Welcome to the South Asia Media Solidarity Network's (SAMSN) monthly e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on January 16, 2006 and inputs are most welcome. We encourage contributions: to let others know what you are doing; to seek solidarity and support from other SAMSN members; and to find out what others are doing in the region. To contribute, email ifj@ifj-asia.org
SAMSN is a grouping of journalists' trade unions, press freedom organisations and journalists in South Asia that have agreed to work together to support the freedom of expression and association in the region. SAMSN was formed at a meeting of these groups in Kathmandu in September 2004. The group agreed to stand in solidarity and work together for media reform, for an independent pluralist media and to build public respect for the work of journalists in the region.
For further information on SAMSN, visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/samsn.html
Please distribute this bulletin widely among colleagues in the media.
In this bulletin:
1. Journalist death toll in Asia hits 41
2. Mounting campaign to free Jennifer Latheef
3. Free Media in a Democratic Society
4. Clampdown on media freedoms in Jaffna
5. PFUJ protests against US plans to bomb Al Jazeera
6. Five missing journalists found in Pakistan
7. General media strike across Afghanistan
8. High Court allows release of Afghan editor held for blasphemy
9. Convention in Dhaka against journalists' repression
10. Journalists censored in Pakistan
11. Tolerance Prize Winners for South Asia announced
12. Nepal Media Alliance seminar
13. IFJ launches results of global survey into atypical work
14. IFJ report on journalists and media staff killed in 2005
15. Latest South Asia protests
1. Journalist death toll in Asia hits 41
The IFJ has declared safety as the priority for journalists working in Asia following the murder on December 17, of Fahim Ihsan, reporter for the Mazar Governmental Television in Afghanistan. This killing follows the shooting on December 4 of Nasir Afridi, journalist and president of Darra Adam Press Club in Pakistan, and the brutal murder on November 17 of Gautam Das in Bangladesh. These deaths bring the global death toll of journalists and media workers during 2005 to over 100, and the total for Asia to 41, with over half of these occurring in South Asia. For more information visit http://www.ifj-asia.org
2. Mounting campaign to free Jennifer Latheef
As Maldivian photojournalist Jennifer Latheef completes her third month in prison on charges of "terrorism", the international campaign for her release has intensified. Latheef is being held in abominable conditions in a prison on the island of Maafushi, 20 km out of the capital Mal?, and has been prevented from appealing against her detention. To mount pressure against the government of the Maldives, the organization, Friends of Maldives is targeting the archipelago's tourism industry (500,000 foreign visitors a year) and distributed more than 3,000 flyers about Latheef at last month's World Travel Market in London. On December 10, 2005, Friends of Maldives launched a campaign for tourists to boycott specific resorts in the Maldives that are linked to leading members of the regime. The list of resorts to avoid is available at http://www.friendsofmaldives.org.
3. Free Media in a Democratic Society
The IFJ and its affiliate in Australia, the Media Alliance, hosted a conference of international and Australian journalists on November 30 and December 1 to discuss attacks on press freedom around the world and the role of a free media in a democratic society. Speakers at the conference included Sunanda Deshapriya from the Free Media Movement in Sri Lanka and Siddharth Varadarajan, deputy editor, The Hindu from India. Approximately 100 Australian journalists attended the conference supported by the Myer Foundation. Visit http://www.alliance.org.au/freemediaconference.
4. Clampdown on media freedoms in Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Press freedom has suffered a setback in Jaffna following incidents of journalists being beaten and arrested and newspaper offices being searched. On December 19, government security forces assaulted three journalists covering a peaceful demonstration at Jaffna University. This followed the December 17 incident when three journalists from Tamil language daily Thinakkural were arrested despite having produced identity papers and press cards. On December 15, the editorial, administrative and press offices of the Tamil daily newspaper, Namathu Eelanaadu were searched by government military personal who conducted lengthy interrogations of staff. The media appears to have become a target as a direct result of the increase in violence due to the four daily Tamil newspapers in Jaffna, including the Namathu Eelanaadu's editorial support of Tamil nationalism, putting them in ideological opposition with the military. For more details see http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/sri_lanka.html.
5. PFUJ protests against US plans to bomb Al Jazeera
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) organised a protest against the alleged plan of the United States to bomb independent Arab TV station, Al Jazeera as reported by the British newspaper the Daily Mirror. The PFUJ has condemned the statement and called for the Pakistani Government to protect the Al-Jazeera offices in Pakistan and also provide security to its journalists and conduct a full investigation into the news report. Meanwhile on December 6, 2005, masked kidnappers abducted Hayatullah Khan, reporter for Urdu language daily Ausuf and photographer the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA). For more information see http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/pakistan.html.
6. Five missing journalists found in Pakistan
According to the PFUJ all journalists who were initially reported missing after the Pakistan earthquake on October 8, have been accounted for and are currently being treated for injuries in hospitals in Abbottabad and Muzzafarabad. The final death toll for the earthquake is estimated at 54,000 in the Kashmir region. Three journalists lost their lives as a result of the earthquake and close to 50 were injured or lost their homes. The IFJ has donated funds to victims from a special IFJ disaster relief fund set up partly with funds donated in memory of former IFJ senior vice president Gustl Glattfelder. For more information contact ifj@ifj-asia.org.
7. General media strike across Afghanistan
Afghan journalists have called for a general media strike, commencing Saturday December 24, across Afghanistan, to demand that the rule of law is upheld. The strike action will not cease until President Hamid Karzai ensures that there will be no further illegal punishment or prosecution of journalists in Afghanistan. Journalists emphasise the need for the enforcement of Article 34 of the Constitution, and Article 42 of the Mass Media Law, by the government and the judiciary.
8. High Court allows release of Afghan editor held for blasphemy
The Kabul High Court on December 21 allowed the release from jail of Ali Mohaqiq Nasab, editor of the magazine Haqoq-e-Zan (Women's Rights) after reducing a two-year sentence imposed for blasphemy. Nasab was convicted on October 22, 2005 for reprinting and commenting on articles by an Iranian scholar criticising the stoning of Muslims who convert to another religion and the use of corporal punishment for offences such as adultery. The High Court ruling came even as several Afghan religious groups were calling for Nasab to be sentenced to death for blasphemy. Blasphemy laws remain the greatest threat to journalists in Afghanistan, and the inability to protect the rights of journalists through the rule of law often results in self-censorship and an avoidance of reporting on important religious issues in the region.
9. Convention in Dhaka against journalists' repression
At a national convention organised by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), in Dhaka on 18 December 2005, participants swore upon the blood of 13 journalists who were killed during the last four years and vowed to establish freedom of expression in the country. On behalf of the family members of assassinated journalists, Asif Kabir, son of slain journalist Humayun Kabir Balu, inaugurated the 'National Convention against Repression on journalists Violence and Militancy' at the National Press Club. Participants also signed a 'Protest Memorandum'. The convention, earlier scheduled for November, had been cancelled by the government, and in response to the cancellation, the BFUJ staged a demonstration on November 11 at the National Press Club. For more information visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/bangladesh051111.html.
10. Journalists censored in Pakistan
Seven journalists continue to face charges in Pakistan under the censorship law, despite the Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui's repeated assurances that all cases against journalists would be dropped. Journalists with cases still against them include; Afzal Nadeem, a reporter for the daily Awam, Asad Ibne Hasa of the Daily News, Abdul Latif Abu Shamel and Yahya Bin Zakreya of the Weekly Friday Special, Mohammad Nasir Jehangiri of Zarb-e-Islam, Mohammad Tahir of the Weekly Wajood and Rasheed Channa. Visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/pakistan.html for more information.
11. Tolerance Prize Winners for South Asia announced
The winners of the IFJ Journalism for Tolerance prize for South Asia were announced for three categories: Dionne Bunsha, India (English-Print); Sharifuzzaman Pintu, Bangladesh (Language- Print) and Jagat Nepal, Nepal, (Broadcast). The jury comprised of eminent journalists from South Asia: Mr Narayan Wagle, editor, Kantipur, Kathmandu, Nepal; Mr Haroon Habib, senior journalist, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Mr Pankaj Singh, senior journalist, New Delhi, India; Ms CS Lakshmi, writer and director, Sound and Picture Archives for Research on Women, Mumbai, India; and Mr SG Punchihewa, senior journalist and lawyer, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize is about promoting tolerance, combating racism and discrimination and contributing to an understanding of cultural, religious and ethnic differences. For more details visit: www.ifj-asia.org.
12. Nepal Media Alliance seminar
The Media Alliance, Nepal, is organising a seminar of 'Key Actors' on January 6, 2006 bringing together more than 30 media organisations in the field of print and broadcasting media, trade unions, training institutes, and other media sectors. The seminar will discuss the direction of the media movement in Nepal. The main agenda will be unity, coordination, setting priorities and collective effort for the media movement in Nepal. The Media Alliance through the Independent News Service (INS) is running media campaigns and employing jobless journalists as well as providing support for editorial content for poor and small media.
13. IFJ launches results of global survey into atypical work
The IFJ thanks all affiliates who completed the survey on atypical work in the media industry. The survey results were presented to the IFJ Executive Committee meeting in Sydney. The survey is the first phase in a global research project being undertaken by the IFJ, with the support of the International Labour Organisation, to determine the impact of atypical work and produce strategies for combating the increased use of casual and/or contract labour. The survey found that employment in the media industry has become more precarious and less secure with a trend away from collective bargaining towards individual, short-term contracts. The complete survey report will be released in early February. For more information contact ifj@ifj-asia.org.
14. IFJ report on journalists and media staff killed in 2005
The IFJ is currently compiling its annual list of journalists and media staff killed during 2005 as a result of their work as journalists. The report will be released at a global launch in several locations on January 23. If you have any information or updates on cases of journalists or media workers killed during 2005 please send it through to ifj@ifj-asia.org and ifjsouthasia@hotmail.com.
15. Latest South Asia protests:
Sri Lanka: Press freedom suffers as violence accelerates in Jaffna, Sri Lanka - 22/12/2005
Afghanistan: Journalism: a dangerous profession in Afghanistan, says IFJ - 19/12/2005
Pakistan: IFJ deeply concerned over kidnapping of Pakistani journalist - 08/12/2005
Pakistan:Safety dominates journalists working lives in Asia following the death of a reporter in Pakistan - 05/12/2005
Nepal: Attack on FM Station in Nepal - 28/11/2005
Bangladesh: Journalist found murdered in his office in Bangladesh - 18/11/2005
If SAMSN members have any information on a press freedom violation, please make sure you immediately contact staff at IFJ Asia so action can be taken.
The IFJ Asia-Pacific office based in Sydney, Australia will be closed from December 23 until January 16, 2005 for the Christmas and New Year period. During this time if you need to contact IFJ Asia, please contact Laxmi Murthy ifjsouthasia@hotmail.com or IFJ headquarters in Brussels on ifj@ifj.org. The IFJ Asia staff would like to thank you all for your support this year and we send our best wishes and look forward to working with you all in 2006.
