Every year on the 3rd of May journalists all over the world celebrate
World Press Freedom Day to reiterate their commitments to fundamental
principles of press freedom and freedom of expression. As internal and
cross-border conflict continues across the world, journalism remains a
glamorous, yet one of the most risky professions. Altogether 78
journalists were killed in the year 2004 while covering violent
conflicts. Twenty-three journalists were killed in Iraq alone.
Since the Philippines gained independence in 1986 some 56 journalists
have been killed there including 12 in 2004. More than 300 journalists
have been murdered in Latin America in the past 15 years; that is, at
the rate of more than 20 journalists every year. Under Castro's Cuba,
30 journalists were slapped prison terms during a crackdown last year.
A World Press Freedom Day conference at the Frontline Club in London
on Tuesday will provide a forum to discuss challenges being faced by
the media personnel worldwide. The statistics are staggering: more
than 500 journalists have been murdered in the past decade. In 8 cases
out of 10, the killers walk free. The conference, organised by the
World Association of Newspapers (WAN), among others, will bring
together colleagues and family members of murdered journalists to
share their testimony.
Nepali Journalists, too, have been subjected to threats, arrests and
other untenable actions by both the government and insurgents over the
past year. The frequency and severity of such assaults have increased
in recent years. A number of journalists have been killed or made to
disappear. On 2 September 2004, Bijaya Mishra, a reporter with
Kantipur daily in Siraha received death threats from Maoists for
allegedly not reporting the arrest of a local Maoist leader. Mishra
was told he would suffer the same fate as journalist Dekendra Thapa
who was killed on 11 August.
Last year, the rebels brutally killed Dekendra Raj Thapa, a reporter
with the state-run Radio Nepal in Dailekh district. A Paris-based
press freedom watchdog, Reporters Without Borders said it was shocked
and revolted by this barbaric murder.
Another journalist, Gyanendra Khadka, with the government ne! ws
agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti , was killed by Maoists sometime back
at Jyamire in eastern Sindhupalchowk District. Maoists threatened to
kill 10 journalists in Dailekh and Achham districts. It is but obvious
that the insurgents would turn into a gang of criminals if they do not
correct their behaviour in time.
Nearly two months ago, a group of unidentified assailants entered
office of Dharan Today newspaper in the eastern district of Sunsari
and shot its editor Khagendra Shrestha. Shrestha later succumbed to
injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Siliguri,
India, Security officials blamed Maoists for the incident while the
insurgents haven't said anything in this regard as yet.
Despite such risks, media personnel put themselves under risk to
gather news. Daniel Pearl was a victim of terrorism. Daniel Pearl was
naive to think that he, a westerner, could wander into militant areas
in Pakistan in safety gathering news. Terrorists also kill or hold
journalists for ransom or for publicity. The threat of terrorism to
the freedom and independence of media can be both direct and indirect.
No one has ever been convicted of these killings and nobody has been
brought to justice. The deliberate targeting of journalists by those
who seek to prevent media from exposing their activities represents a
worrying trend in the world.
The continued violence directed towards media, including killings,
cannot be allowed to continue. The criminalization of politics,
violence of terrorists and rebel groups have all contributed to the
creation of a climate that legitimizes use of force against journa!
lists. A responsible press is also a self-regulated press. So, Media
can play an objective role in society and respect human security.
There can no longer be any excuses, no acceptable argument for killing
a journalist. Crime against journalist—who is also a human rights
defender-- is simply unacceptable.
---
Kamala Sarup is an editor of
http://peacejournalism.com/.
