exactly as received**
To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), mediamonitor@fnjnepal.org
15 June 2007
Kathmandu, Nepal
FNJ submits memorandum to Pakistani Embassy
Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) along with other media rights
organizations of Nepal submitted memorandum to Pakistani Embassy today at
Narayangopal Chowk, Kathmandu.
The memorandum was submitted as a call to safeguard press freedom in
Pakistan. FNJ secretary general Mahendra Bista handed over the memorandum
to a guard at the Embassy as the officials there denied to accept it and
the FNJ team was not allowed in the Embassy premises.
The memorandum expressed deep concern over the increasing dangers faced by
journalists in Pakistan and the growing restraints on the functioning of
the media in the country. It was submitted as a part of International Day
of Action called by International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
Shiva Gaunle, FNJ vice president, Hemanta Kafle, treasurer and Gopal
Thapaliya, president of SAFMA Nepal also participated in the program.
(The memorandum to Pakistani Embassy is also attached here)
June 15, 2007
Honourable Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Dear President Musharraf
Call to Safeguard Press Freedom in Pakistan
I am writing to you on behalf of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, to
express our deep concern over the increasing dangers faced by journalists
in Pakistan and the growing restraints on the functioning of the media in
the country.
In this letter which is dated the day before the one-year anniversary of
when the body of Pakistan journalist Hayatullah Khan was found dumped with
bullet wounds in North Waziristan, we fear there have been far too many
targeted attacks on journalists and their family members, not to mention
ongoing open threats and intimidation, to deter them from their
professional pursuits. To cause further worry is that there is still no
public release on the investigation of Khan's death led by High Court
Justice Mohammed Reza Khan, despite it being completed six months ago.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), during an international
mission they led in February this year, highlighted four cases of
journalists killed since mid-2006, two cases of journalists' immediate kin
being targeted, not to mention innumerable cases of coercion and
intimidation, including kidnapping and torture.
(http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=4679&Language=EN)
In particular, journalism in the tribal regions is at a critical point, and
the journalists facing extreme danger on a daily basis need action from
your Government to provide support and security and to swiftly investigate
and bring to justice those that attack journalists and their families.
We also call on your Government to step up all investigations and judicial
cases for murders and attacks on journalists.
Most recently:
Dr. Noor Hakim Khan, vice-president of the Tribal Union of Journalists was
one of five men killed when a targeted bomb exploded on the vehicle he was
travelling in the northwestern Bajaur tribal agency.
Journalist Hadayatullah was abducted only a week ago.
Journalist Nasrullah Afredi has been subject to threats from extremist
group Lashkar-e-Islami.
Journalists in the tribal regions are the most vulnerable. Many are now
forced to resign from their profession due to the ongoing threats they and
their families face.
Most disturbing is the impunity that is afforded those that attack,
threaten and kill journalists.
For instance, in the murder case of Munir Sangi, the brother of journalist
Handi Sango of the regional TV channel KTN, it has been reported that
police and the Unar tribe are exerting pressure on the family to withdraw
the case.
Yet in the face of this culture of impunity for killers of journalists,
journalists themselves are being arrested and prosecuted, such as the
sedition case against Mukesh Rupeta and Sanjay Kumar, reporter and
cameraman for Geo TV.
We are also alarmed at reports from news sources that political bodies,
often linked to your government, are the ones responsible in generating
fear and concern amongst journalists. For instance, the Mohajir Rabita
Council (MRC) an affiliate of the Mottahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - a
political party aligned with your government - has since released a list of
twelve journalists, who were identified as ethnic and linguistic
"chauvinists" and "enemies". This list includes some senior office-bearers
of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), an IFJ affiliate. The
subsequent discovery of bullets wrapped in brown paper envelopes in the
cars of three Karachi journalists on May 29, of whom two had been named in
the MRC list, has engendered a real and terrifying sense of insecurity
within Pakistan's media community.
Due to these mounting risks on the personal safety of journalists, we call
for the Pakistan government to take immediate and imperative action to
provide a secure environment for all Pakistan media personnel to work in.
Along with these grave concerns for the safety of journalists in Pakistan,
we feel that there is undoubtedly a rising trend of intolerance for media
freedom in Pakistan.
Although we acknowledge your announcement last Saturday June 9 to withdraw
the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Ordinance
2007 (and instead require broadcasters to curtail themselves by
self-regulation in the form of a code of conduct), a law which we consider
would be a serious curtailment for the electronic media in Pakistan to
operate freely, we are still deeply troubled by a clear pattern of
intimidation towards the media in the country.
The most recent manifestation of this comes in the form of a prohibition of
live coverage of events involving the suspended chief justice of Pakistan,
Mr Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. We have learnt that within hours of the
amended PEMRA ordinance being decreed on June 4, two major TV channels -
Aaj TV and Geo TV were blacked out - the former almost nationwide and the
latter in the cities of Lahore and Islamabad.
We are convinced that this issue is an undesirable fallout of the
snowballing political crisis involving Mr Chaudhry and you Mr Musharraf,
the Pakistan army chief and president. To impose these totally unwarranted
curbs on the media in the context, conforms to the classic - and ultimately
self-defeating - practice of blaming the messenger.
The first indication that your government intended to use the PEMRA to
restrain the live coverage of certain events, came from a statement by the
Pakistan Information Minister, Mr Mohammad Ali Durrani. This explicit
statement of intent came a day after your address to a military garrison in
the town of Jehlum, when you suggested that the PEMRA's powers of
enforcement could be used to restrain "unbalanced reporting and
presentation".
Your warning that all Pakistanis must respect the country's armed forces,
was also repeated by the Information Minister the following day. We believe
that with the debate on the role of the uniformed services in
administration being a live issue in Pakistan, this is an effort by you as
the President to place yourself above and beyond legitimate expressions of
political dissent.
We have learned from reports that the Pakistan Government had sought on May
12, to stop the live coverage of a rally in Karachi involving Mr Chaudhry,
but failed. As an affiliate body of the IFJ, we are deeply disturbed that
there has been no effort since that day of mayhem on the streets of
Karachi, to charge those responsible for an outrageous attack on the
offices of Aaj TV, the first news channel to report that armed vigilantes
belonging to the Mottahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were responsible for much
of the violence.
We realise there have been instances where you have listened to the
public's outcry. For instance, we are relieved to hear that the Pakistan
government intervened to drop the charges made against approximately 200
individuals, including senior journalists and members of the PFUJ, during a
protest demonstration in Islamabad. We nevertheless are deeply troubled
that these individuals were charged in the first place for allegedly
violating prohibition orders. For Pakistan to be free and democratic, we
urge the Pakistan government to support the right for their people to have
the freedom to express their beliefs and views by removing repugnant laws
which prohibit them from doing this, such as protesting in public.
We urge the Pakistan government to explicitly distance itself from the
coercive methods that have been employed by its friends and foes alike. We
call upon you, President Musharraf, to take the initiative to rebuild
trust, so that the media in Pakistan is at liberty to pursue its calling
with the appropriate sense of commitment and purpose.
We believe that the working conditions in the Pakistan media have
deteriorated to a point where a clear and unequivocal message of solidarity
from the worldwide community of journalists is called for.
We therefore fully endorse the PFUJ calls for the prompt institution of
comprehensive "safety measures" for journalists. These could include, as
immediate measures, (1) life insurance for all journalists, photographers
and cameramen; (2) safety training for which international groups could be
invited to familiarise local bodies with global best practices; (3)
provision of flak jackets and helmets for all journalists sent into
conflict zones; and (4) complete medical cover for regular staff of
established newspapers, agencies and channels.
We also call on the Pakistan government to exert more pressure on media
owners to immediately implement the 7th Wage Award which will grant fairer
pay to media personnel - an act which should have been ordered since 2001.
Job insecurity is increasing as a result of the poor and unacceptable pay
conditions for Pakistan journalists and in order for the media industry to
prosper and inform its public of the news, this must be executed.
Overall, it is time your government step up to become a supportive ally of
the Pakistan media, and assist them in tackling the intensifying challenges
which are pushing them to a point of dire crisis.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Bishnu Nisthuri
President
Federation of Nepalese Journalists
On behalf of the entire media community in Nepal
**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole
responsibility of FNJ**
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