October 18, 2006
To SAMSN members and friends
Welcome to the South Asia Media Solidarity Network's (SAMSN) monthly e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on Monday November 20, 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 group of journalists' trade unions, press freedom organisations and journalists in South Asia who have agreed to work together to support 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, 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. International Mission in response to deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka
2. Editors’ mission, Sri Lanka, October 23-25
3. Sri Lanka training for gender equity, October 19-22
4. Journalist stabbed to death in Bangladesh
5. Missing journalist in Afghanistan
6. Afghanistan marks two years of democracy
7. Child relatives of journalists murdered in Pakistan
8. October 8 one year on: Pakistan’s devastating earthquake
9. Conflict journalism trainings in Pakistan and India
10. IFJ calls for ‘new media vision’ in India
11. Indian journalists at television station attacked
12. India HIV/AIDS workshops in Chennai and Bangalore
13. Nepalese journalists killed in helicopter crash
14. Union management and leadership training in Nepal
15. Two-day summit on gender equity in media, Kathmandu
16. Russian Union of Journalists call for solidarity
17. IFJ Executive Committee in Brussels, IFJ Congress in Moscow
18. Asian Centre for Journalism offers 15 fellowships for journalists
19. Latest South Asia protests
1. International Mission in response to deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka
The IFJ participated in the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression Advocacy Mission to Sri Lanka from October 9 to 11. The Mission, which comprised of 5 high-profile members, was convened in response to the deteriorating safety and press freedom situation in the country. The mission released a statement on October 11 in the name of 12 international press freedom and journalist organisations, calling for all stakeholders in Sri Lanka to act immediately to allow the full and free flow of information, and immediately halt acts of censorship, attacks and murders of journalists and media workers. To view the statement visit www.ifj-asia.org.
2. Editors’ mission, Sri Lanka October 23-25
The IFJ is coordinating a mission of senior editors from South Asia to visit Sri Lanka from October 23-25. The mission's objectives are to highlight the situation facing journalists, show solidarity and to advocate for respect for independent media and safety in meetings with senior editors, government and military. It will also include discussions with senior editors on the challenges facing independent media in this time of conflict. The Mission, organised by the IFJ and its affiliates in Sri Lanka, along with the Centre for Policy Alternatives, is supported by IMPACS-AusAID-CIDA-funded Voices of Reconciliation Program (VOR). Contact ifj@ifj-asia.org for more.
3. Sri Lanka training for gender equity, October 19-22
Also part of the VOR project, the IFJ developed a module on gender equity in media and will train women journalists from around the Island in a four-day train the trainer workshop on October 19-22 in Kandy, to develop a corps of women journalism trainers (skilled in training, facilitation, campaign skills and public speaking). The trainers, together with CPA, will conduct two-day trainings in gender equity at their own locations. This workshop follows the meeting in Sri Lanka in July of women from five local journalists organisations and where the women’s network was established. Contact ifj@ifj-asia.org.
4. Journalist stabbed to death in Bangladesh
On September 14, Bellal Hossain Dafadar, correspondent of the Khulna-based daily newspaper Janabani died in hospital after being attacked and stabbed by up to five assailants. Bellal Hossain Dafadar, 38, was returning home on a bicycle from a local bazaar at around 7pm when his assailants stopped him at Pinchhlapole and stabbed him, leaving him critically injured. A half-day hartal, or day of protest, led by the Kalarao Reporters’ Club, was observed peacefully in Kalara Upazila town on September 20, protesting Bella’s murder and demanding the arrest and punishment of his killers. Visit
5. Missing journalist in Afghanistan
The IFJ described the kidnapping of Italian photojournalist Gabriele Torsello as an appalling attack on journalists’ rights and called for his immediate release. Torsello reportedly made a phone call on October 15 to the hospital in Lashgar Gah, saying he had been kidnapped and did not know where he was. Torsello's travelling companion Gholam Mohammad has reportedly confirmed that Torsello had been seized by gunmen. A Taliban spokesman claims the photojournalist was being held by a criminal group. Subsequently, a group contacted aid workers to say Torsello was "fine" and that ransom demands would be made soon. For more information visit www.ifj-asia.org.
6. Afghanistan marks two years of democracy
On the second anniversary of democratic elections in Afghanistan on October 9, the IFJ called on the government of Afghanistan to take immediate action to put an end to the violence and attacks against journalists, and censorship of the media. Four journalists have been killed since democracy was achieved, and violence against journalists is a common method used to silence independent voices. Just days before, two German journalists were killed in Afghanistan on October 6. On October 9, the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association and the Committee to Protect Afghan Journalists held protests in Kabul and four provinces. Visit http://www.ifj-asia.org for more on the campaign.
7. Child relatives of journalists murdered in Pakistan
In a terrifying turn of events, Bashir Khan, the child brother of slain journalist Hayatullah Khan was reported murdered on September 25. According to the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Bahir’s murder appeared to be a message to his family who had been active in trying to expose Hayatullah Khan’s killers. Bashir Kahn is the second child in a month apparently murdered to target a journalist or a journalist’s relatives, after the murder of BBC correspondent Dilawar Khan’s 16-year-old brother in August. Visit www.ifj-asia.org for more.
8. October 8 one year on: Pakistan’s devastating earthquake
October 8 marked the one-year anniversary of the horrific earthquake in South Asia, which wreaked havoc mostly on Kashmir. The devastating quake, which killed over 73,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million, had its epicentre in Northern Pakistan. Over 50 journalists in Balakot, Muzzafarabad, Karachi and Islamabad were killed, injured or made homeless. Former President of the Karachi Press Club and active member of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Mr Nizam Siddiqui, released his book on the earthquake "Porters of Grief and Hope” on October 8. Visit www.pfuj.info for more.
9. Conflict journalism trainings in Pakistan and India
Under the USIP-supported project “Bridging the Divides”, the PFUJ and the All India Newspaper Employees Federation (AINEF) will hold four conflict training workshops throughout November in Pakistan and India. Uniquely, the workshops will be co-led by one Pakistani journalist and one Indian journalist. The workshops are in Srinagar and Delhi in India and Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan. Under the IFJ project, a train the trainer workshop was held in June/July in Pakistan to train a pool of Indian and Pakistani journalists in training techniques. These trainers are now delivering the two-day journalism workshops. Contact ifjsouthasia@hotmail.com for more information.
10. IFJ calls for ‘new media vision’ in India
The IFJ has called on the Government of India to provide a strategic vision of the future of the country’s media in the face of what it describes as a “growing and profound” crisis within Indian journalism. In a letter to the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on October 11, the IFJ said that action is urgently needed to manage the dramatic expansion of media, which local unions says is putting unprecedented pressure on journalism. The IFJ’s affiliates in India – the National Union of Journalists (India) (NUJI), the Indian Journalists’ Union (IJU) and the AINEF – warn that media working conditions are deteriorating and thousands of journalists exist in perilous employment conditions. Visit www.ifj.org for more.
11. Indian journalists at television station attacked
IFJ affiliate, the IJU, reported a degrading attack on the NE TV station office and staff by members of the Youth Congress on October 12 in Assam, India. According to the IJU, a group of workers gathered outside the station and yelled abuse at NE TV journalist Manoranjana Sinh and her husband, a former central minister, Matang Singh, for broadcasting a story on the issuance of a non-bailable warrant for Youth Congress chief, Rekiduddin Ahmed. The Youth Congress workers reportedly violently harassed Sinh, threatening to tear off her clothes and refusing to let her exit the building. See www.ifj-asia.org/ for more details.
12. India HIV/AIDS workshops in Chennai and Bangalore
The LOTCO-supported Reporting HIV/AIDS project will see two one-day Reporting HIV/AIDS workshops held in India in October and November. The first, in Chennai on October 26, is hosted by the NUJI. The second, on November 5 in Bangalore, is hosted by the AINEF. The local trainers who will be conducting these workshops were trained by the IFJ in Hyderabad in June, where all three India IFJ affiliates had journalists trained in training techniques, with a focus on delivering the IFJ’s one-day Reporting HIV/AIDS training module. For more information, visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/hivaids.html
13. Nepalese journalists killed in helicopter crash
A World Wildlife Fund chartered helicopter crashed in bad weather on September 23 killing all 24 passengers including NTV journalist Hem Bhandari and NTV cameraman Sunil Singh. The IFJ sent its condolences to the family and friends of Bhandari and Singh and the rest of the passengers who lost their lives in this tragic accident. Visit www.ifj-asia.org for more.
14. Union management and leadership training in Nepal
IFJ trainer Emma Walters will conduct a two-day union management and leadership training workshop for the executive and staff of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ). The workshop, part of a two-year Danida-funded project aimed at building the capacity of the FNJ, will be held in Kathmandu on November 14-15. The workshop will focus on the practicalities of effective governance and management of a journalist organisation, including the role of the board, governance, finances and fees, membership systems and internal democracy. For more information contact emma.walters@ifj-asia.org.
15. Two-day summit on gender equity in media, Kathmandu
The FNJ is organising a two-day Gender Equity in Media Summit in Kathmandu on November 15-16. The meeting, is part of a project funded by the European Commission. The summit will look at women’s and children’s representation in media, and make recommendations for a code of practice for reporting women’s and children’s issues in Nepal. The meeting will also focus on women’s participation and representation in journalists’ organisations. It will develop a strategy and action plan to address these issues and an agreed charter on gender equity in media. For more information contact ifjsouthasia@hotmail.com.
16. Russian Union of Journalists call for solidarity
The Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) has called for solidarity from journalists’ organisations across the world in expressing outrage and horror at the brutal killing of crusading Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya. The RUJ plans to run a special commemoration of Politkovskaya in the next issue of Obshaya Gazeta (The Common Newspaper), which is published jointly by the editorial staff of newspapers across Russia. The RUJ are calling on all IFJ affiliates to send their logo to be published with the article as a show of international solidarity. Please send logos to ruj@ruj.ru (copy to: tatiana@gdf.ru) by October 24, 2006.
17. IFJ Executive Committee in Brussels, IFJ Congress in Moscow
The IFJ Executive Committee will meet in Brussels on November 18-19. The Executive Committee meets twice-yearly and provides policy direction for the Federation between the three-yearly IFJ Congress. The last Congress was held in Athens in May 2004, and the next one will be held in Moscow on May 28 – June 3, 2007. Resolutions from IFJ affiliates need to be submitted to the secretariat five months before the Congress (six months in the case of constitutional changes). The Executive Committee meeting will be preceded by the Administrative Committee and the Gender Council Steering Committee. For further information, contact ifj@ifj-asia.org.
18. Asian Centre for Journalism offers 15 fellowships for journalists
The Konrad Adenauer Asian Centre for Journalism is offering 15 fellowship grants to outstanding working journalists interested in pursuing the Master of Arts in Journalism at the Ateneo starting school year 2007-2008. The fellowships are given to full-time staff members of a news organisation in Asia. Applicants are screened on the basis of their professional and academic record, proven commitment to journalism and leadership qualities. The grants cover full tuition and costs of travel, accommodation and books, among others. Applications for the fellowship grant will be accepted until October 31, 2006. Visit http://acfj.ateneo.edu or email newsroom@admu.edu.ph.
19. Latest South Asia protests
India: IFJ condemns attacks on journalists at television station in India – 18/10/2006
Afghanistan: Fears for Italian journalist kidnapped in southern Afghanistan – 16/10/2006
Sri Lanka: International Fact-Finding and Advocacy Mission to Sri Lanka – 11-10/2006
Bangladesh: IFJ demands police protection for beaten journalist in Bangladesh - 11/10/2006
India: Irresponsible act leaves six journalists injured in India – 28/09/2006
Nepal: IFJ calls for greater protections for journalists in Nepal- 28/09/2006
Bangladesh: Stabbing murder of journalist sickening - 22/09/2006
Pakistan: Latest missing journalist another dreadful black mark for Pakistan - 22/09/2006
Pakistan: Pakistan government has failed its people - 18/09/2006
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.
Jacqueline Park
Emma Walters
Pi James
Laxmi Murthy
IFJ Asia-Pacific
SAMSN Members
Afghan Independent Journalists' Union, Afghanistan
Bangladesh Journalists' Rights Forum (BJRF), Bangladesh
Dhaka Reporters' Unity, Bangladesh
All India Newspapers Employees' Federation (AINEF), India
Indian Journalists' Union (IJU), India
National Union of Journalists India (NUJI), India
Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Nepal
National Union of Journalists Nepal (NUJN), Nepal
Nepal Press Union (NPU), Nepal
CEHURDES, Nepal
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Pakistan
Pakistan Press Foundation, Pakistan
Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Sri Lanka
Federation of Media Employees' Trade Unions (FMETU), Sri Lanka
Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF: Human Rights Journalists Forum of Bangladesh)
Media Watch, Bangladesh
