So the Kashmir conflict has consumed yet another noble soul – Shujaat Bukhari. Dastardly murder of this veteran journalist has vetted the report of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) that Jammu and Kashmir continues to pose serious challenges for journalism. At the same time, this brutal act also reveals deteriorating press freedom in the state, particularly in the Kashmir valley.
Even as every community has its own problems, it’s the journalist community here which is caught between the devil and deep sea. Covering the incidents in conflict situation has made the role of journalists like walking on a razor’s edge. In this kind of a situation prevailing here for the past three decades, journalists have been subjected to humiliation, harassed, beaten to pulp and even got killed at the hands of unidentified gunmen as happened with Shujaat.
Precisely, our journalist community has remained 24×7 vulnerable to the danger of losing their lives as they have been soft targets of the players driving the world’s most complicated armed conflict. And, it has always been a double edged sword for them when reporting Kashmir affairs.
Role of a journalist in a conflict zone is not a normal activity. It’s loaded with more responsibilities. Being a student of journalism, I have found objectivity a great journalistic buzzword and we have been taught to give all sides a fair hearing. In a situation that prevails in Kashmir, where human rights violations remain a great concern, the fairness doctrine does not apply equally to victims and perpetrators. However, at the end of the day, our journalists reporting the conflict have mostly tried to be as accurate and honest as possible in one’s assessment of a given situation than to pretend that one is being objective.
There have been emotional pressures on the journalist community in Kashmir acting as interventionists, as they have been regularly working in a situation surrounded by misery and destruction during these year of conflict. They have a responsibility to come to terms with their own responsibility as the eyes and ears of their audience, providing them with the accurate and honest information that will allow them to move from being spectators to violence, to actors in the resolution and prevention of the current violent conflict.
Here, let me share an experts’ arguments which state that ‘bystanders play a role in propagating genocide – and journalism is, in fact, an institutionalized bystander of the world. If journalists do not act, they are contributing to the violence of the world.’
Meanwhile, it is to be understood that freedom of press is a cornerstone of human rights and holds government responsible for its acts. This freedom advances knowledge and understanding and helps peoples everywhere. It’s an absurd argument if press freedom is projected a threat to peace and progress. This is the language of powerful and of those who allow only their own voice to be heard.
Today, these are in fact very difficult times for our journalist community. They have to insulate themselves against the disinformation and propaganda campaigns triggered by unscrupulous elements. As a student of media I have learnt that media, be it print or electronic, often plays a key role in conflict situations. When it takes an active part in the conflict by staying independent and out of the conflict, it contributes to the resolution of conflict and alleviation of violence.
Lastly, it would not be out of place to mention that the kind of misreporting and twisted analysis of ground situation by a section of national media – both print and electronic -has complicated the job of local journalists who are covering the conflict on ground. The national media (not all of them) have mostly failed to provide a sustainable social support through the means of information to the people engulfed in the imbroglio here. Precisely, their reporting has most of the times been defamatory, malicious and corrupted.
In other words, it’s simply ‘churnalism’- a practice which does not care or observe moral obligations in their reports and analysis. Thus, misinforming general masses through their biased interpretation.
Here, it is the responsibility of those at the helm to put a check on this kind of ‘patriotic’ journalism which has an impact on the functioning of local journalists.
Meanwhile, our journalist community needs a strong customized social security set up. Let the state government begin with a special focus on the welfare of the men associated with media and announces a free accidental insurance cover to all journalists working in J&K.
(The views are of the author & not the institution he works for)