JKYJA presented paper on the topic ‘Human Rights Abuses and Role of Media’ at a seminar

Role of foreign Media in Kashmir unsatisfactory: Bilal Bashir Bhat

Srinagar, Dec 08: In view of Human Rights week organized by Hurriyat (M), the Jammu and Kashmir Young Journalists Association (JKYJA) today presented the paper on the topic ‘Human Rights Abuses and Role of Media’ during a seminar held at Hurriyat Hqts Rajbagh Srinagar.
In this connection, senior member and treasurer to JKYJA Mr. Bilal Bashir Bhat readout the paper on the said topic. During his speech Bilal Bashir Bhat said that Human rights abuses are day to day issue in Kashmir, ranging from Mass Killings, Forced Disappearances, Rapes, Encounter Killings, Torture, Using of deadly Pellet Gun and Pepper Gas.
“Sources estimate the troop presence in the Kashmir at close to 700,000. That is equal to a ratio of 1 soldier for every 20 civilians, perhaps the highest soldier to civilian ratio in the world.” He added.
While speaking to a mammoth gathering the Editor-in-Chief Kashmir based News portal ‘Only Kashmir’ Bilal Bashir Bhat said despite all these Violations, the irony is that Indian Media failed to figure out the true picture of Kashmir, although Human Rights Organizations, both local as well as international, the general reader does not get any such picture of the situation from the mainstream Indian press.  So it can be easily concluded that Indian press has never tried to figure out the true picture of Kashmir.
“It was August 2008, when millions of People assembled at Srinagar’s Historical Eidgah towards the “EidGah Chalo” call instead of fleshing this event as the Breaking News the Indian Media was busy to make some debates over the slipping of Indian Actress Katrina Kaif from motor bicycle.
The role of press always plays an important role for the settlement of every issue, but unfortunately as like the 90 Thousand people the Kashmir based press also disappeared from Television since after 2008 agitation. I’m sorry to direct, leaving Two to Five no Newspaper in Kashmir reserves more than 300 circulations per issue.”
The means of modern communication, Internet, SMS services also felt to the long pending Kashmir dispute. It is pertinent to mention here the SMS services have been barred in Kashmir since 2010. The freedom of speech has turned the nightmare for the people of Valley. It is Kashmir where on a post on Social Networking sites can put someone behind the bars.
It is a bitter truth that once upon a time household names in Kashmir, International Media Agencies like BBC, Reuters, Associated Press and AFP, Voice of Germany have loosed the attention in Kashmir.  The Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar who remained one of the busiest media capitals in India and World for nearly two decades, today the media organizations have shut their bureaus. International publications and outlets like TIME, Guardian, The Times, The New York Times, Al Jazeera and some Arab newspapers are also not showing much interest in picking up news from Kashmir.
However it is said where there is a will there is a way, the Electronic Media in Kashmir particularly after 2008-10 agitation has introduced a new way to reach to the people of world. As per this writer’s survey Kashmir reserves almost 10-14 News portals working thought-out the days to enlighten the masses of globe the real happenings in Kashmir, that too without any financial support.
“It is true that the Press has to guard its freedom zealously and should brook no interference from the government in a democracy. A subservient Press will sound the death-knell of democracy. But in a situation as it prevails in the Valley the question only arises here where the freedom of Press is?” Bilal questioned.
Among others the seminar was attended by all the senior members of JKYJA which includes, Ajaz ibn Yousuf, Ramez Makhdoomi, Tauseef Mir, Faizan Bhat, Shazaad Hamdani,Meer Kaiser and others.  
The seminar which was convened by APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq saw participation of human right defenders, general public, Hurriyat leaders including Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Er Hilal Ahmad War, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Musadiq Adil, Javaid Ahmad Mir, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Syed Saleem Geelani, Hakeeem Ab. Rashid, Imtiyaz Reshi, Adv Aijaz Ahmad, and others.