Every facet of civil society in Kashmir has been hit hard by the turn of events since 1990. The ‘resistance movement’ impacted every discipline of opinion and Srinagar based press could not be an exception. There is no harm in progress and expansion in the constituency of well informed journalism. But there is every reason to remain concerned when one notices the number of news paper titles and the army of journalists that sprang up along other disciplines of politics and militancy in the last 19 years. How do the various titles sneak into the market and who finances a number of undesired journalist is an enigma. Marshalling of fixed opinions and the need to play a non Kashmiri dulcimer is a tragedy.
There is hardly a Srinagar based news paper title (with one or two exceptions) which has independent correspondents based in various parts of Kashmir or in India and Pakistan. Others in the trade act like ‘fly-by-night’ interest groups. I shall dwell upon how our ignorant press continues to misinform and harm the just cause of the people of Kashmir.
The UN General assembly met on Thursday 12 November for its annual joint debate on the question of the equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. The Assembly had before it a Note A/64/300 by the United Nations Secretary General under Article 12, paragraph2, of the Charter of the United Nations. The Note set out the matters of which the Council is seized. The Assembly also had before it a Report of the Security Council (A/64/2), covering the period between 1 August 2008 and 31 July 2009.
In Part II, the questions considered by the Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security are reviewed. These include items relating to the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question; the situation in Somalia, Afghanistan, and other geographic areas around the world; United Nations peacekeeping operations, the protection of civilians in armed conflicts; threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts; and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
One does not need to overstretch one’s honesty of observation in making a finding that there is no mention of Kashmir (India-Pakistan Question) in Part II of the Security Council Report A/64/2. Among other countries India and Pakistan took part in the debate on Security Council Report. MANISH TEWARI spoke on behalf of India and AMJAD HUSSAIN B. SIAL spoke on behalf of Pakistan.
It is discomforting as a conscientious citizen of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that Srinagar based press created a false hype that Pakistan raised the question of Kashmir during its debate on the report of UN Security Council. Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) floated a phrase which is nowhere found in the statement of Pakistani representative AMJAD HUSSAIN B. SIAL made during the debate. A section of Srinagar based press ran riot to make this untrue quote the headline for the people surrounded by mountains and without access to the flood of verifiable information floating on the internet.
The actual quote from AMJAD HUSSAIN B. SIAL’s speech states “Major unresolved issues, including in his region, remained asleep on the agenda of the Security Council. With issues on the active agenda, particularly on the Middle East, the Council abdicated its role.” There is a clear reference to Middle East and no direct reference to Kashmir. Egypt’s delegate, spoke on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and reiterated the African position. He too or any other member of UN did not make any reference to Kashmir.
It is callous of our Srinagar based press if it calls this quote as “an obvious reference to the decades-old Indo-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir”. International support is always direct and unambiguous. It is never left to any obvious or embedded reference. International diplomacy is not left to a look for yourself and find for yourself attitude. Your reference has to be brief and compelling. As compared to Sial, the Indian representative was more direct and forceful when he asserted that “the luxury of inaction was not an option that was available to the collective will of humanity represented by the Assembly.”
Pakistan had the opportunity to address the question of Kashmir under Part I of the UN SC Report which concerned all activities relating to all questions considered by the Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. These include resolutions adopted by the Council, statements made or issued by the Council President, and reports of Security Council missions. UNMOGIP and UNCIP remain one of these missions of UN Security Council. No minor or major effort was made by the Pakistan representative within the opportunity available to address Kashmir during the debate. One is reminded of Musharraf’s Presidency when Kashmiri leaders in lieu of their stipends decided to sell the out of box formula on Kashmir. Kashmiri press in Srinagar seems to have taken upon to find references to Kashmir in a UN debate which in fact does not bear any reference to Kashmir.
A free and well informed press is looked at as the character of a nation. Kashmir has lost grace and credence in all disciplines of life. Politics has turned into a resourceful and lucrative commodity. One has to remain concerned that we do not lose all grace lock, stock and barrel. If we can’t sustain a free, well informed and forward looking press in Kashmir, it would be cheaper and profitable to return to a cyclostyled fact sheet practice.
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