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SAFMA Conference-2003

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he South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) has analytical magazine will focus on major set an irresistible trend of building bridges in the issues and challenges faced by the Tregion, especially after the successful conclusion of its countries of South Asia and the region as a

Third South Asian Free Media Conference on 'Media and whole to develop a better understanding of Democracy' in Dhaka. Its every conference engages almost a our predicaments. whole lot of media practitioners, representatives of civil society and most sections of political opinion in a process of With each passing day, SAFMA is evolving dialogue. Dhaka conference was a resounding success, thanks into an interactive media community to a broad-based national chapter of SAFMA and support across frontiers in this part of the world. It extended by every section of society, including both the is increasingly becoming a voice for access contending major political parties. Credit goes to SAFMA to and free flow of information and media President Mr. Reazuddin Ahmed and the Central Secretariat freedom in our countries where the media who did a tremendous job by flawlessly organizing such a is faced with numerous restrictions and grand event. extraordinary pressures. The journalists

have been killed, tortured, imprisoned and Now SAFMA looks ahead with greater confidence, with the harassed, with varying degrees, in almost backing of mainstream media in each country of South Asia. It all countries of South Asia. What is, plans to promote understanding, confidence-building and however, disturbing is that a larger section conflict-resolution in pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict of the media in South Asian countries is situations in and among the South Asian nations through a still ‘embedded’ with their establishments sustainable process of dialogue among not only the leading or various powerful lobbies. Yet a majority media-persons, but also major stakeholders. After holding of the media practitioners have learnt to Pakistan-India parliamentarians, editors and experts face all odds and keep the banner of their conference on ‘Understanding, Confidence-building and freedom flying. Conflict-resolution’ and the journalists' summit before the

th SAFMA pledges to make the media a true 12 SAARC summit on ‘Free Movement of Media-persons and defender o f the publ ic interest , Media-products Across the South Asian Region’, SAFMA will fundamental rights and advocate of our enter a new phase of accomplishment. Similar activities are civil societies. Bringing peace within our being planned for the next year. Fourth Conference of SAFMA countries and among the nations of South is to be held at New Delhi, India, in the first quarter of 2004.Asia will remain our main plank and we will continue our ef forts at bringing In the meanwhile, SAFMA has successfully launched its news mainstream forces together for the and views website southasianmedia.net. It is a most common good of our people. comprehensive website about everything happening in every

sphere in each country of and across South Asia and it is being Imtiaz Alam,jointly produced from Lahore, Delhi, Kathmandu, Dhaka and Secretary GeneralColombo. Similarly, an academic and analytical quarterly [email protected], South Asian Journal, has started publication. This

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hird South Asian Free Media Conference was held in Chowdhury, Amanullah Kabir (Bangladesh); Dhaka from May 25 to May 26. This was one of the most Gopal Prasad Thapaliya, Gokul Pokhrel Tsuccessful conferences held, given the level of local and (Nepal); Lakshman Gunasekara (Sri Lanka),

regional participation, support across the media and the quality Mustansar Javed, Abdul Qadir Hassan of dialogue and exchanges. More than 90 delegates were from (Pakistan). India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, whereas more than 70 The conference started with the Reference leading journalists participated from Bangladesh, beside the paying homage to the memory of the martyrs observers. The conference met with resounding success due to of Bangladesh liberation movement. On the hard work of Mr Reazuddin Ahmed and the Central behalf of Pakistani delegation, Mr. M. B, Secretariat of SAFMA. Naqvi presented the Reference before the With each conference SAFMA extends its vitality and influence conference that included unanimous regrets and this was witnessed in Bangladesh where the whole media, by the Pakistani delegates over the atrocities the ministers, the Prime Minister, the President, leaders of all committed against the people of the former major political parties, intelligentsia and representatives of civil East Pakistan (see page 5). It was very well society joined the conference proceedings and facilitated its received by the participants, especially the success. people of Bangladesh.Essentially it was the subject of the conference, Media and After the transfer of SAFMA presidency from Democracy, that had attracted greater interest in the Nepal to Bangladesh, as required by SAFMA proceedings of the conference since every country of South Asia Constitution, from Mr Gopal Thapaliya, is faced with an uphill task of moving towards democracy, President of SAFMA Nepal, to Mr Reazuddin ensuring human rights, plurality, devolution of power, good Ahmed, President SAFMA Bangladesh, (see governance, freedom of media and right of and access to page 6), the new SAFMA President welcomed information. There were five sessions of the two-day conference the delegates. Most important was the (May 25-26), presided by a presidium of eminent journalists: Secretary General's Report (see page 9) that

focused on conflict situations in the region, between India and Pakistan, Bangladesh and Opening Session: (May 25)India, within Nepal and Sri Lanka. The Presidium: K. K. Katyal, Vinod Sharma (India); Iqbal Sobhan

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Report provided a guiding line to the media Session-I: Media and Democracy on how to behave in a situation of conflict, This session focused on state of democracy in the countries of defend freedoms and uphold truth, without South Asia. Mr K. K. Katyal, President SAFMA India, presented a becoming ‘embedded’ with their respective paper on 'Media, Democracy and the Peoples' Rights'. Pakistan's establishments as happened with the Anglo- perspective on 'Media, Authoritarianism and Human Rights' American media during the aggressive war was presented by Mr. I. A. Rehman, Director of HRCP and a against Iraq. Secretary General also leading columnist. Mr Gopal Thapaliya, president SAFMA presented a work-plan for the current year Nepal, analyzed the issues of, 'Media, Monarchy and Militancy' and the Budget was also circulated among the in Nepal. Mr Lakshman Gunasekara, President SAFMA Sri delegates and for the press. The report Lanka, shed light on 'Media, Democracy and Ethnic-conflict' in received an enthusiastic response from, and Sri Lanka and Barrister Moinul Hossein, President of approval of, the General Body. Bangladesh Newspaper Association (BSP), focused on 'Media No less important were the messages of and Civil Society' in Bangladesh. All the papers were very well felicitation from the leading political parties received by the audience and are being included in this who were represented at the highest level. On publication.behalf of Bangladesh National Party (BNP), On the conclusion of the session, Minister for Communication, its Secretary General Abdul Mannan Barrister Nazmul Huda hosted a lunch in honor of the delegates. Bhuuiyan; representing the major opposition party, General Secretary of Awami League,

Session-II: Draft Committees MeetMr. M. A. Jalil (see page 28); Chairman of Seven committees met for four hours each separately to prepare Jatiya Party (BJP), Mr. Anwar Hossain their reports for the plenary session. The conference Declaration Monju; Secretary General of Workers Party, Subject Committee met with rapporteur Mr. I. A. Rehman in the Mr Rashed Khan Menon; General Secretary chair and the representatives of all the national chapters of of Jamaat-i-Islami, Mr. Ali Ahsan Mujahid SAFMA participated in it. It finalized the Dhaka Declaration on and others addressed the conference and ‘Media and Democracy’ (see page 14 ) with consensus. supported the cause espoused by SAFMA and The Committee on Electronic Media met with rapporteur Agha a free media.

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Nasir in the chair and the delegates from electronic media very lively discussion took place and some attended it. The committee presented its report (see page 44) to changes were made in the proposed draft. the plenary session and it was decided to circulate it to further The Dhaka Declaration was unanimously improve it. Committee on Bangladesh under rapporteur Iqbal approved by all the delegates, who vowed to Sobhan Chowdhury prepared a report on the state of Bangladesh pursue the objectives set in the declaration. media (see page 34). Committee on the state of media in India The report on the electronic media received a met with rapporteur Vinod Sharma in the chair and prepared a few objections from some delegates who report that covered some of the irritants faced by the media in could not attend the meeting of the India (see page 31). Rapporteur Ms. Bandana Rana held a committee. It was decided that their meeting of the committee on Nepal and prepared an exhaustive suggestions will be incorporated into the report on the issues of media rights and suspension of democracy report. Similarly, the country reports on the in Nepal (see page 35). state of media in each country, India (see Similarly, the committee on Pakistan met with rapporteur Afzal page 31) Pakistan (see Page 32), Bangladesh Khan conducting the proceedings. It was a detailed report (see (see Page 34), Nepal (see Page 35) and Sri page 32) that, however, overlooked the declaration on media Lanka, were presented by the respective laws issued in Pakistan that were rejected in SAFMA Pakistan's rapporteurs. The reports were appreciated by national conference. the delegates. The most important event of the day was an interaction of the delegates with Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Mr Morshed Session-IV: Special Plenary Khan who explained Bangladesh's foreign policy, especially

(Concluding Session) Bangladesh's relations with its neighbors India and Pakistan. A The hallmark of the session was the very lively question-answer session followed. Afterward, the participation of Prime Minister of foreign minister hosted a dinner for the delegates. Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia as the guest of honor. The presidium of the session

Session-III: Plenary (May 26) consisted of Secretary General SAFMA, Mr. This was the most vibrant and interactive session that involved Imtiaz Alam, President of SAFMA Mr. delegates in discussion on the declaration and the country Reazuddin Ahmed, Senator Mushahid reports. The session started with the presentation of Dhaka Hussain Syed, K.K. Katyal, Gopal Thapaliya, Declaration on 'Media and Democracy' by Mr. I. A. Rehman. A

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E n a y e t u l l a h K h a n a n d L a k s h m a n the delegates from India and Pakistan. Most senior journalists, Gunasekara. such as Mr Irshad Haqqani, Abdul Qadir Hassan, Brig. (Retd.) A. After recitation from Quran and national R. Siddiqui, Senator Mushahid Hussain, Shafqat Mahmood and anthem of Bangladesh was played, Mr others from Pakistan participated in the dialogue. From the Reazuddin Ahmed welcomed the guest of Indian side Dileep Padgaonkar, K. K. Katyal, Mr Nihal Singh, honor and the participants of the session. Prem Shankar Jha, Jawed Naqvi, Anand Kishore Sahay, Satnam Secretary General Imtiaz Alam presented the Singh Manak and Sushant Sareen took part in the discussion. Dhaka Declarat ion on 'Media and Since the proceedings of Indo-Pak consultation were off the Democracy' that was applauded by the record, they are not being included in this publication. Later a participants. Senator Mushahid Hussain dinner was hosted by Standard Chartered Bank. Syed, K.K. Katyal, Gopal Thapaliya and On the third day, President of Bangladesh, Dr Iajuddin Ahmed Lakshman Gunasekara briefly expressed feted the delegates and hosted a breakfast meeting with the their views and represented their countries. participants of the conference at the President House (see page The keynote address on ‘The Best Profession 21). Many delegates also visited the BRAC Centre where they of the World’ (see page 23) was delivered by were briefed about the valuable rural development work being renowned journalist Mr Enayetullah Khan. done in Bangladesh. The management of the Fantasy Kingdom The most notable event of the session was also arranged a musical show for the participants of the that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia launched conference. SAFMA's website southasianmedia.net and was also rewarded a shield presented by The coverage of the conference both in the print and electronic president SAFMA, Mr Reazuddin Ahmed. media was quite exhaustive. For four days the Bangladesh The conference concluded with the address of newspapers were full of stories and some carried even Prime Minister Khaleda Zia (see page 16). supplements and on television it was the top news for four days. The Prime Minister was gracious enough to Similarly, the media coverage of the conference was tremendous join the delegates for the lunch hosted by the in the press and the television in other South Asian countries, president of Bangladesh Newspapers such as India, Pakistan and Nepal. The message of conference on Association (BSP), Barrister Moinul Hossein. ‘Media and Democracy’ went across the region. In the evening a very frank, useful and exhaustive consultation took place among

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his Third South Asian Free Media Conference, on this and the military regime, in particular.auspicious birthday of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, pays We join the people of Bangladesh while Trespect and tributes to the martyrs of the national paying our tributes to the heroic struggle of

liberation movement of Bangladesh who sacrificed their lives for the people of East Bengal for their freedom and the realization of an inalienable right to self- fundamental rights. determination by an oppressed people. On behalf of the Pakistan delegation, let me express our deep This conference hopes to build the bond of regrets over the atrocities and repression committed against the friendship and amity among the peoples of people of then East Pakistan by the criminal gangs in general, South Asia.

5

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istinguished journalists and guests Conference is being held here on ‘Media and Democracy’. from the SAARC region ladies and As the President of SAFMA, my experience has been remarkable Dgentlemen! On this Third South Asia and I am thankful to all of you for your cooperation, especially

Free Media Conference, I welcome you all. the Secretary General Mr Imtiaz Alam. Setting a good tradition, I Allow me to greet you in this magnificent city feel honored in transferring the presidency of SAFMA to the of Dhaka on behalf of SAFMA. President of host chapter, Mr Reazuddin Ahmed and as Ladies and gentlemen, the First South Asian warranted by our Constitution. Free Media Conference was held in July 2000 I congratulate Mr Reazuddin Ahmed on assuming the in Islamabad with a motto ‘Towards Free, responsibilities as President SAFMA and hope he will perform Fair and Vibrant Media’. The second South his functions well and assure him of our full cooperation. Asian Free Media Conference was held in Thank you for honoring me to act as President of SAFMA.Kathmandu, on January 1-2, 2002, on the agenda of ‘Media and Peace’. The Third

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On behalf of SAFMA, Bangladesh, I welcome you to this conference of the media practitioners of South Asia. We are proud to host this third conference of the South Asian Free Media Association, launched in Islamabad three years ago with the pledge to work together for peace, stability, democracy and a vibrant press in the region. We do not claim that we have been able to fulfill our objectives but certainly we are moving in the right direction. Our determination and willingness to work for achieving the goals were amply demonstrated in the two SAFMA conferences - one in Islamabad and the other in Kathmandu. When they meet in such conferences, media practitioners get an opportunity to know each other better and know the ground level realities in different countries. Such deliberations should enrich this conference too.We are happily meeting here at a time when the political climate in the region is showing signs of improvement and tension seems to be de-escalating with the initiative to reestablish missing links among the countries. The positive developments in India-Pakistan relations have genuinely raised hope that the people of this region may live in peace. In recent years South Asia became the cockpit of new cold war which has decelerated progress in bilateral and multilateral relations. SAARC that grouped the seven countries of the region could not deliver much to change the living conditions of the world's largest number of poor in South Asia. South Asia cannot emerge as a strong bloc unless the countries in the region work together with goodwill and better understanding. I am happy to say that SAFMA is actively engaged in promoting a considerable degree of goodwill and fostering mutual understanding among the nations in the region. It is also working for better understanding and goodwill among the media practitioners. This is needed now particularly

censorship during autocratic rule. So in the world order following the war in Iraq.

democratization remains crucial for a free The theme of this conference is media and democracy. This has a

press. special significance because the press can work freely only in a

The triumph in the movement for democracy democratic atmosphere. Freedom of the press, people's right to

in Bangladesh in 1990 paved the way for know, access to and free flow of information are the hallmarks of

scrapping the draconian laws that were an undiluted democracy. Therefore, media's freedom and

muzzling the press. It is true there are not democracy are inseparable. This conference, I believe, will

many legal restrictions in our country for the critically focus their attention on this theme and the issue of

press to enjoy unfettered freedom but governance that affects lives of the people as well as freedom of

pressure groups hinder such freedom. We are the press.

to wait for some more time until democracy Much of what people in modern societies know about the world

takes strong roots in the society for total beyond the sphere of their direct experience comes from the

freedom of press that we aspire to achieve. news media. To the extent that news content is believed, it helps

This assembly of the media practitioners shape the society and politics. Since news plays an important role

from the region will no doubt add strength to in creating a context for social and political action, the people are

our movement for freedom of the press and best served when the news is of high quality and credible. The

free flow of information.media in most of the South Asian countries are still struggling to

Viewed collectively, the South Asian region achieve these goals. It is understood that media's growth is

has huge resources and constitutes a market linked to democratization of politics and society. The growth of

of over 1.4 billion people. It can grow as a democracy in most of the South Asian countries was thwarted by

strong economy provided the countries work autocrats and dictators. The media remained under strict

together with better understanding, goodwill

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President of Free Media Foundation, Mr. Ahmed Bashir, and other delegates in the opening session

and friendship. At the beginning of the new conference. I also thank our patrons. Finally, I must thank my millennium South Asia stands at the distinguished colleagues who worked hard to organize the crossroads of hope and despair. This conference. Our efforts will bear fruits only if its deliberations conference, I believe, can contribute to a can further strengthen our movement for a free and vibrant press great extent, through meaningful exchange of in the region. In our efforts we seek cooperation from our views about the imperatives of regional political leaders. I thank them for sparing time from their busy cooperative efforts, to de-escalate tension in schedule to spend sometime with the senior journalists of the the region. South Asia. We are delighted that in three years time SAFMA has gathered a good deal of momentum. Yet much remains to be done. This conference is sure to contribute Mr. Reazuddin Ahmed is the editor of The News Today, significantly in leading us towards achieving Bangladesh and president of Dhaka Press Club.our goal. I shall be failing in my duty if I do not thank Mr Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA Secretary General, for his relentless effort in organizing this

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Journalists from across the region attentively listen to the speakersJournalists from across the region attentively listen to the speakers

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e, the media-persons from the print and electronic Taking note of the uneven transition of South media in the countries of South Asia, having met in Asian nations to the contemporary ideals of WDhaka on May 25-26, 2003, at the Third South Asian participatory democracy and their peoples'

Free Media Conference, and having deliberated on the empowerment, criminalization of politics interdependence of democracy and media freedom, Recalling and devaluation of systems of justices, the universally upheld ideals of democracy and freedom of especially of the situation in:expression inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human · Bangladesh, where further efforts are Rights, the two covenants of 1966, other UN instruments, the needed to strengthen the gains of the people's UNESCO principles and the Johannesburg Principles on Media heroic struggles for self-determination and Freedom, democracy, and the major political forces

need to arrive at a closer understanding and Recalling and reaffirming the principles and declarations cooperation in order to ensure the basic inspiring the Joint Statement issued after the First South Asian rights of the people, especially the Free Media Conference in Islamabad on July 1-2, 2000, and the disadvantaged; Declaration adopted at the Second South Asian Free Media · Bhutan, where despite the welcome Conference at Kathmandu on January 1-2, 2002, wherein faith initiative for a new constitutional set-up, in peace, democracy, justice and well-being of the family of the progress towards democratization of the South Asian peoples was inscribed as the basic inspiration for state and the society is both unclear and free media in South Asia; uncertain, and where the right to citizenship Reaffirming once again our faith in the South Asian people's and the rights of the diverse communities right to democratic governance; forming the nation are subject to arbitrary Recognizing the need of a democratic order for achieving the abridgment;ideals of a free media in the region; · India, widely hailed as a secular democracy, Realizing the responsibility of media-persons to struggle has been threatened by forces of collectively and severally for the twin objectives of democracy communalism and religious bigotry; regional and freedom of expression; and sub-regional aspirations for devolution

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of power have not been adequately journalism, that are undermining media's integrity in the region; addressed, resulting in frustrations and often Resolve that all members of SAFMA, in pursuance of the also in the outbreak of violence and an principles and objectives inscribed in the association's established tradition of press freedom is foundational documents and commitments made by it b e i n g t h r e a t e n e d b y a g r o w i n g subsequently, will strivecriminalization of politics and abuse of ! To uphold, collectively and individually, the system of multi-judicial practice; these factors weaken India's party, participatory democracy, wherein the rights of all pluralistic civil society and, by that token, sections of each country, especially the right to freedom of sap the foundations of democracy itself; expression and dissent, the principle of gender equality and · Nepal, where the disruption of the the rights of minorities, are fully respected;democratic system is threatening to erase the ! To respect the demands of pluralism and social justice in our people's rights secured through the respective societies;democratic revolution of 1990 and creating ! To strive for peace within and between nations of South Asia obstacles to democratic resolution of civil and secure the diversion of resources from wasteful strife and matters concerning the deprived acquisition of arms to public interest projects;communities; ! To eschew the use of language, terminology or tone that · Pakistan, where the state's return to the exacerbate differences between peoples; democratic path has again been thwarted and ! To discourage hate-preaching, distortion of national it is under a double squeeze by the forces of characters, xenophobia, cultural chauvinism, racism, authoritarianism and religious extremism casteism, and exploitation of the poor and the marginalized;that reinforce each other and deny pluralism ! To resist authoritarianism and religious extremism in any and wi l l have extremely gr ievous form and promote the media's function as the foremost consequences to the people's right to school of good citizenship;representative government and their basic ! To reject the demonisation of the ‘others’ as an instrument of freedoms; perpetuating conflicts;· Sri Lanka, where the suspension of ! To fight violence and terrorism as they undermine both hostilities and the process of negotiations democracy and freedom of the media;have set the country on the road to peace, the ! To secure and enlarge the right to freedom of information for prospects for consolidation of democratic the media, in particular, and the people, in general;institutions, pluralism and respect for ! To promote regional media understanding and forums that human rights remain unclear; and could create space for (independence) themselves in the Noting that in almost all South Asian states international context (of embedded media);the factors impinging on democratization ! To foster professionalism and transparency in the media;and respect for the people's basic rights and ! To develop intra-state and inter-state solidarity among for pluralism in their multi-cultural societies, media-persons in resistance to intimidation and violence by tend to inject political and cultural anti-democratic interests;polarization into the media, thereby ! To raise a bulwark against intra-media forces and tendencies interfering with its functioning as a truthful, that support or strengthen the vested interests' assaults on independent and non-partisan sentinel of democracy and media freedoms; anddemocracy and a watchdog of public interest ! To develop a system of consultation and cooperation among and preventing the media persons from SAFMA's national chapters and individual members for the discharging their obligations to their people removal of doubts and difficulties that may arise in the and their conscience, pursuit of objectives mentioned in this Declaration.And noting with disapproval some recent trends on the global scene, in embedded

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positive and significant role. And I sincerely believe that this organization will rise far

Mr. President, above the current tendency of setting up an Colleagues, organization with the limited aim of Dear Friends from Media, indulging in meetings and seminars and Distinguished Guests, carry on its work and be able to create its own Ladies and Gentlemen, tradition.

I am happy that you are holding the third Assalamu Alaikum.

conference of the South Asian Free Media welcome you all to Dhaka, the capital of Banglaesh,

Association in the capital of Bangladesh.especially those who have come from the neighboring

I thank you for selecting Dhaka. Icountries to join this conference here.

We can proudly say that media here is really, My good wishes to everybody who is taking part in this truly free. conference.

Foreign journalist friends are coming here I wish your conference all success.regularly, carrying out their professional

This is the third conference of the South Asian Free Media duties without restrictions. The Silver Jubilee

Association. You must be closely examining how far the

Conference o f the Commonweal th decisions you had taken on various matters in the earlier two Journalists Association was held in Dhaka conferences have been implemented, how far you have recently. More than fifty representatives progressed in achieving the aims and objectives. I know, such a from foreign countries took part in that regional organization composed of people engaged in such a conference. They travelled throughout vastly influential profession like journalism can play a very

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positive and significant role. And I sincerely Bangladesh and saw things for themselves. We have nothing to believe that this organization will rise far hide from anybody. But our request is, none should come in by above the current tendency of setting up an concealing their identity. You are free to come here with the organization with the limited aim of identity of journalists, the people of Bangladesh will not suspect indulging in meetings and seminars and you. They would rather help you. The people of Bangladesh are carry on its work and be able to create its own hospitable, they would cooperate with you.tradition.

Here I would like to mention a recent regrettable tendency. I am happy that you are holding the third

A number of persons representing two international weeklies conference of the South Asian Free Media

and a foreign TV channel came to Bangladesh concealing their Association in the capital of Bangladesh.

identity. Some of them have expressed regret for such an act and I thank you for selecting Dhaka. went back home. Unfortunately, later on they filed a report

containing false and distorted information about Bangladesh.We can proudly say that media here is really, truly free. I want to ask you, doesn't giving such false identity demean the

noble profession of journalism? Is it proper to have trust in the Foreign journalist friends are coming here

information provided by those who cheat on their own regularly, carrying out their professional

professional identity?duties without restrictions. The Silver Jubilee Conference o f the Commonweal th I want to firmly say, for information and news Dhaka is a Journalists Association was held in Dhaka completely free city.recently. More than fifty representatives

You have taken the correct decision by convening the conference from foreign countries took part in that

of the Free Media Association in this free city. conference. They travelled throughout

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President of the South Asian Free Media Association, Dear journalists,Editors, Columnists The journalist community is a part of the Members of the Association society and it can play a great role in guiding Journalists of South Asian Countries, the policy makers in achieving their fruitful

target. The journalists may have different Assalamu Alaikum and Good Morning. views on different issues relating to public

welfare. But I feel that they have no difference ith much pleasure I welcome you in Bangladesh. I of opinion as regards the welfare of the thank the President and Members of the South Asian people. The association could be a WFree Media Association for holding a conference in spokesman of the people of the region and

Dhaka providing an opportunity to meet the South Asian can suggest specific guidelines for their journalists and to exchange their views freely. It is a rare benefit.occasion for the South-Asian journalists to think and re-think As for Bangladesh, which has a long history of the economic and political situation of the region and to evaluate communal harmony, it can boast of being a the continued efforts of the South Asian governments for poverty land of peace and natural beauty. People of all alleviation, increase of literacy rate and overall social religious faiths live in peace and harmony development. It is a fact that the South-Asian countries have here. They are patriotic and dedicated to enough natural and human resources. If these resources are common cause for democratic institutions utilized properly, I am sure the South-Asian countries can and social welfare. We believe in values and achieve the desired social and economic goals, ensuring self- strongly feel the need to widen the friendly reliant social and economic base with a modern outlook. cooperation among nations to face the new

challenges of the modern scientific age. The

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state principle 'friendly to all and malice to none' is strictly followed.You all know that press freedom is part and parcel of democratic administration and good governance. The people of Bangladesh love democracy and struggled much in the past for establishing a democratic set-up and ensuring freedom of press. The necessity of press freedom is recognized all over the world and it has been provided in the constitution of many democratic countries. Press freedom has been guaranteed as a fundamental right in the Constitution of Bangladesh. The present government is very liberal in the flow of information and ensured press freedom in the country. The press, because of its great influence in the socio-political life, has been called the Fourth Estate. In this context the press, therefore, has a tremendous responsibility to the nation. With correct and constructive information the media people could contribute much for public welfare. The people are sometimes found to be skeptical on vested reporting and views of some medias. Public confidence is also shattered because of ‘yellow’ journalism pursued by many all over the world. Recently ‘embedded’ journalists have tarnished the image of the community. A BBC journalist Stuart Hugs recently advised all not to believe in ‘embedded journalism’. But despite such criticism, we are convinced that the people like to trust the media persons as their friend and guide. Now it is your duty and responsibility to honor their trust.The recent move of ensuring peace in the sub-continent by both the Governments of India and Pakistan has been welcomed by the peace loving citizens of this region. We hope that the initiative would be fruitful and an atmosphere of fellow-feeling and neighborly brotherhood would be established soon. I feel that journalists of the region have a definite role in defusing tension and furthering the process of peace in the region. I am convinced that the journalists are quite aware of their solemn responsibility for the betterment of the people in general. I feel the endeavors of journalists can be an asset in keeping good relationship among nations of this region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,I feel that the Dhaka venue of the journalists of the Free Media Association has provided them opportunity to know each other better and widen understanding and cooperation in their profession.

I thank you all for joining me in the breakfast at Bangabhaban.

Allah Hafiz, Bangladesh Zindabad.

President receives the delegates

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his congregation of the media practitioners in the region feigned niceties.takes place at a time when the words ‘freedom’ and If the unilateralist invasion has damaged the T‘democracy’, as understood by the book or practiced on global media for its 'embedded', and hence

the ground, have been literally bombed out of their normative surrogate status, and produced the anti-core and objective structures. The US-British invasion of Iraq, thesis of delusional non-objectivity of the physical occupation of that country under a neo-imperial lionizing Saddam's unloved regime by some doctrine, the second sacking of Baghdad leading to the plunder among others, the other bane of the global of the civilizational heritages as also the killing field in which media was its dismissiveness towards the hundreds and thousands of Iraqi men, women and children lay auto-reflexive anti-war mobilization of a kind slain or maimed, have numbed humanity and changed the world never witnessed before. Afsan Chowdhury, a forever. The first phase of the war is nearly over, though not probing media analyst, says in a paper conclusively in terms of its political and economic agenda or the presented at a seminar on the World Press future roadmaps to more such wars or enforced peace in west Freedom Day on May 3 that the anti-war Asia or any other target country near or far afield. mobilization was “much wider than The extant world order, painstakingly crafted since the Second expected” and “was very significant in the World War, was already experiencing difficulties and hiccups in Western world, including the US”. In his readjusting to the post-Cold War realities. Now it has been words, and we agree, “It was the single largest virtually smashed to smithereens, and the unipolar global village unity of mankind on the issue since is at present standing on its head. The casualties across the board contemporary history began, and this are not only freedom, democracy and the libertarian think- happened because of media linkages.” But regime, but the media as well. If it took nearly a century to build the media of the two countries that mattered the free media brick by brick in a large part of the globe, its chose to ignore it.architecture has come to totter in one fell swoop, because the Curiously, while ‘reconstruction’ is the media this time became a participant in the dynamics of the buzzword now, the root villain in the techno-warfare and not the observer of, the witness to, and the causality of the neo-imperial invasion, the scribe of the drastic war itself. This participation with an weapons of mass destruction (WMD), was 'embedded' status of the global media at one end, and the granted abdication and allowed to disappear contrary responses of media positioning on emotional, populist, from the printed words or the broadcast nationalist and religious lines at the other, have grievously scripts or the tele-images as conveniently as it undermined the objectivity of the media coverages in a polar was anointed for the purpose of the invasion. way. Of the global media, electronic that is, the BBC and the CNN Conversely, there is also a non-objective are illustrative of the partisan and selective nature of ‘embedded’ trend in reinventing Saddam and sons on reportage. The global print media, however, would make a small both obscurantist and old-left lines. This allowance with the trifle of alternative or dissenting views on its deconstruction of media objectivity at the pages. A bellicose Economist would not even care for such opposite ends hurts the media in the long

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run, though in the short run it may serve one and impacts on the media environment more than anything else. of the polar ends to hide behind opportunistic The media feeds in this regard are highly partisan on both sides amnesia, and to fan counterproductive of the contention, and oftener enter the third country media passions at the other end in that order. domain in South Asia.

These subjective and objective factors notwithstanding, closer The South Asian media environment media-linkages between the countries of South Asia and The media environment in South Asia, initiatives of assemblies and platforms like the South Asia Free whether that of print or electronic, was Media Association (SAFMA) preceded by the South Asia Media infected by the above polarities impacting on Association (SAMA) have contributed significantly to broader objectivity. Historically too, the spill-over awareness, understanding of issues obtaining in each country or effects of the pre-and post-partition confronting the region as a whole. This assembly furthermore communal divide, the high-intensity face-off affords us an opportunity to take a searching took at the media in between India and Pakistan over Kashmir the context of each country and the region.leading to wars and insurgencies, the 20- It may be noted that media objectivity in the South Asian year-long haemorrhage of Sri Lanka in Tamil countries is often distorted by the internal political dynamics insurgency-turned-fullblown-warfare, the and partisan power struggle in a given country and also by the l o w - i n t e n s i t y n a t i o n a l m i n o r i t i e s ' demonisation of one country by another. The 9-11 al-Qaeda insurgencies in the Indian North-East and terrorist attack led to a loaded media campaign of painting one or Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, or for the other country as an al-Qaeda nest. Also, a variety of idioms, that matter the Bangladesh-India discord encapsulating polemics and malignancy, got an evil spurt in over water sharing of the Ganges and also of political utterances as also in media contents, before and during other common rivers, and the demographic the US-British invasion of Iraq. While it is counterproductive to issue of Nepalese refugees ejected from cite instances of some of these open or clandestine campaigns, Bhutan and lately the push-in syndrome on those certainly helped neither the campaigners nor the subject the Indo-Bangladesh border, entered the countries, nor even the region. The media unfortunately was an media domain with stridency, often blurring active party in inventing al-Qaeda among some and sundry.the facts on the ground. This rancorous trend seems to have trailed off blissfully as the Some of those conflicts or disputes or agenda of peace and cooperation has been upgraded again in the historical aberrations have been sought to be off-again, on-again bilateral processes among the South Asian corrected or resolved or left to heal countries. The India-Pakistan exchanges are taking place at the themselves. Whether or not satisfactorily, the highest political level and the Bangladesh-India talks on the CHT insurgency and Ganges water-sharing border and related issues have ended on a happy note. This time have been brought under the framework of there are no screaming headlines or caustic commentaries. Even treaties. The armed cauldron in the Indian Sri Lanka's internal power-divide on the peace process has been North-East, however, persists and the Sri mended in good time.Lankan peace process remains fragile. The US-British conquest of Iraq was a fait accompli. But the anti-Kashmir, however, remains the hottest spot war mobilisations in the respective South Asian countries and

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across the world, which the NY Times designated as the other whip hand, the press is eminently free unlike superpower, hopefully in the making, have put peace highest on the olden days. Content regulations like the agenda as the only instrument in the service of national and reg is trat ion of media out le ts and regional security. The South Asian media also took note of the prepublication review have now been put broad sweep of the mobilisations on their respective home behind. Post-publication punishment, grounds. As Afsan Chowdhury notes in the same presentation considered prejudicial by the governments, cited earlier in this paper with reference to Bangladesh: “The and oftener meted out under criminal law, is activist anti-war space, in which religious groups were also becoming scarcer. Use of the criminal dominant, was ultimately taken over by the civil society. And the law and unspecified charges of sedition et al. religious groups then tried to create new spaces by turning are abhorrent establishment practices and violent, which didn't add much to their credibility and those can be easily reconciled under the popularity. Again, for those who were activists without any express dictum of the civil law.religious stamp on their political and humanitarian position, this Access to information, the legislations on was an opportunity.” which are already in place in some South The same opportunity is also being seized by the media to Asian countries, is, however, stonewalled by advance the cause of peace both in its advocacy and the the bureaucratic excuse of secrecy interests. highlighting of news and events contributing to peace, and The Official Secrets Act of 1923, instituted in thereby secure the security interests of the countries and the those days for guarding against espionage or region. Happily, this congregation is taking place also at a time restricting access to security installations, is when a thaw in the relations between the adversaries in the used as the shield, though it has not been South Asian region is seen to be in the offing. It is the media's used for penal action for any leak of opportunity of a century, so to speak. information having security implications

either by the press or by an official. The praxis of press freedom Nevertheless, it is strongly felt that the right Having profiled the media as above in these seasons of drastic of a journalist or the civil society to request newsfall (the 9-11 tragedy, the war on terror, and last but not the and obtain documents from public least the Iraq conquest), it needs to be seen how some of the institutions or, on refusal, to have access to fundamentals in the praxis of press freedom are observed on the relief from, say, an independent freedom of ground. The South Asian countries, now mostly under a information ‘umpire’, needs to be guaranteed representative and pluralist political order, have constitutional by law and not left to bureaucratic discretion guarantees of free speech and free press. In this praxis, India can or blanket denial.take pride in its longest history, followed by Bangladesh of the last one decade and earlier in late seventies, with Sri Lanka close Into the looking glasson their heels. Even in Pakistan, where the military holds the Now into the looking glass, freedom of the

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media is seeing exactly what is in the are oftener like the above perceptions or precepts, which are beholder's eye. Hence, in applied journalism neither right nor wrong, or perhaps either or both.and not academic or clinical ones, in terms of The relationship between free media and democracy is like what hands-on practice with the printed word, the comes first: the chicken or the egg. But as Roumeen Islam points print-fare of the 'best' news 'that is very often out in The World Bank publication, The Right to Tell, “it seems best presented' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez's obvious that generally more democratic countries have freer definition, and the editorial decrees coming press, but do free media promote greater democracy or does a from the editor's tribune, means different functioning democracy promote a free media?” Although the things to different people. measure may depend on many other variables quite unrelated to To illustrate the faces in the eyes of the media and democracy themselves, we in this assembly are beholder. committed to practice both media freedom and democracy and Only recently a Bangladeshi dignitary have the freedom of information by law.holding statutory high office called the The absence of freedom of information leads to the media's populous Bangladesh print media a ‘rumor dependence on leaks, routinely attributed to sources speaking on industry’. The politicians in power routinely condition of anonymity. This can be a two-edged sword, in the rant on the virtue of ‘responsible’ and words of Stiglitz. He says, “They are an important way of getting ‘constructive’ journalism. The development information, that would otherwise be secret, into the public partners, particularly the multilateral domain and an important way for government officials to shape organizations, designate 'information' as a coverage in the ways that advance their interests and causes. public good and measure its short- and long- Hence, leaks may lead to more information but also to more term input-output value on the calculus of distorted information.”the market and the percentage points in On another plain, the absence of the above also leads to higher developmental statistics. Some donors find dependence on exogenous sources for data on public and solace in NGO journalese. governmental affairs and conduct like that of the Jane's weekly In the more abstract sense, press freedom is on military matters, Transparency International on corruption also seen from the instrumentalist and even the BBC and the CNN, whose credibility has now come perspective, 'in rendering, by way of expose', under a cloud.governmental abuse of power more and more In sum, governmental information under a legally-mandated difficult and less likely. That is what Joseph disclosure and compliance regime has the highest reliability for Stiglitz had to say before he parted with The reporting and analyses by the press to be shared with the people.World Bank and collected the Nobel award. Coming to the region, the Internet has afforded country-specific The theoretical paradigm is drawn from the media with linkages, formal or informal, with the media of other thesis of a preceder Nobel-laureate, Amartya South Asian countries. Besides the few and far between Sen, who says: “Countries with a free press do correspondents based in another capital, the media linkages in not encounter famines because the free press respect of columns or op-ed articles between the newspapers of draws attention to the problem and people the South Asian countries on the basis of mutual arrangements will view a government failure to act in such vis-a-vis copyright, are being set up more closely than before. situations as intolerable”. This helps sharing the other perspective(s) or the logic of Be those as those may, to use a cliché, the argument in media discourses on issues, policies and events boon or the bane of a free press are not impacting on relations between the South Asian countries or necessarily axiomatic. Those vary widely and even getting to see things happening in Dhaka, Delhi, Islamabad,

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Colombo, Kathmandu, Maldives and Thimpu through the lenses the two foreign contract-journalists, a UK of the respective country's journalist or analyst. This opens the citizen, faked herself under a burqa. Right to window on the problems and prospects of the South Asian free speech is not the right to cook up white countries to one another. If the windows invite some flies with lies.the whiff of fresh air, to plagiarise Deng Xiao Ping, it is better yet. I will rather go by the conviction that print Demonisation then does not stay as a habit. Instead, such journalism is of a literary genre, though openings lead to healthy discourse. penned in a hurry. It is somewhat anti-

intellectual in so far as it is governed by Labelling and stereotyping empiricism. It is creative and hence beautiful In these days of labelling and stereotyping countries summarily, in so far as again, in Marquez's words, the the South Asian media on each country's home ground must “best news” is what is not obtained first but guard against networked hate journalism by stringers and very often the news that is ‘best presented’ for legmen feeding on hate staples and living off them. Although it its news value and 'truth'.has abated somewhat in the last few months, the years from the Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who started as a mid-nineties to date saw the surfeit of it entering the media journalist in the 24-hour roving academies of domain with calculated vehemence. The campaigns sneaking newsrooms, print shops, run down corner into the international press as well, say on Bangladesh, not only cafes and Friday night parties, and remains a harm the media's objectivity but damage the victim country journalist, besides winning the Nobel prize when anti-terror passion runs wild and becomes the most handy for his Hundred Years of Solitude, calls it the and convenient excuse giving the dog a bad name and then best profession in the world. To quote hanging it. Such disinformation, when planted for material or Marquez: “Journalism is an unappeasable propaganda gains at another's cost, is one of the most baneful passion that can be assimilated and aspects of stringer journalism. humanised only through stark confrontation The cocoon of terror by Bertil Lintner and Alex Perry's thriller with reality. No one who does not have this in fiction in the Time magazine are cases in point. The Reuters his blood can comprehend its magnetic hold, story, later withdrawn by the pioneer news agency of the world, which is fuelled by the unpredictability of life. and the Channel 4 episode leading to the restrictions on foreign No one who has not had this experience can journalists and the incarceration of two local stringers and two begin to grasp the extraordinary excitement foreigners, since relieved, are among the unhappy episodes at stirred by the news, the sheer elation created the ends of the government on one side, and the news agency and by the first fruits of an endeavour, and the the journalists concerned on the other. While the government's moral devastation wreaked by failure. No one reaction was knee-jerk in being heavy-handed, those episodes who was not born for this and is not prepared were directly proportional to the clandestine cooking of hate- to live for this and this only can cling to a broth. profession that is so incomprehensible and The episodes have two lessons: one, visa facility for movements consuming, where work ends after each news of foreign journalists into the country helps establish the subject- run, with seeming finality, only to start afresh country's openness, and two, reduces chances of sneak entries, with even greater intensity the very next speculation bubbles, and fictitious journalism as those were moment, not granting a moment of peace.”from the word 'go'. On the positive side, the openness, though at Having topped off my paper with Marquez's times marred by intelligence tails, puts a premium on objectivity soul-lifting words, I conclude that this over disinformation or calculated hate campaigns. Phillip assembly of leading journalists from the Bowring's reports in the IHT and the South China Morning Post South Asian countries must commit and Amy Waldman's in NYT may not all be bouquets for themselves to the security of the countries, Bangladesh and the government of the day, but are probing, the peoples of the region and the region itself balanced and neutral. by building the bulwark of unarmed peace The visa restrictions on journalists, particularly those belonging and cooperation and giving life to the inert to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, need to be eased for the above printed words.reason. This will facilitate further media-linkages and more “Not the rat-like cunning, nor the little credible and objective news-gathering of journalists, seeking to literary ambition” it is the passion for truth cover one or the other country first-hand. and the romanticism of the words which one

thinks are worth their weight in gold that Through the looking glass make the true journalist run. That is the Now seen through the looking glass, I am made curiouser by the highest compensation for those who have description of a journalist by English novelist Evelyn Waugh. fallen in love with it for a lifetime. It is hence His description of foreign correspondents covering a war in the the best profession in the world. Let's all fictional country of Ismaila in his 1930s novel Scoop, paints them make it beautiful.in these words: “rat-like cunning, a plausible manner, a little literary ambition”. It is not exactly complimentary. When rat- Enayetullah Khan is the Editor-in-Chief of like cunning is stretched too far, it produces the Dhaka stringer's weekly HOLIDAY and its monthly magazine tale of a 5-time checking of a quote from a Minister over 'SLATE'. He will also be editing the telephone calls that never were. A little ambition produced the forthcoming English language daily ‘NEW miscarriage of Channel 4's filming of a fictional Allah's party in AGE’.the very heart of Dhaka and a purloined interview in which one of

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n behalf of the people of Bangladesh globalization.and the Bangladesh Awami League, I The relationship between democracy and media is intrinsic. The Owelcome the journalists, experts and ‘enlightened 18th century’ saw the proliferation of newspapers

the distinguished persons associated with the and publications in France, Britain and other countries, carrying SAFMA . Please accept my warmest the latest philosophical, political, economic and cultural ideas. felicitations. The feudal system did not tolerate newspapers as it did not The topic of the conference ‘Media and democracy. Censorship was imposed to restrain the free flow of Democracy’ is not merely a duet of words but ideas that was the fountain head of pluralism. Many publications has great significance as well. I use the word were banned. The system had to be institutionalized by decree. 'duet' for the words media and democracy The democratic movement, the labor movement and civil society because they complement each other. movement in Europe and America used newspapers in the 19th Democracy without a free press is a breeze century as their mouth pieces defying censorship. Because of the without oxygen, while a press without wide diversity of philosophical and political thought 'universal democracy is a torch without battery. In news' was hard to find.reality, one without the other is incomplete It was observed that the followers of a particular school of and inert. thought, organized their own newspaper or publication to The word mass media is pluralistic. In the age propagate their ideas. The 'people's paper' a popular newspaper, of the information revolution the electronic was the mouth piece of the English Chartist movement. The media has become the powerful tool of tradition continues in the post-modern era. There are communication. Courtesy of the satellite, differences in the level of the censorship from country to country. rich and poor, literate and illiterate are being In many places the intolerance of the state reaches such a level shown the world through TV. On the other that newspapers unacceptable to the ruling coterie have to be hand, any person literate in any international underground. Bangladesh in the pre and post independence language (say English) can enter cyberspace. period, like Europe in the 18th century, faced such situations. By dint of the latest technology, we can access From the 50s till the attainment of our independence, the daily television or internet even when we are on the 'Ittefaq', 'Sangbad' and 'Observer' not only worked as move. Today like a book or a newspaper, a mouthpieces of the democratic and national movement but were watch, a cellular phone, a laptop or a palmtop also tools in organizing the masses. Some short lived periodicals can bring the world to all of us. also played a great role during the period. These newspapers The media today has no national boundaries. played a historic role in developing the secular nationalist ethos What we call satellite technology is really for a democratic nation-state that emanated from the language boundless like the sky. The utility of the movement of 1952.media is also multi - dimensional. It is no Like the Pakistan period, the post-independent Bangladesh too longer limited to providing news or suffered overt and covert military rule for almost two decades information. The mass media, particularly after the brutal assassination of the Father of the Nation the electronic one, is heavily used for Bangabhandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975. entertainment. Besides, as a marketing tool it During this time constriction of the press was a routine affair. is unparalleled. It builds images across the Apart from censorship, dictation by telephone, intimidation, world, brands the product and creates cancellation of declaration, seizure of certain issues, denial of market. In reality information technology government advertisements, bribes, arrests, persecution and h a s c r e a t e d t h e p r e c o n d i t i o n s o f killing of journalists and other kinds of state terror continued.

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After the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991 for the their political affiliation. Just because they first five years when the BNP was in power, the media was were Awami League supporters, thousands subjected to the same policies as the military governments had of people from the minorities had to leave pursued and a discriminatory policy was the result. their homes and hearths and seek safe The people of this country under the leadership of Awami League sanctuaries elsewhere. Hundreds of leaders have repeatedly engaged in a valiant struggle against military and workers of Awami League and other and autocratic rule. Hundreds of political activists and scores of opposition parties have been repeatedly sent journalists had to face inhuman torture, persecution and to jail. Even, non partisan intellectuals and imprisonment as a result. Many had to lay down their lives. journalists have not been spared. Violation of The situation changed after the Awami League came to power in human rights have become a regular event. In 1996. Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the founding father of the last 19 months at least 3 journalists were Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, institutionalized killed. More than 5 hundred journalists democracy and ensured absolute freedom of the press. State became victims of physical torture of intervention, intimidation, coercion and telephonic dictations to intimidation. A number of newspapers and newspapers and newsmen were abolished. As per election publications from the rural areas lie 'Dainik commitment, the National Press Trust, paid for by tax payers’ Uttar Banga' (The Daily North Bengal) of money, was abolished. Working journalists and employees in the Natore have had their declarations scrapped. Trust papers were adequately compensated. About fifty press clubs around the country A number of private television channels started operated during have been attacked or occupied by ruling the Awami League regime. Apart from satellite TV, a terrestrial party activists. Insecurity in the carrying out television-Ekushey TV-was allowed to operate. ETV gained mass of journalistic duties is increasing popularity. This television channel was closed down by the alarmingly. The government has either present government. These electronic channels enjoyed full stopped giving advertisements or reduced freedom during Awami League rule. A commission was set up to them to newspapers that it dislikes, like the ensure autonomy for state owned radio and TV. Policy principles daily Janakantha (The People's Voice). for granting autonomy to radio and TV were also adopted. Government commercials are being used to Sheikh Hasina's government had ensured free flow of rein or rule newspapers. Although information because access to information is a fundamental censorship has not been enforced, the free right of the people. Proceedings of the national parliament was flow of information through newspapers and broadcast live on radio during the Awami League regime. the electronic media is being interrupted in Certain parts of the proceedings were also shown on TV live and various ways. The state owned radio and others were telecast later. television have been transformed into ruling The withdrawal of taxes on computers and the establishment of a party mouth-pieces.100 crore special fund for the development of the IT sector led to Universal franchise, right to freedom of revolutionary changes. The free access to information expression, criticism, freedom of choice, technology led to the proliferation of e-mail and websites in the right to association and assembly are the country. essence of democracy. And not only for The confluence of democracy and mass media in the 21st century molding opinion but also to organize people, has led to the redefinement of the democratic contours. The newspapers have taken the lead. That is the mass media has become the ornament of democracy. But reason why the press is called the 'Fourth unfortunately, I have to say, the incumbent BNP-Jamaat State'. In the post-modern era the role of government has failed to accept this ground reality in electronic media has become ubiquitous, Bangladesh. along with the print media. No law can now The misrule of the government for the last 19 months has pushed interrupt the free flow of information in the the country to the brink of disaster. After the general elections of cyber age. It is not possible to resist the march October 1, 2001, violating all democratic norms and values the of democracy, nor is it possible to contain government and the ruling Alliance's hoodlums have let loose a democracy's partner-the mass media. reign of terror on Awami League and the minorities. By this time, Therefore, the free people of a free society in a few thousand opposition political leaders, workers and contemporary times is the historical destiny supporters have died at their hands. Hundreds of women and of humankind. children have become victims of persecution, merely because of

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do welcome all the journalists coming is now a country of free press.here from different countries of South After assuming power in 1991 the government of Bangladesh IAsia. I hope that your stay in Bangladesh National Party (BNP), under the leadership of Begum Khaleda

will be enjoyable. The exchange of views, Zia, removed all those hindrances in this respect. Now everyone ideas and experience of South Asia Mass has a freedom to publish any newspaper. Anyone can express his Media will enrich us. You will discuss the opinion in a free and fair manner. The government has no problems and prospects of South Asian Mass control or restriction on the free flow of information.Media which will pave the way for adopting But its a matter of great regret that in some cases the advantage common strategy. of free flow of information is being misused by some quarters. The main theme of the conference is ‘Media Some newspapers are tarnishing the image and interest of the and Democracy’. We firmly believe that a country by publishing baseless and fabricated news items. It has strong mass media is indispensable to been repeatedly proved that published news items are fabricated consolidate democracy . On the other hand, and motivated. Inspite of that, the government did not take any in the absence of democracy media cannot measures against those newspapers. We hope their good sense play a strong role. This is why, mass media will prevail one day for the interest of the people and the country. and democracy are complementary to each Not only the South Asian countries, but also all the Third World other. I believe that the conference will help countries are hostages to the developed countries in this age of strengthen the bridge between these two. free flow of information because they have all the modes to In this perspective, mutual cooperation of the control the flow of information. We are very much dependant on media men of South Asia will benefit all. If it them for information. But they do not accept our achievement in is possible to ensure the free flow of the field of democracy and development. For this reason, the information among the South Asian actual picture of Third World countries is not being projected. countries, the development and progress of These problems, I think, will be addressed to a great extent if the the countries of this region will be co-operation among the mass media of South Asain countries is accelerated. strengthened.Bangladesh is a liberal democratic country. There is ample scope of cooperation amongst the South Asian The flourish of democracy had been halted countries. This cooperation can help ameliorate the lot of 150 with the introduction of one party rule in crore people of this region. Bearing that prospect in mind, 1975. Publication of all newspapers excepting Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman took initiative to form South only four state-controlled newspapers had Asian Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC). I hope the been banned at that time. As a result the mass media of South Asia will play a pivotal role to make SAARC democracy and the newspapers as well were a more effective and vibrant organization. shattered. We have passed that stage after a It is my firm believe that you will also take some bold initiatives long struggle for democracy. All the black in this regard. I wish the conference a great success.laws relating to control of newspapers were annulled. I am proud to say that Bangladesh

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hile the Indian media have many achievements to their credit, they face several challenges: W

1. Widespread trivialization of the media stemming from commercial considerations has eroded the institution of the Editor.

2. The dangers represented by non-State players in Indian polity. In this context, the role of extremist organizations serves further to imperil the freedom of the media.

3. In consonance with the trend elsewhere in the region, the Government is seeking to expand i ts influence/control of media. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the lack of good governance and rise to power of elements inimical to a pluralistic society and a free media.

4. Commercialization of the media has posed new problems and challenges for the integrity of individual journalists. This danger is compounded by efforts of the authorities and political forces to distort professional perspectives by encouraging proxy journalism.

5. Attempts by governments to abuse the institution of the judiciary and branches of the executive such as the police and various regulatory agencies to target select individual journalists have a ripple effect on all aspects of democracy, notably the freedom of expression. The Official Secrets Act and the law of contempt pose a major challenge to the media's freedom.

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akistani media has a history of nearly half a century of struggle to free itself Pfrom unprecedented shackles,

multiple constraints and diverse social, political, religious and ethnic pressures. Several factors have determined its growth as an industry and the ability as a purveyor of news and views. 1. Lack of democracy even under civilian

rule, apart from periodic bouts of military interventions that kept the country under authoritarian rule for half of its existence.

2. Newspaper circulation and readership has been low. Readership is estimated at about 7.5 million. The reasons are: i) Low literacy rate, 47 % according to

official figures which includes people who can just sign their names;

ii) Prohibitive cost of production (Price of English newspapers is between Rs. 1 0 - 1 3 a n d U r d u l a n g u a g e newspapers Rs. 7-10).

iii) Advertisement market is small, rdworth only Rs 3 billion (1/3 of which

comes from public sector which dominates the economy while private sector has remained weak, thus providing the government with enormous leverage to control the media.

3. Electronic media which has wider reach and audience, has remained under state control, severely restricting its credibility and increasing dependence on foreign media like BBC, VOA, VOG, etc. for information. Indian governments' unilateral punitive actions in the wake of Dec. 2001 terrorist attacks in parliament provided an excuse to the government to ban Indian TV channels.

4. Of late, private channels have sprung up, providing access to largely unrestricted information and opinion. Globalization afforded opportunity to foreign wire services to provide news services to Pakistani press. Till 1993, state-owned APP distributed these services censoring all anti-government material. exceptions) put the entire burden on working journalists to

5. Commercial interests and lack of fight for press freedom. They measured up to the challenge commitment to ideals of press freedom and waged a valiant struggle against military dictators and and professionalism on part of authoritarian persecution, flogging and even assassinations. newspaper owners (barring few 6. Like in other South Asian countries, the information

Rapporteur: Afzal Khan

Media in Pakistan

Mr. Afzal Khan presenting his report on the media in PakistanMr. Afzal Khan presenting his report on the media in Pakistan

33

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ministry has wielded unprecedented influence and control over other segments of society. These have the press through ads, secret funds, patronage in the form of multiplied during past over two decades foreign trips etc. It has promoted sycophancy and with the rise of fundamentalism, encouraged proliferation of dummy press. Investigative conservatism and obscurantism, reporting has been discouraged and the press focuses on particularly under Zia. statements and long speeches. 10. Security syndrome, chauvinism and

7. The style of governance in the entire region has tended to parochialism have impacted on promote a personality cult. Rulers have appropriated professionalism and objectivity of projection on TV channels, radio and newspapers. In his journalists in the entire South Asia first address on TV, Mr Z. A. Bhutto told TV, radio and region. Organizations like SAFMA can newspapers that they had destroyed Ayub Khan through play significant role in promoting over projection, particularly during celebrations of 'Decade t o l e r a n c e , u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d of Development'. “Show workers, peasants, students and accommodation. They can also resist ordinary people on TV, not me and my ministers,” he said. attempts to curtail freedom in cross-But he soon reverted to the same practice. Zia in his first border reporting in the name of security news conference said he was a humble man and would like to and ‘national interest’. Free flow of remain in low profile in the media, but never acted upon that information among SAARC nations and promise. Same was true about Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz frequent interaction among journalists Sharif. Gen. Musharraf initially avoided publicity for quite can immensely improve the political sometime but could not resist the temptation too long. climate. Nobody ever realized that over projection produces an 11. The National Conference of SAFMA, opposite effect on the targeted audience. held in Lahore on December 19-20, 2002

8. For the past nearly two decades, the press in Pakistan has critically reviewed the six press laws enjoyed unusual freedom. The quality of reports and issued by the Musharraf government, comments has won international praise. It is interesting to rejected these laws as arbitrary and as yet note that the first flush of freedom came at a time when another effort to muzzle the media. It Prime Minister Junejo and his information minister were proposed the alternative guiding least bothered about personal publicity. The genie of press principles for the media laws. (The freedom popped out of the bottle and the successive Declaration issued by SAFMA Pakistan governments, including the military regime of Musharraf, Conference is included in this had to allow more and more freedom to an increasingly publication.)independent and assertive press.

9. While government curbs have steadily decreased, the press has faced pressures from religious, sectarian, ethnic and

Pakistani delegation haplessly trying to persuade its Rapporteur to include the points raised by itPakistani delegation haplessly trying to persuade its Rapporteur to include the points raised by it

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1. The print media in Bangladesh underwent a sea-change in the last one decade. With the overthrow of the authoritarian regime by people power on December 6, 1990, and subsequent restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, the restrictive and penal provisios of the Printing Press and Publication Act of 1974 were excised. This opened the floodgates to new and independent publications. In other words, freedom of the press in terms of opening new outlets without legal and bureaucratic hindrances and freedom of expression in print were restored by the book.

2. Though pre-publication review or pre-censorship for that matter has long been put behind, the print media was further subjected to informal official dictates like press advice or the twisting of arms through government control over allotment of newsprint quota and allocation of government advertisement. Military of the pre '91 regime no longer evoked; press advices have ceased to be proactive; -- newsprints, imported or local, can now be obtained from the open market; government advertisement may at the most be used as favours to some and channels are operating, some more are not so much as an instrument of control any more as private emerging, with certain limitations sector advertising has grown in size and volume. however.

3. While the legal and the market factors favour a free media 6. Official Secrecy Act is an obsolete law that eminently, some problems of governance, to which the hinders 'free access to information'. Under government admits, stand in the way of the print media or that the cover of this law, government officials of any other endeavour in the private sector. These pertain to evade transparency and accountability and law and order, and the money and muscle-power of vested it stands as a barrier to 'people's rights to groups in the society. These power-groups within and outside know'. With the institutionalization of the government often pose a threat to independent and democracy, this archaic law and others investigative journalism or newspapers expose of standing in the way to 'free flow of governmental or corporate excesses, abuses and corruption. information' need to be revoked to promote Consequently, some newsmen fell victim to grievous physical freedom of press. attacks, even death in some cases, in the last part of the 90s and 7. The journalists' community here is now the first two years of the new century. These attacks and more concerned about any abuse of fatalities were directly linked to the aforesaid journalists' freedom of press that may shed lack of professional pursuits, and are defying both investigation and credibility on the profession. However, to trial. pursue objectivity of the profession the

4. The government of the day chose to be heavy-handed on some journalists are often being subjected to stringers and freelancers for what it considered as prejudicial 'contempt'. The community is alarmed reports or media activities. Without having to go into the merit about the frequent use of the contempt of the claims on either side, it needs to be said that the random provision. use of provisions of CrPc like Section 54, Section 501 and 502 8. The television and radio controlled by the and the subsequent alleged or real persecution in custody, government have a very wider reach due to particularly under 'remand' remains a serious cause of concern. extensive terrestrial network of the BTV in While the journalists are not above law for their professional particular. The report of the broadcasting infraction, this random practice poses a threat to press- commission set up by the previous freedom. The professional delinquency, if any, must be dealt government did not see the light of the day. under the relevant civil law, and better still by an expeditious There is no significant progress to the award of judgment in terms of monetary damage. The pledge by the government, save the defamation law exists, but the process is so cumbersome that institution of a committee with some such plaints become time-barred, hence irredeemable. p a r t i c i p a t i o n f r o m o u t s i d e t h e

5. The electronic media is still firmly in the hands of the government, which will look into and government. Pledges by all the three regimes spanning the review broadcasting and other relevant decade to bring it under an autonomous authority have fallen laws regarding it. by the wayside. Private electronic media, including one struck 9. The journalists' community including the down by the Supreme Court in a public interest litigation, to Journalists Unions, despite its political some extent faces governmental 'plugs on information flow'. differences, is now pressing the demand for But the state controlled electronic media of TV and Radio a national policy on print media, repeal of strictly remained at the service of the ruling governments and Official Secrecy Act and passage of a law for their partisan interests. Yet a number of private TV and radio the right of access to information.

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1. The media should play a proactive role in creating a conducive environment for paving the way for a quick and fair election and serve in best possible way the interests of our civil societies. We urge all South Asian countries to support the process of de-escalation, confidence building and a sustained dialogue to resolve conflicts and build bridges of harmony and understanding.

2. Free and fair flow of information is still denied in the absence of proper legislation in Nepal. In this context we would like to draw lessons from the experiences of other South Asian countries.

3. We want all publications from all South Asian countries to enjoy unrestricted flow into Nepal, ensuring free exchange of information across borders.

4. In the present context almost all South Asian countries are having to cope with the impact of conflict. The most affected communities within these countries are women and children. However, we do not find examples of women being involved in the peace process. Therefore, we strongly suggest that women be involved in all negotiations of peace building and conflict resolution process, and urge the South Asian

here has been a setback on the media to promote this environment.functioning of democratic institutions Tf o l l o w i n g t h e d i s s o l u t i o n o f 5. During the seven years long armed Maoist struggle in Nepal,

parliament in May last year and the failure to there has been massive displacement of people from rural hold general elections in 2002. In the areas and women and children are the worst victims of this absence of parliament and local governing situation. They have to face different forms of exploitation bodies the state power is exercised and violence both physical and mental. In the context of the arbitrarily. Against this backdrop there is South Asian independent media continuing to be reluctant growing concern that the derailed to recognize women's rights, we urge SAFMA to focus on this democratic process should be reinstated at humanitarian problem of enormous magnitude and draw the earliest through the facilitation of free adequate media attention for the improvement of this and fair elections. situation for strengthening an equality based democracy.The Nepali media suffered a lot of restrictions and curtailment of freedom of expression 6. Nepal's democracy has also been affected by the issue of during the nine month long state of displaced people and Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. We urge emergency. However, with the present cease- the South Asian countries to support these refugees and pave fire and the peace process initiated between the way for an amicable solution to this problem.the Maoist and the government, the situation of intimidation and harassment of media 7. We reiterate the demand for granting of free visas for practitioners has considerably deceased. But journalists of South Asia to travel in South Asian countriesapprehensions on reverting to previous situation with the continued existence of 8. W e s t r o n g l y r e c o m m e n d S A F M A S e c r e t a r i a t arbitrary authority, threat and intimidation commissioning a team of senior South Asian journalists to cannot be ruled out. Therefore, the media has visit Nepal with the following mission;a crucial role to play at present in strengthening the peace process and a. examining the condition of journalists affected during ensuring a peaceful conclusion of the power the state of emergency in Nepal;struggle between the palace, political parties b. assessing the impact of peace building process that is and the Maoists, to prevent a backlash in the being threatened by the power struggle among different reinstatement of democratic Institutions. forces; andThe Nepali delegation to the SAFMA c. to exert moral pressure on the concerned parties, to conference deliberated on the above settle their differences and expedite the possibility of situation and has come to the following holding free and fair elections at the earliest.conclusions:

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o start with, I will dwell on some basic, elementary points, for the sake of developing my arguments, even though it Tmay seem out of place in the interaction with this

enlightened gathering. What is democracy? What is the role of the media? And how are the people's rights to be safeguarded? A strong perceptible common strand runs through the three and this makes the discussion of the subject highly fascinating. Democracy is nothing if not the people's right to choose their rulers, their government from among the various contenders.

It is a participatory system as against the authoritarian rule, where the will of whosoever is mighty in a given situation prevails and they have to live with him or her, there being no opportunity for rejection in the case of misgovernance. In exercising their choice in a democracy, citizens are guided by their experiences as also by their observations, individually and collectively. The media helps them, on the one hand to express themselves and on the other, to put various issues and situations in a perspective to enable them to exercise their right of choice intelligently. It is in order at this stage to make some

generalisations -- to which caveats will be In situations other than the choosing of rulers or the making and added subsequently. In India, as elsewhere in unmaking of governments, the part played by the media is South Asia, the media asserted its crucial too. There are different views on its role -- some would independence against heavy odds. like it to function as an adversary, others prefer it to be a Paradoxically, this assertion was stronger watchdog, a guardian of the people's interest. In both the cases, wherever the pressure against it was stepped the media has to turn the spotlight on the working of up. The story of the newspapers, particularly governments, their decisions and implementation. The media of the Indian languages, conducting has not to go by their claims and in doing so, it has to tear off the themselves in the restrictive regime imposed facade of misrepresentations, remove the cobweb of lies, by the colonial rulers before 1947 may be old frustrate the bids for cover-up. It has to be ruthless in its but is worth recalling. It was a golden period exposures, if so demanded by the imperatives of defending and for the print media -- newspapers, with a few safeguarding the people's rights. exceptions, were not economically viable but

The people's rights should not be viewed in a narrow context. they kept aloft the banner of independence.

Among these, of course are the rights guaranteed by the After the independence, the media -- the

Constitution; right to equality, right to particular freedoms, right print media for the first four decades --

against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and carved out a special place for itself through its

educational rights, right to property and right to constitutional growth (not only in number but also in

remedies. Equally important are the rights to employment, upgradation of production techniques). A

healthcare, education and shelter. It is the job of the media to notable feature was its pluralism and

ensure that the rulers make sincere, result-oriented efforts in diversity, reflective of the socio-economic,

this regard too. linguistic and cultural scene of the country.

Needless to say, the media cannot discharge these tasks if it is not Newspapers are published in 100 languages independent or is subjected to pressures and intimidation or and dialects, but mainly in 18 official allows itself to compromise its independence, consciously or languages and English. Hindi newspapers unwittingly. The media's may not be an adversarial role, but have the largest circulation, followed by quite often there is a clash of perceptions between it and the English and then by Malayalam. The government. But more on that later. emergence of television added a new

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dramatic dimension to the media scene in more than one way. The crusading spirit, mustered by the Press One, through its power and spread. Two, through its impact on before independence, is conspicuous by its the print media. Because of its character, television exposes the absence. Had the media been alert and unvarnished reality -- to quote some instances, abject poverty, performed its job as a watchdog, the s q u a l o r , m a n i f e s t a t i o n s o f o f f i c i a l a p a t h y a n d proliferation of mafias, the nexus between maladministration, the people's power, both in its constructive criminals, politicians and officials would and destructive application. It frustrates attempts to cover up have been curbed.inconvenient situations and fudge unpleasant issues. Its potency Whatever the imperfections, there could be contributes substantially to independent reporting. This healthy no two opinions about the crucial importance trend is infectious -- it enables and helps the print media in its of a free and independent media. assertion of independence.

What it implied was explained by a former Till recently, television in India was the monopoly of the chairman of the Press Council, Justice P.B. government, which was the controlling authority. It (along with Sawant, thus: "The media can perform its radio) is now run by an autonomous body, Prasar Bharati, but its roles only if it is run to serve the society and is claims of independent functioning are often questioned. Then free and independent to do so. If the media there are satellite channels on television, run by private outlet is operated only to earn profit, it can enterprises and others operated by foreign media corporates. hardly be expected to play the said role. The co-existence and competition has further helped the

Further, free press/media independence of the media as a does not mean free only whole.from the overt restrictions

As against the healthy of the government. That is evolution of the media, the a narrow conception of the governmental structures and freedom of the media. mindset are slow in changing. Besides the overt legal The officialdom is either restrictions imposed by reluctant or unprepared to the government, there are adapt to the fast changing covert influences exerted r e a l i t y . L o o k i n g a t t h e by i t and the o ther functioning of the Press authorities by extending or Information Bureau, one does withholding various perks not get the impression that it and facilities such as land, has risen to the challenges w a t e r , e l e c t r i c i t y , posed by the emergence of t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n , television and its impact on the advertisements, news print media. Old procedures print and so on. If the still hold good. At the higher media owners run other governmental levels, both businesses and have to political and official, the d e p e n d u p o n t h e mindset has not changed. The government and the other move for a defamation law authorities to promote some years ago was given up t h e m , t h e y r e n d e r following pressure from the themselves vulnerable all media ranks, but the threats of the more to the influences action on this count have not of the authorities. The quite disappeared. Right to other external pressures information, though recognised, is yet to translate itself into flow from the social, racial and religious reality. There is the danger of cosmetic steps projected as groups; the politicians, the political parties substantive measures. and their supporters; the bureaucrats, the Official intolerance manifested itself every now and then, as was police, the local goons and the mafias of all evident from the action against the Tehelka portal or the kind; and the militants and the terrorists correspondent of Time magazine. The newspapers and wherever they exist. magazines at the state and more so at the district levels continue Internally, the pressures are exerted by the to be vulnerable to pressures by official agencies and proprietors, the advertisers and the functionaries. In cases where these publications depend on financiers. Besides, the political, ideological, government advertisement for subsistence, there is always the class, caste, racial, social, religious and even danger of the financial lifeline being cut. personal biases and corrupt motives of the On its part, the media, in particular the print media, has failed to editorial staff from the editor down to the draw the desired attention to the serious maladies in the body reporter, play their own role in interfering politic -- criminalisation of politics, defections (followed by with the impartiality and objectivity of the shameless rewarding of defectors with cabinet posts or monetary media. help) -- and corruption in public life. This indifference, in a way, The owners and journalists may also be is responsible for the decline in the standards of administration.

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influenced by the foreign powers and their current affairs to bring out Indian editions or foreign agencies. The information is on occasion shareholding in any form in the Indian print media sector." tilted, suppressed, distorted and even false However, it made an exception in the case of foreign scientific information is planted on account of these and technical magazines, allowing their publication in India for various influences. The media which is the "benefit of the students of science and technology and subject to such pulls and pressure is not scientific community in collaboration with well-known or always able to perform its due role expected competent Indian publishers dealing with such subjects". The of it in a democratic society. government allowed up to 74 per cent foreign investment

including FDI in this category.Information is the staple diet of the media and, if denied, could well lead to starvation. In the preceding debate, the two viewpoints were propounded As the ultimate sovereign, the people have strongly, even acrimoniously. Those favouring the change the right to know and to have access to adduced the following arguments. 1) Restrictions on foreign information. This is necessary to enable them investment do not fit in with the current trends -- of globalisation to make right decisions. It is an inherent and liberalisation of economy. In an increasingly integrated right, not stemming from any statute. As world, human and democratic rights too, need to be seen as pointed out by those who have studied the global in nature, with newspapers anywhere regarded as the functioning of the press in detail, freedom of resources of the whole mankind, 2) When other sectors of the media includes the right to receive and collect economy are being opened up so as to allow foreign capital, information of public importance from all management and technology, newspaper industry should not be primary and authentic sources and to made an exception, 3) In the context of globalisation, Indian disseminate it through all legitimate means. business, industry and financial institutions need to obtain fast The freedom of the media also means the and reliable information and analysis of trends from other parts freedom of the people to have full and of the world and foreign newspapers could be a valuable source, truthful information on all matters of public 4) The entry of foreigners would solve the problem of the paucity interest. The only exception is the of capital, faced by some newspapers. Also, it would help bring in information which needs to be withheld in latest technology, 5) Foreign newspapers or foreign investment the interest of the people. But care is to be would be allowed within the Indian legal framework and, as taken that this exception to the rule does not such, apprehensions of control by foreigners are unfounded and become a pretext to deny the media -- and 6) Foreign television networks have entered Indian homes through it, the people -- their inherent right. through satellite and cable services. The entry of foreign The rulers tend to blur the distinction newspapers would be no different.between the government and the state and Those opposed to the change on the other hand, based their deny information unpalatable to the ruling arguments on constitutional and political grounds and on establishment, on the ground that its considerations of national interest. They resented the stand of dissemination would hurt the interests of the those who equated newspapers with other industries -- state. According to one study, some 60 out of newspapers, unlike other industries, influence the minds of 117 democracies have a free press, but only 17 people, shape their opinion on all manner of issues. It was allow the citizens free access to government because of this role that newspapers were described as the fourth information and only one, South Africa, gives estate. If there was no case for the entry of foreigners in the first access to information from private three estates, the executive, legislature and judiciary, what was organisations. Governments everywhere the justification for opening the fourth one, it was asked. Entry of have a stake in secrecy of their functioning. foreigners in the print media would pave the way for their That is a major challenge for the media interference in the country's political life. In support was cited everywhere -- India, not excluded. the case of Britain where a mighty media baron, a foreign Any account of the Indian media scene will national, shifted his support from one Tory candidate for prime not be complete without a mention of an ministership to another, or from the Conservatives to the Labour animated controversy that raged last year Party and, thus, exposed himself to the charge of interfering in over the official proposal to allow foreign the country's domestic politics. How would Indians like a direct investment in the print media. Finally, situation where a foreigner, controlling one paper, backs the BJP the government announced permission for and another in a different publication supports the Congress? 26 per cent equity participation, subject to As for technology, major Indian newspapers already use conditions, seeking to guard against editorial sophisticated equipment which is freely available off the shelf in control by the foreigners. the world market. Foreign newspapers do not have a monopoly This reversed a settled policy, laid down as far of modern technology.back as 1955 during the Nehru era and The debate is over. How the 26 per cent foreign investment followed rigidly since then despite occasional works is to be seen. It will be interesting to find whether other demands for a review. The parliamentary South Asian countries faced such a situation and, if so, with what standing committee on information results.technology, which was asked to consider the issue, was against any change. It was "not in favour of allowing foreign newspapers and periodicals, which deal mainly with news and

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akistan has never known democracy. E v e n w h e n t h e t r a p p i n g s o f Pdemocratic rule have been sported by

the state's establishment, media's role has not been accepted either as a contributor to democracy or as one of its beneficiaries. Thus, Pakistan can claim to have a greater, and more varied, experience of the impact of authoritarianism on media and human rights than perhaps any other state in South Asia. I wish my country did not have this foul, and avoidable, distinction.Pakistan at its birth was supposed to be a democratic state, at least to the extent the Government of India Act permitted. The Act, employed as Pakistan's provisional constitution for nine years, did not envisage a democratic dispensation which had to be raised on the foundations of democratic federalism. The lack of space in it for the aspirations of the provinces (the federating units) was presumably the reason that the founder-leader of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had rejected the federal part of the Act. But that was before the British made a slight change in their maxim, replacing 'divide and rule' with 'divide and quit'. Once Pakistan had been achieved, its ruling elite saw no harm in the Act of 1935. Not only was the Act retained as the state's basic law for long years, all constitutions of Pakistan have derived their main body from this piece of legislation by the British Parliament.Studied, deliberate and stubborn denial of authoritarianism.the federal imperatives gave rise to Another factor that fed the authoritarian streak was the security authoritarian tendencies early in Pakistan's syndrome Pakistan was born with. Expiry of the infant state history. The retention of the two-nation might well have been a legitimate fear in the minds of Pakistan's theory, discarded by Mr Jinnah as well as Mr first leaders but they soon fell in love with the complex since it Sohrawardy in 1947, as the dominant enabled them to protect their undemocratic actions against ideology and the mistaken belief that religion serious challenge.provided a comprehensive package for The result of these two premises -- denial of federal principles diverse people's unity (which could justify the and inflated security concerns -- was devaluation of democracy running of a federation as a unitary state) and human rights both. Any reference to the multinational made a rational discourse on federal issues character of the state was condemned as a deviation from the impossible. Reliance on religion as the raison foundational ideology of the state. Demands for the rights of the d'etre of the state marked a critical first step federating units became treason. Anything that the towards theocracy and, inevitably, towards establishment considered contrary to its security perception was

(Pakistan perspective)

By I. A. Rehman

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branded as not only treacherous but also sinful. features of the Ayubian design have survived Thus, within months of Pakistan's creation, publications that to this day.had referred to the rights of nationalities were proscribed. An Ayub's authoritarianism, however, was not English daily was suppressed for what was considered an rooted in religion belief. He remolded adverse reflection on the holy war in Kashmir and Maudoodi was institutions, including the media, in castigated for not treating this conflict as holy. The state went accordance with the requirements of back on its pledges to scrap the laws that curtailed the civil dictatorship which were largely of a secular liberties and made the Press (Emergency Powers) Act of 1931 nature. It was left to Ziaul Haq to turn into a permanent instrument to keep the media in check. And it authoritarianism into a divinely ordained was kept in check. order. All proprieties, in politics, in law, in By the beginning of the fifties, the basis of Pakistan's division education and in social conduct had to be into two entities following contradictory political ideals had been determined by popular belief of the majority laid. This also marked the division of the media. While the media community. Realizing that obscurantists in East Bengal could not, by and large, fail to espouse the shared the military's interest in denying democratic aspirations of the population, the popular media of democracy, including media freedom and the the privileged western wing became, by and large, the drum- spirit of free inquiry, he fostered their beater of the establishment. The latter made little attempt to growth. He freed the mulla of dependence on appreciate the requisites of a federation, treated the provinces' the community's charity, brought him into demands for autonomy as heresy, and went to the extent of the judicial and bureaucratic machinery and denying equality of status to the finally placed a gun in cit izens of the oppressed his hands. There was nationalities. The result was that n o p o s s i b i l i t y o f not only the gap between the democratic ideas or leaders of the two wings became no t i o ns o f me d i a wider and wider, their people freedom surviving also got alienated from each under his regime.other. In the period that The steel-frame of d e m a n d e d c o n s c i o u s a n d a u t h o r i t a r i a n i s m affirmative efforts at national perfected by Ayub and integration Pakistan was failed Zia regimes, with the by its political leadership and addition of religious also by its dominant media. The sanction for it by the west wing leaders and its media latter, was not broken made some signs of realizing this by the supposedly in 1971 but perhaps found the democratic regimes lesson much too distasteful and that appeared during chose not to learn the whole of it. Throughout this period the periods when Pakistan's military democracy and human rights remained at a discount. preferred indirect rule to a direct one. The However, during 1947-58 the establishment's efforts to control political leaders who took command during the media and clip human rights stemmed from its perceived such intervals attributed the military rulers' needs of the state and authoritarianism formed part of its tactics. ‘successes’ (in keeping the people down) to But when authoritarianism was established in the country in their authoritarian policies and chose to 1958 as the state's legitimate ideal, control of the media and adopt them without reservation. None of the denial of human rights became integral to the state philosophy. measures put into place to restrict democracy Authoritarianism cannot flourish without curbing freedom of and control the media were undone by these expression (the illegitimacy of rule must not be exposed) and civilian rulers.convincing the people that they are better off without enjoying General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's ruler their human rights. since 1999, has chosen to have the best of The man who laid the firm foundations of authoritarianism in both Ayub and Zia models. He prefers the Pakistan was Ayub Khan. Following the logic of authoritarianism Ayubian mask of a liberal (if not a secularist) he labored to bring the whole media and culture under state to Zia's proselytizing zeal and borrows control. He began by 'regulating' cinema, followed this by the rhetoric from both to deny democracy and enacting of a more pernicious version of the Press Act of the human rights. His attitude towards the media colonial period, added to security legislation applicable to the can be judged from the series of ordinances media also, created his own Press through the National Press he issued last year, most of them after the Trust, added television to the state monopoly over the electronic general election that was supposed to mark media, and created a Writers' Guild to hegemonise the writers. the country's transition to democratic rule. As regards human rights, he not only denied them by depriving One of these is a revised version of Ayub's the people of their political rights, he did not consider it Press law, another envisages the creation of necessary to include the fundamental rights chapter in his an authoritarian Press Council, a third constitution of 1962 and when this omission was corrected he creates a more stringent defamation law for perhaps considered the change as inconsequential as the media-persons, and the fourth restricts readoption of the state's title as an Islamic Republic. Some basic access to information under the garb of

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freedom of information. Through arbitrary Shariat Court or the rationale of the blasphemy law. It can feel changes in the basic law he has made the state sorry if a woman is gang-raped or a 6-year-old girl is given in more authoritarian than ever. marriage to a man of 60 but cannot challenge the precepts in Pakistan's history is unique in the sense that which these practices are rooted. It cannot challenge the here authoritarianism is sanctioned by the military's exclusive right to build roads or the Rangers' right to judiciary and issues of democracy are oversee the supply of water in Karachi. It can go on preaching decided not by the people but in courts. that rulers should be properly robed but cannot tell the truth Neither Zia nor Musharraf struck down the when one is found naked.fundamental rights. However, while Zia It will be unfair not to admit the resistance to authoritarianism denied human rights by barring access to the by a section of the media throughout Pakistan's history. judiciary, Musharraf is being accused by the However, even the most courageous in the media have often country's bar association of having achieved lacked adequate comprehension of the indivisibility of human this result by bribing the judicial authorities. rights or their universality. Thus one may find tomes written on No discussion on the state of media, the democratic rights of the Muslim majority and ignoring these democracy and human rights in any country rights of non-Muslims. Similarly, the independent media is possible without reference to its judicial continues to be reluctant to recognise women's rights.organs' capacity to defend the basic rights. The media in Pakistan is like a strange mosaic. Some of the pieces All forms of authoritarianism are bad but are as brilliant as anywhere while some others are shaped by those enjoying the underpinning of religious authoritarian tendencies. In the electronic field the state retains belief are the worst. At the moment the a strong monopoly which is only partially challenged by private scheme of governance devised by Pakistan's TV channels. The government not only keeps a close watch on latest military regime has not reached full- them but is also not averse to interfering with their news and scale implementation. A tussle is going on current affairs programmes. The owners of these channels between the under-privileged remnants of cannot even think of defying the intelligence agencies. The print the democratic elements and the privileged media publishes a great deal in the nature of criticism of the votaries of authoritarianism. This, and the establishment but cannot break out of the restrictions of explosion of the international media, has ideology maintained by state and non-state actors alike.enabled the Pakistan media to appear to be Perhaps some of the authoritarian tendencies in Pakistan and freer than it is. It is wrong to judge the degree their adverse impact on media, democracy and human rights are of a media's freedom from a great deal it can fuelled by bilateral and regional tensions that South Asian report and ignore the little it cannot. The governments keep alive in narrow political and sectarian critical issue in Pakistan is that the media is interests. A time may have come to examine these issues in the confined to the parameters of discourse regional context.determined by authoritarian regimes. Thus it cannot challenge the existence of the Federal

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he Popular Peoples' Movement of 1990 and the present Constitution had fundamentally restructured our state Tand the system of governance. A constitutional framework

was established with the people as the real sovereign. The role of all the organs of state, including the Constitutional monarchy, had been defined. Still, the language of the constitution was not clear on some issues. Due to these shortcomings and failure of governments in the last 12 years, we failed to develop strong democratic institutions and a democratic culture. There is a crucial need for a media which has a responsible role to play in ensuring good governance, rule of law, transparency and free flow of information. But the Nepali media had to suffer even more due to the imposition of a nine month long state of emergency. The Nepalese people want to preserve constitutional reforms and the present democratic constitution. The Constitution guaranteed adult franchise, parliamentary system, constitutional monarchy, multi-party democracy, free and effective judiciary, the rule of law and the sovereignty of the people. Past constitutional exercise was not without shortcomings. For example, the parliament remained a hostage to the whims of political parties and the government. The governments failed to fulfill the commitments made to the people. The political parties have not been able to function in a democratic and responsible manner. The lack of good governance, criminalization of politics, politicization of administration and education sectors caused disillusionment among the masses. The media has been vigorously campaigning for the peaceful solution of all the problems that Nepal is faced with. At present it has a crucial role ordinance was felt by the entire press of to play in ensuring that the present peace process succeeds. In Nepal. The government had ordered the this regard, it is encouraging that the government and the entire Nepalese media not to publish and Maoists have agreed to a Code of Conduct to make the peace talks broadcast such materials. The Nepalese press more systematic and successful. The media in Nepal played an had to experience one of its most difficult important role in drumming support for such a code of conduct periods in history during this nine month of to come about and develop an environment of mutual trust. state of emergency. There were incidents The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal ensures fundamental when journalists were intimidated. The rights and they cannot be withdrawn. Under the fundamental g o v e r n m e n t p r o v i d e d o n e - s i d e d rights, Article 12 (2) (a) guarantees the right to freedom of information. Access to information was expression to every citizen. Similarly Article 13 of the completely denied. Some arrested journalists Constitution guarantees that there will be no prohibition on were even murdered. Media bodies were printing and publishing of news; there will be no closure of a harassed through surprise inspections. printing press and the registration of a publication will not be Arrests and harassment became common cancelled. But His Majesty the King had declared a state of practice. 91 journalists were arrested. Among emergency and suspended all the rights guaranteed by the those, 31 were in government custody, 13 Constitution. When emergency was declared the government were incarcerated in prison, 18 were under also introduced an ordinance regarding the control of and general arrest and whereabouts of 21 punishment for terrorist and destructive activities. journalists are still not known. The media

had to initiate a protest movement against it. Under this ordinance, a ban was placed on the publication and The National Human Rights Commission has broadcasting of any interview, write-ups, news, materials and taken note of the serious violations of human visuals that may report or highlight the activities dubbed as rights during the state of emergency. The terrorist by the authorities. The direct consequence of this

Mr. Gopal Thapaliya presenting his paperMr. Gopal Thapaliya presenting his paper

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rebel side was also involved in the acts of detention and even now, after the declaration of a ceasefire, there intimidation of journalists. It was still are many journalists in government custody. Krishna Sen, unfortunate that because of the restrictions who was a central member of the Federation of Nepalese imposed by the governments, the Nepali Journalists and editor of Janadisha Daily was arrested on May media was not able to provide true and 20, 2002 and killed while he was in government custody. The factual information. Similarly, a great truth about this incident has not been made public yet. Raids challenge arose in fulfilling the role of a were conducted against some printing houses, workers were responsible media, because obstacles were arrested and published materials confiscated. The media created in the verification of events. Nepal, persons also became a victim of the Maoists. During this period, according to international agencies, had the Maoists kidnapped about half a dozen journalists and killed become the world's largest prison of Navaraj Sharma, the editor of Kadam, the first ever newspaper of journalists. Karnali zone, a zone in the remote Western part of Nepal, after he The freedom of expression is at the heart of all was kidnapped by them. other freedoms. Article 19 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration states that “every Protecting fundamental rights, democracy and press freedom is person has the right to freedom of expression our main concern. The Nepalese media is opposed to all and its publication. He or she can get opinion encroachments on our fundamental rights. It has expressed without interference and will also have the determination to stand by its commitment to “information, right to seek and publicize through any personal security and freedom of press”. At the moment when medium such opinions without any Nepal is close to achieving peace in the government-Maoist hindrance”. The Constitution of the Kingdom conflict, the media has a crucial role to play in facilitating a of Nepal also states that freedom of durable solution. In fact, the entire Nepalese media sector can expression is the basis of multi-party take pride in helping a peaceful settlement to the civil war. democracy and freedom of press is necessary However, the task of the Nepalese media has not ended. Now, as for the consolidation of democracy. However, the Code of Conduct is being announced by the government and in Nepal, they have made a mockery of the the Maoists, the media has to be vigilant about strict adherence constitutional right to press freedom. Direct to this code. interference continued to take place, sometime through the notices of the Defense I am confident the Nepalese media with the cooperation of all my Ministry and through similar requests from friends and colleagues will live up to the expectations of the the Home Ministry. Similarly, security people. And I am also sure our friends from the media sector in agencies and officials directly controlled the this region will continue to support our efforts to ensure dissemination of news and information, democracy, freedom and peace in our country.sometime not even revealing their identification. Mr. Gopal Prasad Thapaliya is Editor-in-Chief of Chhalphal

weekly, Nepal.More than 118 journalists were kept under

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Specifically, it was decided to recommend the holding of a SAFMA workshop for journalists working in the electronic media.

Here is the brief list of recommendations made by the committee:

! The committee was of the unanimous view that there should be no banning of TV channels of one country in another South Asian country. Such a ban, without any doubt, violates the very spirit of freedom of media.

! Restraints should be put on the tendency to indulge in chauvinistic and communal approach to coverage of contentious issues.

! It was felt that politics dominate the coverage of the electronic media and sufficient attention is not devoted to such areas as economy, culture and social development. This balance has to be corrected with an emphasis on human interest reporting.

! SAFMA should help bring the electronic media professionals together through its website and provide contacts that may be used in giving a balance to stories that relate to regional issues.

! Visa problems of electronic media teams are somewhat of a different nature as they have to travel in groups. SAFMA should extend assistance in this context.

! SAFMA should also help in the training of electronic media journalists for operating in high risk and hostile areas; furthermore, there is a need for all kinds

ince all the participants were electronic media of training of professionals. One idea professionals, the deliberations of the committee were discussed was to provide internships in well-focused and pertinent to the subject. The committee S other countries to promote mutual

dealt with cross border issues. It reviewed the entire electronic understanding.media scene and noted the remarkable surge of private

! It was suggested that joint productions television channels in South Asia. An important element of this part icularly in the f ie ld of TV trend is the increasing domination of 24hour news channels. It documentaries, should be encouraged.was felt that due recognition should be given to electronic

media by SAFMA, ensuring more participation of radio & TV ! Considering the great benefits that can be

professionals.drawn from the electronic media technology, it was suggested that all The participants of the meeting reviewed the state of SAFMA events should be covered on professionalism in the domain of electronic media at a time when Betacam digital format and CDs should the proliferation of news channels has inspired hectic be provided to all the delegates.competition. This competition has the capacity of breeding

sensationalism and often, events are unnecessarily dramatized. ! It was pointed out that Sri Lanka is at the

The participants also talked about the great social responsibility edge of satellite footprints and does not

of the electronic media because of the massive impact that it can normally receive all signals. SAFMA may

have on the minds of millions of viewers and listeners. contact the relevant authorities to look

Consequently, it was suggested that SAFMA should make a into the problem.

special effort to study the role that the electronic media plays.

,

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