounded the progress of SAARC. Since 1985 when SAARC was created, a holding pattern shows conflict undermining attempts at connectivity. But some progress has been nonetheless made silently, despite the march of conflict in the region. The member states agreed to a South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) which was brought into operation in July 2006, opening up a new vista of

interdependence and trust-building, although progress down this road was slow, intra-regional trade remaining stubbornly at 5.5 percent in 2008, the year the Mumbai setback took place. Given the fact that it took ASEAN ((Association of Southeast Asian Nations) a long time – it was established in 1967 – for its intra-regional trade to reach its level of 25 percent, the progress in South Asia cannot be dismissed out of hand. Coming to power in February 2008, the PPP government in Pakistan in its Trade Policy of 2008 increased the tradable items with India to 2,000. Coming to power in January 2009 after the Mumbai attacks, the Awami League government in Bangladesh reached an important understanding with New Delhi on connectivity and resolution of bilateral disputes. The year 2009 remained a challenge for South Asia's integration under SAARC. Progress was slowed down by both India and Pakistan pleading security problems standing in the way of the Composite Dialogue meant to

resolve issues plaguing their bilateral relations. At the regional level however the two states were seen to be blocking the progress of SAARC towards its avowed goal of achieving economic integration through increased connectivity. The Bhutan Summit will probably see the fruition of the hope of achieving an Agreement for Trade in Services. The Summit is expected to move towards financial integration and customs union in the region. There is a SAARC Food Bank already functional with a stock of 243,000 tons contributed by all member states. But the South Asian University likely to be set up on a 100-acre land in Delhi in July, can only be meaningful if the region's visa regimes are disengaged from a situation of crisis and mistrust. The states of SAARC have been stymied by the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict. Many important milestones have not been crossed because of the bilateral deadlock between the two. The biggest casualty continues to be the physical connectivity of the region as per the recommendations of the SAARC

Transport Ministers Meeting. They have visualised three road corridors from SAARC member states through Pakistan to Afghanistan via the Attari-Wahga border with India. They have also advised a probably more realistic ColomboKochi sea link, and a less likely “demonstration container train” from Pakistan to Bangladesh through India and Nepal. The Free Trade Area (FTA) has not worked as well as it should have; and a wavering intent is visible in the failure of the states to facilitate business travel. The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme has not taken root. Only a hundred leading businessmen from each country with restriction on visit to three cities in India and Pakistan – have been permitted. Officials controlling border entry points are not even aware that an Exemption Regime is in operation. While there is a potential for USD80 billion trade in the region, poor trade facilitation continues to hamper cross-border commerce: it takes 34 days and eight documents for export and 42 days and 13 documents for imports, making South Asia the least trade-friendly region in the world. Despite the gloom of 2010 and the developing potential for conflict in one of the SAARC states, Afghanistan, hope continues to hold strong that SAARC will find its way out of trouble and will finally bind the states together in a network of mutually dependent cooperative relationships. As was opined by one writer recently: “There are 18 concluded FTAs which aim to link the region's economies together and with global markets. The enhanced SAFTA is now also more inclusive with provisions such as sequenced tariff liberalisation, flexible rules of origin and greater technical assistance”. A lot of ground has to be covered before the dream of integration in South Asia can be realised. The field which still lies open pertains to the media. The backlog persists from the 1998 meeting of the SAARC Information Ministers which signed on the following measures: the Plan of Action articulates a Comprehensive Strategy for Cooperation in the field of Media and Information with the following goals and objectives: 1. To actively encourage greater flow of information in the SAARC region on all issues of common concern to member countries for the promotion of peace and harmony in South Asia as well as sustained development of all peoples of the region; 2. To generate, disseminate and exchange information materials in support of SAARC and all SAARC initiatives in important areas, with

special emphasis on trade and investment, social and cultural development, functional cooperation, environmental protection and human resource development; 3. To promote the optimal utilisation of available resources and facilities in the SAARC region to strengthen cooperation in the field of media and information and upgrade the professionalism of media persons through human resource development programmes and regional changes; 4. To initiate collective regional actions to enable member countries to fully benefit from the use of new technologies to ensure greater flow of information within the region and between South Asia and the outside world; and 5. To consistently work to project and promote a positive image of SAARC abroad as well as provide regular information on specific SAARC initiatives. In the intervening years since 1998, little has been done even though a number of concrete proposals were mooted by the Foreign Ministers to ensure post conference action. In 2010, the same ideas need to be put back on the table and reconsidered. Their relevance has not lessened over the years; in fact, it has increased, given the level of threat of conflict: · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Ensure the free flow of information, newspapers, periodicals, books and other publications. Reduce postal and telecommunication rates for media transmission and information materials. Increase cooperation among news agencies of SAARC countries. Facilitate easier travel for media persons within the region. Work towards the evolution of a SAARC-recognised Regional Media Forum. Hold an annual conference of editors and working journalists from SAARC countries. Create a Web page for exchange of news among news agencies of SAARC countries. Enhance exchange of data through e-mail and the Internet. Arrange regular exchange of TV and radio programmes. Organise regular exchange and joint production of documentaries and films and hold periodic SAARC film festivals. Arrange training for media persons of SAARC countries. Include SAARC orientation modules in the syllabi of national media

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training institutes. Improve the programmes under the SAARC Audio Visual Exchange (SAVE) Programme by making them more attractive and popular and increasing their frequency. Hold annual meetings of heads of national TV and radio organizations to review the SAVE Programmes. Evolve model guidelines on transnational satellite broadcasting in the region. Examine the financial and technical feasibility of establishing a SAARC satellite. Explore the feasibility of setting up a SAARC Information Centre

with Media Production, Research and Training units, as well as a SAARC Media Development Fund. · Discourage negative projection of member countries by the media in SAARC countries. Needless to say, action has been sporadic when at all in evidence. The SAARC Secretariat website is a glaring example of how static the SAARC idea has been over the years. The 1998 Information Ministers' Conference pledged to set up an “appropriate mechanism to oversee the implementation of the SAARC Plan of Action on Media and Information”. A SAARC Audio-Visual Exchange (SAVE) Committee was entrusted with the task of producing and

implementing the SAVE Programme”. The events organised under the Committee were actually held but their frequency was not noticeable and they were not held in all the states where they were needed. The Millennium of 2000 was greeted but not in the spirit that SAARC expressions of intent had indicated. These efforts need to be made and must cascade from the government bureaucracies to facilitated non-government organisations. Yet there is no running away from the idea of economic integration embedded in the foundation of SAARC. After conflict has taken its toll on the member states and has affected their capacity to bring quality of life to their populations, SAARC will make its final journey to the goal of connectivity, peace and progress. In the case of ASEAN the objective of following in the footsteps of the European Union (EU) has never been lost sight of even though intra-regional conflict has never been a problem there. (In fact, intra-regional conflict was deliberately underplayed and in many cases abandoned to allow the ASEAN to come into its own. The delay in reaching the goal of a common market has emanated in the delay in taking appropriate economic decisions at the state level.) ASEAN is now committed to total integration by 2015. India is not the only “tight-shut” country in SAARC. Others too protect themselves against their regional partners. “Pakistan's Import Policy Order bans imports of certain items on religious, environmental, security and health grounds. Sri Lanka requires import licences for over 300 items at the 6-digit level of the harmonised system mostly for health, environment and national security reasons. Importers have to pay a fee equal to 0.1 per cent of the import price to receive an import licence. There are 85 items that come under the Sri Lanka standard institutions (SLSI) mandatory import inspection schemes. Importers are required to obtain a clearance certificate from the SLSI to sell their goods”. As noted above – “ensure the free flow of information, newspapers, periodicals, books and other publications” – the SAARC states have to facilitate cross border movement of publications. In practice however the postal authorities – for example in Pakistan – confiscate publications on the plea of examining religiously offensive content even though similar entertainment-related indigenous publications are freely available in Pakistan. At the land border, all kinds of books can be retained by the customs

authority “for purposes of scrutiny” and the publications thus retained are available in Pakistan imported from other countries. Because this process of hostile confiscation of material serves no purpose at all in the context of the security of Pakistan it should be abandoned. Circulation of Indian newspapers and news magazines would keep the Pakistani citizen better informed about India. Information about India in Pakistan is important, given the hostile bilateral relations. It eases governance in Pakistan by explaining many shortfalls as a Third World norm also in evidence in India. Even the intense reaction to high prices in Pakistan can be made moderate by comparison with prices in India. For instance, in Pakistan, people are convinced that loadshedding or electricity outages are unique to Pakistan. Load-shedding in India – although much less than in Pakistan – can offer a relativist estimate of the pain being suffered by Pakistanis. As for hostile writings in the Indian publications they can only be stopped if these publications are allowed circulation inside Pakistan and the publishers know Pakistan as their market. For instance, London's The Economist is more balanced in its coverage than some of the Indian papers that never come to Pakistan. The issue of Indian films has acquired a curious dimension in Pakistan. Since Pakistan banned the import of Indian films after the 1965 war, viewership shifted to the Indian TV which could be seen in the cities along the Indian border. With the advent of the video-cassette player, Indian films began to give competition to the Pakistani films being shown in the cinemas. Pakistani cinemas suffered great decline because of the shift of viewership to private homes and illegal group showings of Indian movies. After that cable TV came on line and the cable operators competed with one another on how many Indian movies they could air. Pakistani film was damaged by this trend; so was the cinema which was a major direct and ancillary employer of small-city manpower. As the middle class in Pakistan prospered the CD-player came into its own and markets began renting CDs. The cinema-goer retreated behind the four walls of his home and the cinema was literally abandoned. Pakistani film industry collapsed, leaving the cinema abandoned to non-film ventures. One report said: “Pakistan's film industry is so sick that cinema houses have closed and the 150 which are still open survive on charity. If the government did not permit Indian films, the remaining 150 cinema houses would also be converted into commercial plazas and wedding halls. The situation is bad. Out

of these 150 less than 70 are showing films”. Sixteen Indian movies were shown in newly built multiplex cinemas in Pakistan in 2008 after President Musharraf allowed them to be imported. The same year the Mumbai attacks that spoiled Indo-Pak relations and brought them to the verge of hostilities had no effect on the Pakistani cinema-goer looking for entertainment. Significantly, the films he saw carried no antiPakistan message. Many of them were in fact overtly pro-Pakistan, which may have been the result of a market-driven trend that recommends that free market access be allowed to the media between India and Pakistan to lessen the intensity of the hostile message embedded in the nationalism of the regional states. A very interesting book Filming the Line of Control: the IndoPak Relationship through the Cinematic Lens, examined the phenomenon of the hostile film-making in India and Pakistan and linked it to the declining relations between the two countries. Except that, after 2008, the market has prevented the Indian film-maker from demonising Pakistan and the Indian films continues to be pro-Pakistan. The book states: “The underlying discourse [in the Indian film] is that the Indian-Hindu-male sexuality must appropriate the Pakistani-Muslim-female sexuality. This narrative attempts to echo the military conquest of Pakistan where India came out victorious every time, and such stories thus became an extension of the military engagements between the two countries. Anil Sharma's Gadar ('Revolution', 2001) was the crudest and most emphatic assertion of his military-culture continuum. Here, male Indian protagonist plays the macho lover-rescuer to the beleaguered Pakistani female protagonist. The working assumption is that the predominant Indian-Hindu audience in India would not be able to accept a story where the PakistaniMuslim man sexually annexes an Indian woman. Since Hindi films are made primarily for an Indian audience, they can ill-afford to reverse this chauvinistic storyline and male-female equation”. There is a lesson to learn for SAARC in the post-2008 trend in the Indian cinema after Pakistan had opened its market. Before that in 1999, the postKargil period had given rise to particularly intense anti-Pakistan message. Prime Minister Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani actually turned up to see the premiere of LOC Kargil (2003), which carried anti-

Pakistani content. Another film released earlier was seen in the presence of the Indian officers who had taken part in the Kargil war. It showed a clear victory and a clear defeat of the Pakistan army which then damaged Pakistan's political system. The hate fever was at its highest, helping the war films to record crowds and unheard-of earnings at the box office, with Shiv Sena in Bombay digging up the cricket pitch in 2002. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, however, despite the fact that the TV channels on both sides indulged in what is called media war, neither the Indian films nor the Pakistani cinema audiences took the bait. The Indian film remains Pakistan-friendly despite frequent umbrage taken by some Senate members in Islamabad and the head of the Board of Film Censor in Lahore. The “entertainment” to which pious objections are raised is available in Pakistan's massive parallel market of CD shops. All this “furtive” connectivity is taking place in the region because of the civilisational and cultural connectivities that people instinctively recognise despite the hostile ideology of nationalism. Not only is the work of SAARC made easy by these factors, it is inevitable that the states of South Asia will finally become integrated enough to record high intra-regional trade despite the artificial barriers erected by government policies. The final goal will be welfare and prosperity of the people of the region and achievement of peace among sovereign nations trying to end conflict. But culture can seep through border posts, goods and services cannot. To facilitate the removal of trade barriers, the SAARC has already taken certain steps. The teleology of SAARC is defined. Its message however is being ignored by states not able to resolve their disputes. Should this mean that the people of South Asia will wait till the quarrels, some of them simmering for half a century or more, are amicably resolved? Or should “connectivity” be pursued in the hope that its process of interpenetration of self-interests will make conflict irrelevant? SAARC is agreed that cultural events should take place regularly across borders, but hostile relations and visa-regime constraints stand in the way. In consequence, that ultimate solvent, the people-to-people contact, is not allowed to work, postponing the moment of psychological disarmament. That is why cross-border trade must open, trade routes and trade corridors must be established, and security must be linked to “integration” of the economies

rather than “separation” of the nation-states. There was a time when “antiroutes” served the purpose of states wanting to be left alone; today the states require routes for survival and avoidance of conflict. After ASEAN in the east, another organisation is spring up in the West of the region with aspirations of “continental connectivity”, that is, linking High Asia with the markets of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. In 2006, a conference held in Kabul as “First Kabul Conference on Partnership, Trade and Development in Greater Central Asia” began the discussion on the subject of trade connectivity between the states of Central Asia and South Asia, particularly Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) that underpins all efforts in the region at freeing up trade and building the physical infrastructure of trade has greatly encouraged cross-border trade in a region where traditional leaders fear trade as interference and political control. Since China is the big economic power in the neighbourhood of the Greater Central Asian states - Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – its efforts at creating “north-south connectivities” cannot be ignored. Similarly, Pakistan's approach to Tajikistan for the laying of a power transmission line will set the trend of SAARC's final linking with the Central Asia region. Gas pipeline projects envisaged for the future but obstructed for the present by the war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan cannot be ignored either as an earnest of Greater Central Asian economic integration: the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has reached its final stage of negotiations and the Turkmenistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline will be open for further discussion once Afghanistan is pacified. Both projects also anticipate that India would have overcome its security constraints enough to accept gas that transits through Pakistan. When that happens a new kind of connectivity will be ushered into the region of South Asia and conflict will recede from a vast population looking forward to be a part of the prosperous world.

Climate Change and Water Security in South Asia Syed Iqbal Hasnain There are great degrees of uncertainty about the overall extent to which glaciers are melting, but the Himalayan glaciers are generally experiencing rapid and unprecedented rates of melting. Not only these glaciers are retreating faster than nearly all other glacier regions around the world but they are retreating at highly variable rates depending on glacier size, orientation and the climate zone. The melting of the glaciers is caused not only by human-induced carbon dioxide but also by growing levels of black carbon in the air, snow and on glaciers. The Himalayan glaciers which constitute the largest body of ice outside the polar regions, provide fresh water to 10 major river basins, upon which 1.3 billion people depend for their water and food security. Population across SAARC countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and some other countries depend directly on waters from cryosphere (snow, permafrost and glaciers) and monsoon rains for water and food security. The Hindu-Kush-Himalaya (HKH) system comprises the mountain ranges of Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayas. The total area of valley glaciers in these ranges is approximately 2,700 km2, 16,600 km2 and 33,050 km2 respectively (Dyurgerov and Meir 2005). Since 1990s large number of glaciers across Himalayan arc are downwasting (i.e. stationary decaying) instead of just retreating in response to atmospheric warming (Paul et al. 2004). This is because the ice melt by far overrules the mass supply through accumulation and ice flow. Glaciers are highly sensitive to temperature changes and even a slight increase in temperature from its sub-zero level is bound to cause melting of glaciers. Presently, with unprecedented human intervention, global cryosphereic regions are melting with varying degrees. Moreover, since Himalayan glaciers are situated closer to the Tropic of Cancer, they are natural recipient of larger proportion of sunlight as compared to the glaciers in temperate regions. But the total loss

suffered by a glacier during summer months or other hot days is compensated by snowfall during the rainy and winter days. However, a change in the climate caused due to global warming by green house gases like carbon dioxide and short-lived pollutants like black carbon or soot, methane and troposphere ozone has led to an exceptional jump in rate of melting of these glaciers. A change in the climate can affect the mass balance, which represents the direct climate signal, and the ice dynamics of the glacier. Mass balance of the Himalayan glaciers has not been studied much in the field. Recent global inventories include only eight glaciers in India and three in Nepal with mass balances measured for at least once in a year (Dyurgerov and Meier 2005). These 11 glaciers cover a total area of 121 km2. This area decreases to 46 km2 if the Langtang glacier (Nepal, 75 km2) is excluded; its mass balance is not measured directly in the field but modeled from temperatures and precipitations measured in Kathmandu, 60 kms away (Tangborn and Rana 2000). Mass balance of Dokraini glacier (7 km2), Garhwal Himalaya has been studied for eight years by Dobhal et al. 2008. Similarly, four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri glacier, Himachal Pradesh was studied jointly by Professor Hasnain and Institut De Recherche Pour Le Developpement (IRD), France scientists under collaborative research project. Unfortunately, no long-term glaciermonitoring network has ever been sustained in the absence of proper institutional framework. The glaciers in the eastern and central part of the Himalayas are expected to be especially sensitive to present atmospheric warming, due to their summeraccumulation type nature (Ageta and Higuchi 1984). An increase in summer air temperature not only enhances ice melt but also significantly reduces the

accumulation by changing snowfall to rain. In contrast, winter-accumulation type glaciers receive their main accumulation at lower temperatures and are thus less sensitive to an increase in air temperatures. Under present climatic conditions, the glacier variations south of the Himalayan main ridge are believed to reflect monsoon dynamics. The rainfall during the summer monsoon season of June to September is the major source of precipitation for all South Asian countries. The atmospheric brown clouds are basically layers of air pollution consisting of aerosols such as black carbon, absorb energy and other anthropogenic aerosols such as sulphates and nitrates, scatter solar radiation. These aerosols make 1–3 km thick plume that persists from November to March across Indo-Gangetic basin along the Himalayan arc. The aerosol particles in atmospheric brown clouds reduce solar radiation reaching the earth's surface, enhance atmospheric solar heating and change cloud properties. Perturbations lead to a reduction and redistribution of monsoon precipitation. Therefore, air-temperature and observed changes in westerlies and southwest monsoon is the major cause of the melting of the Hindu-KushHimalaya (HKH) glacier. Given the size and remoteness of the Himalayan glaciers, satellite imagery is widely used to obtain a comprehensive regional estimate of glacier mass balance (Bishop et al. 2000). According to the studies conducted by Kaab (2005), recently in Bhutan glacier retreat shows a north-south gradient with larger retreat rates in the south as the influence of the monsoon decreases towards the north. Kaab combined Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data to produce synthetic digital elevation model and then map the contrasted dynamical behaviour of north- and south-facing glaciers in the northernmost section Bhutan Himalaya ridge (called “Lunana”; 280 N, 90-910 E) separating the Tibetan plateau to the north from central Himalayas to the south. The northbound glacier tongues show speeds of several tens to over 200 m year-1. They are almost debris free as the ice flux drains the large accumulation areas through the northbound valleys, in order to keep the glacier in geometric equilibrium. In contrast the southern glaciers have high debris cover and velocity around 40 m y-1 near the tongues, which appear to be nearly stagnant. The response to atmospheric warming for these glacier

tongues is downwasting—essentially decoupled from the dynamics of upper glacier parts. Most of southern Himalaya glaciers tongue including Gangotri glacier in Garhwal Himalaya have loose contact to the upper parts and become dead ice. As a consequence moraine dammed glacier lakes are commonly formed at the glacier tongues (Tayal 2006). Kulkarni et. al. (1992) has developed a relationship between specific mass balance and the accumulation area ratio (AAR) or the equilibrium line altitude (ELA). Thus, assuming that snowline at the end of melting season by midOctober indicates the ELA. Using this relationship Kulkarni et. al., (2004) studied Baspa basin glaciers, Western Himalaya and determined specific mass balance -0.9 and -0.78 m/a (w.e) for hydrological years between 2000 and 2002. Nevertheless, Kulkarni et al. (2007) studied 466 glaciers in Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalaya and reported 21 percent mass loss of the glaciers between 1992 and 2007. Similarly, Berthier et. al. (2007) have combined SPOT 5 images and SRTM data to derive five-year specific mass balance of 915 km2 of glaciers in the Lahul-Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. The overall specific mass balance is -0.7 to -0.8 m/a (w.e), showing that the glaciers of Lahul-Spiti valley are experiencing rapid ice loss. These losses are at least twice higher than the average mass balance between 1977 and 1999 (0.34 m/a w.e.) for the Himalayas (Dyurgerov and Meier 2005) indicating rapid increase of glaciers retreat in the valley. These two independent analysis by Kulkarni (2007) and Berthier (2007) suggest a rapid retreat rate of glaciers (~ -0.8 m/a w.e.) in western Himalayas. Impact by Regional Warming Most of the studies attribute the retreat of the Himalayan glaciers to rising air temperatures (Thompson et al. 2003). The warming is much more pronounced in elevated levels of the HKH region. To asses the warming impact Ramanathan et al. (2007) simulated heating caused by atmospheric brown clouds during 1950–2000 by imposing estimated forcing during 2000–03 on the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research General Circulation Model CCM3. They determined that warming due to greenhouse gas during that period was between 0.5 and 0.80C, about the same as from the atmospheric brown clouds. The trend in total warming is an increase of about

0.250C per decade, twice the rate of warming at the surface. It appears these trends have substantial implications for the elevated region of the Himalayas, where observed warming of 0.15–0.30C during the past several decades has led to the rapid reduction of glacier mass. For the first time, new satellite LIDAR (light detection and ranging) observations reveal that three kilometre thick atmospheric brown clouds surround southern flank of the Himalayas subjecting the air to intense solar heating. Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere GCMs with both GHG and ABC forcing (Ramanathan et al. 2005 and 2007) suggest that the ABC solar heating amplifies the GHGs warming by a factor of 2 at elevated levels (3 km to 6 km). Goswami et. al. (2006) reveal that the intense rain (>100 mm/day) events have become more frequent since the 1950s and very heavy events (>150 mm/day) have nearly doubled since the 1950s. However, these intense events' frequency was accompanied by a decrease in moderate rain events (<100 mm/day). Furthermore the rainfall during the highest rain events increased from about 200 mm/day during the 1950s to about 300 mm/day by the end of the century. Ramanathan et al. (2005) used gridded station data for rainfall over India and showed an overall decrease of monsoon rainfall. This finding was recently confirmed by Ramesh and Goswami (2007) who suggested that the monsoon rainfall (May to October) has decreased by 4.5 percent with more than 40 percent decrease in pre-monsoon (15–31 May) and postmonsoon rainfall (15 September–10 October) and furthermore the area receiving rainfall also showed a decrease. Basically, as per Ramesh and Goswami, “the monsoon is shrinking”. Large concentrations of ABCs ranging from 500 to 1000 ng.m-3 have been recorded (Ramanathan et al. 2007) throughout the year by ABC observatories in the foothills region of lower Himalayas in Nepal and from 200 to 5000 ng.m-3 in the foothills of Mt Everest (Bonasoni et al. 2008). The downwasting of the Indian glaciers in southern Himalaya will bear heavily on the regions' drinking water supply and on irrigation for agricultural production. For energy-constrained economies in South Asia, the prospect of diminishing river flows in the future and the possibility that energy potential from hydropower may not be achieved, will have far reaching economic

consequences. Another reason of immediate concern is the danger of “Glacier Lake Outburst Flood” (GLOF) which causes catastrophic discharges from the failure of temporary glacial lakes dammed by loose earth (moraines) materials formed by rapidly melting glacier ice. Observations indicate that the frequency of GLOFs in eastern Himalayas including Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan has increased during the last decade of the 20th century and threatening the very existence of many hydropower plants constructed recently on the Himalayan rivers. It is vital for future water policy and water management to understand glacier dynamics and hydrology with changing climate. Projections show that the countries of South Asia will suffer from water stress by 2050. Water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available supply during a certain period, or when poor quality restricts its use. In view of above projections, it is absolutely important to study the mass exchange and growth/shrinkages of these glaciers. Hence, a well-equipped network with carefully measured glaciers is important to study long-term deglaciation trends in HKH. Mitigation and adaptation techniques will only be developed after having a time series on glaciological and hydrological parameters. Therefore, a distributed and properly monitored glacier network may only provide the necessary inputs required to simulate the climate change and deglaciation consequences in South Asia. Such a network may prove to be a milestone in the glacier and climate change studies in the region. Another area of concern in South Asia is the extremely limited water storage capacity. Countries like Pakistan and India, for example, store less 250 cubic metres of water per capita compared to more than 5000 cubic metres per capita in countries like Australia and the US. The lack of water storage capacities leaves the already vulnerable populations at the great risk of fluctuations in water flows and changes in monsoon patterns. Investments can be increased in natural and constructed water storage systems. Natural storage systems include snow, ice, glacier lakes, wetlands, and groundwater acquifers. Constructed systems include artificial ponds and tanks, and large reservoirs and temporary runoff collection areas. There is a huge potential in the South Asian countries to build and sustain natural

storage capacities. Transboundry nature of water resources limit the option of the South Asian countries in constructing storages and using immense hydropower potential of the rivers. The compounding impacts of regional climate warming and monsoonal rainfall reductions are accelerating the melt of ice and reducing the accumulations of snow on these glaciers, leading to a significant loss of ice mass over large portions of the mountain regions. Therefore, there is a great need for more research on the glaciers and changes that are taking place in the region. Thus far conclusions are being made on limited data coming from satellite imagery and field research on selected glaciers, but the extreme conditions found in the region make field research expensive, time intensive, dangerous and physically challenging as one works above 4000 meters. There is very little infrastructure in the high elevations to support research efforts and very little historical data to use as a baseline. The Way Forward Through observations and modeling, greenhouse gases and aerosol forcing could be quantified, as well as the response of the regional hydrologic cycles to these 20th century global warming forcing agents. There is a need to define the links between regional climate change and ongoing glacier melt. By coupling satellite and surface observations of

the atmosphere and ice with glacier models and surface hydrologic models, the contribution of current glacier melt to the overall supply of fresh water to South Asia through the major rivers in the region can be evaluated. The objective would be to establish quantitative projections of the impact of the 21st century melt on future fresh water resources based on climate model simulation driven by future scenarios of greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions. These studies may draw heavily on NASA's satellite data and other international remote sensing missions. Data from these systems will drive process models of glacier mass balance in the mountain region and surface hydrology for all of South Asia. Validation of the satellite observations and in-situ forcing of snow/ice melt modelling could be done by installing field automatic weather stations and other instruments on selected benchmark glaciers in various climate zones and basins across the Himalayas. Implications of Water Security The melting of the Himalayan glaciers is a phenomenon that clearly deserves greater study and closer monitoring, but the existing reality of deglaciation is already having downstream impacts. The first and most obvious concern with deglaciation is the threat of diminishing water flows to the hundreds of millions of the people in the downstream regions of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh

Delegates from Nepal and Sri Lanka

and China. The regional and micro-climate changes are revealing themselves not only in the melting of glaciers and diminished sources of water to the major river systems, but also in the changes in monsoon patterns, variations in overall precipitation levels, increased occurrence of extreme weather events. Transboundary agreements in the region do exist and fortunately survived cross-border tensions and mistrust. The countries in the region are facing a wide variety of potentially massive threats as a result of glacial melting and related climate changes. Millions of South Asian hope this would be the main driver of cooperation in the 21st century.

Syed Iqbal Hasnain is a consultant at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India

References l Ageta,Y., and Higuchi, K. “Estimation of mass balance components of a summeraccumulation type glacier in the Nepal Himalaya.” Geografiska Annaler 66 A (1984), 249–255. l Berthier, Etienne, Yves Arnaud, Rajesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Partick Wagnon, and Pierre Chevallier. “Remote sensing estimates of glacier mass balances in the Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalaya, India).” Remote Sensing of Environment 108 (2007), 327–338. l Berthier, Etienne, H. Vadon, B. Baratoux, Y. Arnaud, C. Vincent, K.L. Feigl, F. Rémy, and B. Legrésy. “Surface motion of mountain glaciers derived from satellite optical imagery.” Remote Sensing of Environment 95 (2005), 14–28. l Bonasoni, P., P. Laj, F. Angelini, J. Arduini, U. Bonafe, F. Calzolari, P. Cristofanelli et al. “The ABC-Pyramid Atmospheric Research Observatory in Himalaya for aerosol, ozone and halocarbon measurements.” Science of the Total Environment 391 (2008), 252–261. l Dobhal, D.P., J.T. Gergen and R. J. Thayyen. “Mass balance studies of the Dokraini glacier from 1992-2000, Garhwal Himalaya, India.” In Bulletin Glaciological Research 25-9-17. Japanese Society of Snow and Ice, 2008. l Dyurgerov, M.B and M. F. Meier. “Glaciers and the Changing earth's system: a 2004 snapshot.” Occasional paper 58, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, 2005. l Goswami, B.N., V. Venugopal, D. Sengupta, M.S. Madhusoodanan and P.K. Xavier. “Increasing Trend of Extreme Rain Events over India in a Warming Environment”, Science 314 (2006), 1442–1444. l Hasnain, S.I. (1999) Final report of Himalayan Glaciology Working Group

l l

l l l l

l l

(1985–1999) International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (unpublished).www.cryosphericsciences.org Hasnain, S.I. (2007) “Shrinking Cryosphere in South Asia. Mountain Witnesses of Global Changes.” R. Baudo, G.Tartari, and E.vuillermoz (Ed.) Elsevier, 342pp. Kaab, A. “Combination of SRTM 3 and repeat ASTER data foe deriving alpine glacier flow velocities in the Bhutan Himalaya.” Remote Sensing of Environment 94 40 (2005), 463–474. Krishnan, R. and V. Ramanathan. “Evidence of surface cooling from absorbing aerosols.” Geophys. Res. Lett. 29(9) (2002), 1340, doi:10.1029/2002GL014687. Kulkarni, A.V. “Mass Balance of Himalayan glaciers using AAR and ELA methods.” Journal of Glaciology 38 (128) (1992), 101–104. Kulkarni, A.V, B. P. Rathore, and S. Alex. “Monitoring of glacier mass balance in the baspa basin using accumulation area method.” Current Science 86 (2004),101–106. Kulkarni, A.V. et al. “Glacial retreat in Himalaya using Indian Remote Sensing satellite data.” Current Science 92 (10) (2007), 69–74. Paul F., A Kääb, M. Maisch, T. Kellenberger, W. Haeberli. “Rapid disintegration of Alpine glaciers observed with satellite data.” Geophys Res Lett 31:L21402 (2004). Ramesh K.V., P. Goswami. “Reduction in temporal and spatial extent of the Indian summer monsoon.” Geophysical Research Letters 34(23): L23704 (2007). Ramanathan et al. “Atmospheric brown clouds: impacts on South Asian Climate and Hydrological Cycle.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102 (2005), 5326–5333. Ramanathan, V., M.V. Ramana, G.C. Roberts, D. Kim, C. Corrigan, C. Chung and D. Winker. “Warming trends in Asia amplified by brown cloud solar absorption.” Nature 448 (2007), 575–578. Ramanathan, V., F. Li, M.V. Ramana, P.S. Praveen, D. Kim, C.E. Corrigan, H. Nguyen et al. “Atomspheric brown clouds: Hemispherical and regional variations in long-range transport, absorption, and radiative forcing.” J. Geophys. Res. 112, D22S21, doi:10.1029/2006JD008124 (2007). Tangborn, W.V. and Rana, Birbal, 2000. Mass Balance and Runoff of the partially debris-covered Langtang Glacier, Nepal. Proceedings of a Workshop held in Seattle, Washington, September 2000, IAHS Publ. No. 264. Tayal, Shresth,. “Dye tracer investigations of glacier hydrological systems.” Doctoral thesis (unpublished), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 2006. Thompson et al., “Tropical glacier and ice core evidence of climate changes on annual to millennial time scales.” Climate Change 59 (2003), 137–155. Wagnon et al. “Four Years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya.” Journal of Glaciology 53 (183) (2007), 603–611.

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan

Session III

SESSION III REPORT

Debate on Declaration Lakshman Gunasekara: We fully endorse the question regarding the glacier melt as well as carbon emissions. In Sri Lanka, we are collaborating on these issues; well within our discourse. Nuclear issue in South Asia is substantially extraneous to the theme of this declaration. We should not rubbish the issue of carbon emissions. Iqbal Sobhan Chaudhury: We are always concerned about the love-hate relationship between India and Pakistan. They should not spoil the environment in this SAFMA Summit. You should introduce fellowships and awards this year for raising awareness among journalists highlighting climate change.

Uma Sudhir: Climate change will affect women. Women are the primary caregivers in any society. On the nuclear thing, obviously it is important in the context of climate change. Siachen paragraph needs to be dropped. We never talk about our own environment, we should include that. K K Katyal: In the declaration, we confine ourselves to what we think is the role of the media and the requirements. How to sensitise them? Let that be our main focus. There is an Indian angle relating to China. So why stray into that territory? The development imperatives, either we include that or stay out of that controversy.

Imtiaz Alam fielding a question from Indian delegate Gautam Lahiri

K K Katyal

Satish Jacob: Let this be as it is and select half a dozen people from here to study and reword it. Vijay Naik: The area you mentioned about Bangladesh, half of it is in India. Reazuddin Ahmed: SAARC process is hostage to Pakistan and India. Role of the media should be highlighted. Dr Akbar-Akbar: Why is there no reference to the Hindu Kush glaciers? Our environment is being destroyed by the ongoing war. Sharmini Boyle: There should be gender perspective on environment. Rehana Hakim

Afzal Khan: A matter of common concern is fast becoming a conflict subject: water. There are voices in Pakistan that it is more serious than any other issue. We should somehow bring it in the declaration. Let there be a common strategy between India and Pakistan on water. Prateek Pradhan: Even the environment conservation steps will have effects on the poor people. Include that as well. Shaukat Mahmood: I support this declaration. Can we have some reflection on the Gross National Happiness (GNH) theme in the 8th paragraph?

Prateek Pradhan

Imtiaz Alam: There is no scientific

Sharmini Boyle centre to observe climate change and the coherent parameters of GNH are yet to be defined. Nehal Singh: Let us not go into creating further confusion. Let us talk about what the media can do about it. Lakshman: We are performing a political

role as well as a media one because we have access to the political leadership. We must join the voices all over the world. Climate change is a major issue and I fully endorse what has been written. Rehana Hakeem: Sometime journalists also have to play an activist's role. We have to rise above our national divides. Do we not realise the human cost of Siachen and nuclear issue? India and Pakistan always make it a partisan issue!

We should save them for the whole region. A committee representing all chapters of SAFMA was formed to discuss the proposals on the conference declaration. The committee incorporated the changes all representatives agreed on, and presented the proposed declaration before the house, which adopted it with consensus.

Dahal (Nepal): What should the media do? Natural resources should be saved. One cylinder of gas helps to preserve 3 sq metres of forests. Nepal has glaciers.

Imtiaz Alam taking questions on the declaration. On the stage are (left to right) Satish Jacob, Kumar Ketkar , Mizanurrehman Shelley, U H Najeem and Reazuddin Ahmad

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan

Declaration committee meeting

Lakshman Gunasekera (back to the camera), Mizanurrehman Shelley, Shehrbano Khan, Khaled Ahmed, Waqar Mustafa, Farida Nekzad, Afzal Khan, Sharmini Boyle, Uma Sudhir and Kumar Ketkar

Bhutan Declaration on Climate Change We, the journalists from South Asia having met at SAARC Journalists Summit-V, organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) and South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) at Paro, Bhutan, on 26-27 April 2010, have resolved to save our planet, the South Asian region and its natural resources and eco-systems from climatic and environmental degradation; Deeply perturbed by the adverse impact of climate change on human and ecosystems and natural resources in our South Asian region and a lack of adequate action at national, regional and international levels to preserve our climate, natural resources and the planet; Warn against the threats to environment by conflicts and the proliferation and potential use of nuclear weapons and its catastrophic impact on life, environment and the earth; Concerned about the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalayan glaciers retreating at an alarming rate for the past few decades, eroding one of the major sources of our existence; Note that rising sea levels affecting coastal areas means that especially Maldives may submerge and 20 percent of low-lying areas of Bangladesh may sink in the Bay of Bengal, displacing 25 million people; Recognise an organic relationship between human and ecosystems and the need to effectively, collectively and holistically reduce greenhouse gases; Uphold principles of equity and human and ecological rights in all processes of decision-making and implementation of policies, laws and programmes on climate change; Seek an effective management and conservation of natural resources that curb ostentatious consumption and promote eco- friendly sustainable development; Realise that the greater impact of environmental degradation and pollution is

on women, children, and the poor, particularly the indigenous communities; Take serious note of water issues becoming a new area of conflict among countries of the region, and promote its judicious use, and the adoption of ecofriendly systems of agriculture; Believe in effective negotiation among all countries, especially those most vulnerable, towards concrete solutions to mitigate pollution and adapt to climate change; Emphasise that public awareness of the immediate threat of climate change is a prerequisite to mitigating its negative impacts on life; Reiterate that institutional transparency and access to and free flow of information empowers peoples and societies to make informed decisions on options for mitigation; Acknowledge the role of media in disseminating information on climate change and making society realise the necessity to adopt a low-carbon and eco-friendly lifestyle; Welcome SAFMA-SAMC-SAWM combined initiative to organize the SAARC Journalists Summit-V on Climate Change in South Asia in eco-friendly Bhutan; Invite the international community, the Governments and people of SAARC to: 1. Support media to optimize the quality and relevance of programming and reporting on climate change by encouraging the production and dissemination of relevant audiovisual and print content at a local, national and regional levels to give voice to the people affected by climate change; 2. Collaborate and support in raising the skills of media professionals through training, exchange of knowledge and best practices and by facilitating access to relevant scientific information to build informationsharing networks;

3. Establish the SAARC Green Climate Fund to support projects, scientific research, programmes, policies and other activities related to mitigation, adaptation, capacity-building, technology development and transfer the funding for adoption by the most vulnerable countries and small islands; 4. Establish a South Asian Regional Centre that is funded by Annex I parties [the biggest greenhouse gas producers, and also the countries most able to cut emissions] for research, scientific development and economic diversification, thereby building climate-resilient socioeconomic systems in the developing countries of South Asia. 5. Pursue various approaches, including markets and engaging local communities in mitigation actions while recognising and providing incentives to economic sectors, communities and countries with lowemitting technologies and economies so they continue to develop on a low- emission pathway. 6. Recognise the role of the media in highlighting the environmental impact of ongoing armed conflicts in the region. Urge media colleagues: To raise awareness about the consequences of climate changes and greenhouse gas emissions; promote eco-friendly, low-carbon and judicious consumption lifestyles; and popularise mitigation strategies and measures while highlighting hazards of climate change and destruction of the ecosystem. Ask media associations: To encourage their members to make quantifiable commitments to increase the availability of relevant content on climate change through the exchange of audio and print material and the broadcast of programmes at local, national and regional levels; To prioritise resources for training of their staff in covering climate change. Demand that the governments: 1. Give due consideration to the concerns of the most vulnerable

communities and countries and the minimum standards advocated by them. 2. Recognise that women can be proactive agents of change and that their representation in the climate change debate has been marginal. Women's representation and role need to be proactively enhanced in formulating policies and mitigation strategies; 3. Remain cognizant of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the need to take nationally appropriate mitigation measures; 4. Allow free movement of media people and products for a dedicated collaboration among the media of the region to share and disseminate climate change information that incorporates both regional and local perspectives to encourage individuals and policy-makers to undertake timely action; 5. Raise a unified voice for multi-lateral and Official Development Aid (ODA) that allows countries to adopt country-specific, gender-sensitive adaptation strategies to mitigate climate change. 6. Recognise and support what are presently seen as alternate, traditional development models that they could provide many answers to climate change challenges; 7. Move towards a low-carbon economy through the support of developed countries in terms of grants and technology transfer and encourage sharing of indigenous skills among developing countries. 8. Ensure that the policies and programs of international funding bodies fully appreciate the gravity of climate change and are climate-sensitive. 9. Take national, regional and collective measures to safeguard and conserve our glaciers, water resources, eco systems and overall environment; 10. Of nuclear weapon states in the region to develop a comprehensive mechanism and strategic understanding to prevent accidental, or otherwise, use of nuclear weapons, stabilise nuclear regime and avoid conflicts; 11. Recognize the impact of deforestation and forest degradation in climate change and greenhouse gas emissions and take pro-active steps to ensure that positive incentives must be introduced to save forests.

Saarc Journalists Summit-V:

Environment and South Asia 26-27 April, 2010, Paro, Bhutan

Plenary Session

SESSION IV REPORT

New LFA, work plan & budget 2010-12 A briefing on SAFMA's future plan as an organization and discussion on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New LFA, Work Plan and Budget 2010-12â&#x20AC;?

since its creation and the donors had shown keen interest and faith in SAFMA's work.

The presidium was shared by Imtiaz Alam, Executive Director, Free Media Foundation (FMF) and Secretary General of SAFMA, and Bilal Naqeeb, Director Programme, FMF.

Mr Alam said the civil society was a new victim of the recession, which had almost shut the doors of support on NGOs. He highlighted the need to register SAFMA in each country as a legal entity and to raise funds locally. It was now time, he said, to approach local donors in all countries rather than rely on the Central Secretariat funding. However, he said, SAFMA could not allow the donors in any country to dictate the organisation's agenda.

Imtiaz Alam presented the details of the process SAFMA underwent in attracting donors. He briefed the summit on the financial situation of the organization and the non-availability of funds in the past year. The worldwide recession had badly affected business and prevented donors from investing even in this sector. He said 8.8 million dollars had been raised by SAFMA

SAFMA-Bangladesh President Reazuddin Ahmed sought certain explanations on the other bodies SAFMA had established like the South Asia

Free Media Foundation Executive Director Imtiaz Alam and Director, Programme Bilal Naqeeb briefing the SAFMA, SAMC and SAWM officeholders on the New LFA, Work Plan and Budget for 2010-2012

Media Commission (SAMC) and South Asia Women in Media (SAWM). On seeking money from local donors, he said he found it hard to approach donors for different organization when their basic work was the same. Nepal asked why it was not possible to register all the organizations.

conferences/seminars; national chapter seminars on women, media, freedom, democracy and fundamental rights; South Asian Journal's production, and distribution; SAPANA research; programme, planning and management of central secretariat; carrying out gender-sensitized human resource planning; and tracking and updating news and views on a web portal for free flow of information. Production House, SAMC, SAWM and SAMS all had different activities, which he shared with the audience in detail. The last part of the presentation dealt with the budget for activities.

Invited to present the work plan, new LFA, and budget, Bilal Naqeeb said the goal of the organizations that work towards developing mainstream media platforms, joint media mechanisms and unbiased sources of information across South Asia for both media and public was to promote free flow of information, peace, understanding and cooperation. He briefly talked about the outcomes of the projects SAFMA had undertaken: SAWM, SAMC, SAPANA, the South Asian Journal (SAJ), South Asian Media Net (SAMN), the South Asia Media School (SAMC), and the Production House. He briefed the audience on the activities and targets which SAFMA had set for years 20102014.

After this presentation, the house was opened for discussion. Imtiaz Alam took the lead and proposed an Indo-Pak parliamentary conference. He said it would help the parliamentarians of both countries to interact and explore new options for peace. Another such conference, he announced, should be held between India and Bangladesh as they needed a discussion on outstanding issues.

The targets included SAFMA regional media conferences; SAARC Journalists' Summit; SAFMA Regional Executive Body meetings, national media

In this era of technology, he argued that SAFMA, SAMC, and SAWM should have a web TV and radio.

Satish Jacob asked about the procedure of SAFMA membership. Imtiaz Alam said high quality professional journalists could become the members of SAFMA which did not believe in any sort of discrimination based on ideology, class, and creed. K. K. Katyal, former president of SAFMA-India, suggested that SAFMA maintain a selective approach in giving membership to journalists. Satish said there should be no arbitrary selection. Imtiaz Alam reaffirmed that SAFMA would not tolerate any discrimination even on the basis of professional rivalry. “SAFMA is open to all journalists in the region.” He also mentioned a tendency of keeping women or young journalists out of SAFMA by certain chapters which was unacceptable. Vijay Naik from India pointed out an important issue of internal scrutiny. “A list of 103 journalists was sent to Delhi and KK Katyal and Vinod Sharma both had to work on the list in getting the best out of them,” he said. On a positive note, he said the membership of SAFMA in India was becoming broad-based, though, slowly, and SAFMA-India was certainly increasing the membership.

DINNER: Khaled Ahmed, Sharmini Boyle, Ehsanullah Aryanzai, Husain Naqi, Nihal Singh, Nirmala Sharma, Maldives' Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed, Reazuddin Ahmed and Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley

Bangladeshi delegates Parveen Sultana and Rasheda Amin

Sharing smiles: Afzal Khan, Tanzeela Mazhar, Nirmala Sharma and Rita J Pradhan

Maldivian delegates

FOR YOUR EARS ONLY: Bushra Sultana and Mehmal Sarfaraz

Delegates from India: L to R: Vijay Purushottam Naik, Gautam Lahiri, Swati Bhattacharjee, Satish Kumar Jacob, Uma Sudhir, Sajjad Mirza, P.L. Uniyal, Sevanti Ninan, S. Nihal Singh and Krishan Kumar Katyal

Kumar Ketkar, Gautam Lahiri, Imtiaz Alam, Vijay Naik, KK Katyal

THE COORDINATORS

REGIONAL EXECUTIVE BODY MEETINGS

SAFMA Regional Executive Body meeting

MINUTES

South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Regional Executive Body REB meeting

he SAFMA Regional Executive Body met at Paro, Bhutan, on April 28, 2010 with its President Reazuddin Ahmed in the chair. All members, except five, attended. The REB approved the agenda presented by the Secretary General. After due deliberations, the members of REB unanimously took the following decisions: SAFMA REB DECISIONS: 路 The Annual Report 2009 was approved by the REB with the concern that the paucity of funds has badly affected a most successful regional program. 路 The REB was briefed on the long process of external/internal audits by the donors and the Free Media Foundation. It expressed its satisfaction over the Central Secretariat performance in completing the process of institutional development and adoption of the two Manuals of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) for finance/auditing/management/HR. The REB emphasized the

路

imperative of following the SOPs in letter and spirit by the Central Secretariat and National Chapters and approved the two Manuals of FMF. REB authorized the Secretary General to propose necessary changes in the two Manuals to the Board of Governors of Free Media Foundation (FMF). It endorsed the Secretary General's proposal for creating worth US$ 20.34 million South Asian Media Endowment Fund by the FMF and to access the SAARC Development Fund and Members/Observers of SAARC for their contribution. It also approved the proposal of scholarships worth US$ 336,000 annually from the respective SAARC countries for their young journalists to be trained at the SAMS. The REB approved draft amendments to the MOA of SAFMA with some changes. It decided to keep the terms of all offices (regional/national) up to two years and for two terms. Offices of VPs,

JSCs, IS (President and Secretary General not included) will be elected in alphabetical order and by reversing the order or as may be decided by the REB and South Asian Free Media Conference. · REB approved SAFMA Regional and National Chapters' Work Plans and Budgets for 2010–12 and authorized the Secretary General to make changes in the light of proposals and availability of funds. · Next SAFMC is to be held in India, preferably Amritsar and Wahga. The REB approved that Indo-Pak Parliamentary Conference would be held in Islamabad/Delhi. · The REB directed all National Chapters, except Pakistan, to get registered and act as implementing agency for SAWM and SAMC as well. In the meanwhile, the respective NGOs shall work as

implementing agency. The budget, financial matters, logistics and HR are to be decided by the Joint Finance and HR Committee consisting of President/General Secretary, or their joint nominees, of SAFMA, SAMC and SAWM National Chapters in accordance with the National Chapter Manual. Secretary General was asked to sort out all issues of the Chapters. The REB meeting concluded on a note of thanks for the Bhutan Chapter for hosting the SAARC Journalists' Summit-V and the REB meetings of SAFMA/SAWM/ SAMC.

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA

MINUTES

Regional Executive Body Meeting, South Asia Media Commission (SAMC)

n the absence of SAMC President Mr N. Ram, SAMC Regional Coordinator Mr Husain Naqi chaired the proceedings.

路

On the expiry of his term as the President of South Asia Media Commission and Media Commission-India, Mr N Ram was lauded for his services. Mr Kumar Ketkar, a senior editor from India, was

路路

elected as the new President and Mr Najam Sethi, a senior editor from Pakistan was elected as Secretary General of the Commission. All the REB members expressed confidence in his leadership. Mr. K. K. Katyal was chosen to head Media Commission-India. The REB endorsed changes to the SAMC Memorandum of Association for better linkages with the Free Media Foundation, the programme implementing agency.

SAMC Regional Executive Body meeting

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka recorded a note of dissent on low budgetary allocation. All the chapters agreed on the need for revising the budget. Nepal wanted the SAMC to help with a quality assessment or accreditation of journalists in the country. Sri Lanka, which faced hurdles in establishing a local chapter of the Commission because of the government oppression, wanted the Commission members to lobby with their governments to issue statements or put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop oppressing the media. For Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan can do a lot,

· ·

Mr Hilamy Ahmed from Sri Lanka said. The REB agreed to enhance coordination among the country media commissions. The REB desired to have more than one annual meetings of the SAMC to formulate policies for itself and for each country chapter based on their situations. The REB suggested having a legal helpline for journalists. The REB wanted the SAMC to focus more on missions to the areas where press freedom was curtailed.

MINUTES

South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) regional executive body meeting ·

SAWM's website needs to become more active and each chapter to update the website regularly on its own. Each chapter will nominate a SAWM member for this responsibility. The issue of redesign will be discussed in the next SAWM REB meeting. National chapters can raise funds locally for SAWM on behalf of SAFMA since SAFMA will be registered as an implementing agency in each country. The general secretary or other nominee of each SAWM national chapter will be part of the national Finance and HR committee and will be a signatory on the cheque for release of funds. Activities within national chapters will be shared (via group email and on SAWM's website) so that members from neighboring countries can participate in such activities when possible to reduce costs and encourage cooperation. National chapters can also hold joint activities with SAFMA, SAMC and other local bodies for this

purpose. The proposal of a membership fee of US$5 per year for SAWM members was discussed. Some chapters felt SAWM still needs to find footing with local media persons and it was too soon to start collecting membership fund. The proposal will be introduced and discussed again in the REB meeting in 2011. Executive members or office bearers of SAWM cannot be executive board members of similar NGOs since this presents a conflict of interest in terms of raising funds. Bandana Rana was unanimously elected member of SAWM REB in capacity of an Advisor without voting privileges. She will be an asset in terms of fundraising, networking and building an international clout with donors. 12th October to be celebrated as SAWM Day in all national chapters.

SAMC Regional Executive Body meeting

Delegates AFGHANISTAN

Ehsanullah Aryanzai, Director, Aryana TV

Abdul Azim Noorbakhsh, Professor, Kabul University

Abdul Aziz Danish Karokhel, Director, Pajhwok News Agency

Mohammad Akbar Akbar, Director, Media Support Partnership

Dil Afroz, Production Coordinator, Media Support Partnership

Farida Nekzad, General Director, Wakht News Agency

Safia Milad, Director, ROZ News Agency

BANGLADESH

Reazuddin Ahmed, Editor, The News Today

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor, Bangladesh Observer

Zahiduzzaman Faruque, Editor, Arthaneeti

Rasheda Amin, Senior News Editor, BSS

Parveen Sultana, Freelance Journalist

Dr. Mizanur Rahman Shelly, Columnist, President, Media Commission-Bangladesh

Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, CEO, Boishakhi television network

Shaukat Mahmood, President, National Press Club

Shamim Ahmad, City Editor, United News Bangladesh

Kamaluddin Shabuj, News Editor, BSS

Ruhul Amin Gazi, Special Correspondent, Daily Sangram

INDIA

S. Nihal Singh

Uma Sudhir

Mariyam Suhana

Satish Kumar Jacob

Keshav Kumar Ketkar

Aminath Najeeb

Krishan Kumar Katyal

P.L. Uniyal

Fayyaz Faisal

Gautam Lahiri

Vijay Purushottam Naik

Sajjad Mirza

Sevanti Ninan

Swati Bhattacharjee

MALDIVES

Rukmal

Irushadha Abdul Sattar, Freelance journalist

Shaufa Hussain, Aishath Shaheen, Raajje Foundation Newscaster, Dhivehi Raajjege Adu

NEPAL

Shiva Raj Koirala (Shiva Gaunle)

Maina Dhital

Rita J. Pradhan

Keshav Raj Khanal

Shushma Kumari Paudel

Nirmala Sharma

Rajendra Prasad Dahal

Gopal Khanal

Aarti Chataut

Prateek Pradhan

Prashant Aryal

PAKISTAN

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, South Asian Free Media Association

Saida Fazal, Resident Editor, Business Recorder

Shehar Bano Khan, Freelance Journalist

Anjum Rashid, Anchorperson, Geo TV

Khaled Ahmed, Director, South Asia Media School

Bilal Naqeeb, Director of Program, Free Media Foundation

Husain Naqi, Coordinator, South Asia Media Commission

Waqar Mustafa, Editor, South Asia Media Monitor

Sadaf Arshad, Coordinating Editor, South Asia Media Monitor

Bushra Sultana, Assistant Editor, South Asia Journal

Mehmal Sarfraz, Op-Ed Editor, Daily Times

Farzana Ali, Correspondent, Aaj TV

Tanzeela Mazhar, Pakistan Television

Mohammad Afzal Khan, Coordinator, Media Commission-Pakistan

Munir Ahmad Qureshi, Columnist, Jang newspaper

Rehana Hakeem, Editor, Monthly Newsline

SRI LANKA

Lakshman Frederick Benjamin Gunasekara President, SAFMA Sri Lanka

Bishrul Hana Ibrahim Secretary SAWM Sri Lanka

Mohamed Thaha Mohamed Muzammil Coordinator, SAFMA

Rajakaruna Wanigasekara Mudiynselage Anoma V-President, SAWM, Sri Lanka

Selliah Nadarajah Pillai Vice-President, SAFMA

N. M. Ameen National Organiser

Roshan Wijethunga Treasurer, SAFMA

Sharmini Boyle President, SAWM

Umarlebbe Abdul Najeem SAMC Member

Abdul Wahab Hilmy Ahamed SAMC Member