Date: May 11, 2002 Center for Indic
Studies, University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth
PRESS RELEASE
For what may be termed as a historical
event on April 26, a Panel Discussion on Media Coverage of Terrorism in
India and Pakistan, Indian American community packed the First Amendment
Room at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. to listen to the panelists.
While descriptions varied, there was unanimity among panelists that the
media coverage, especially in India and Pakistan, needs improvement.
The Panel Discussion was sponsored
by the newly established Center for Indic Studies at the University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth, and was moderated by its Director, Professor Bal
Ram Singh.
The panel consisted of Ambassador
Dennis Kux, a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center of International
Scholars, Selig Harrison, a journalist turned scholar and Director of National
Security at the Center for International Policy, Professsor Romesh Diwan
of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Professor Chandrakant Panse, Director,
Media Watch group of Friends of India Society International, and Dr. Rita
Frenchman, Governing Body Member, American Association of Physicians of
India (AAPI).
Representative Frank Pallone, D-NJ,
who was to participate in the panel discussion could not make to the event,
but sent a three-page statement instead. "In this time of overwhelming
grief and reparation in the US, there are at least 53,000 families in Inda
that can comprehend the great suffering caused by terrorism in Kashmir.
Many communities, including Muslims, Sikhs and Pandits, have been tormented
by Pakistan-backed Islamic militants for decades. These terrorist acts
by Islamic militants in Kashmir have resulted in overwhelming numbers of
cold-blooded murders in an efforts to eliminate non-Muslims from Kashmir."
In his introductory remarks, Singh
said that although terrorism is being debated in the media it is a term
that needs a lot of explanation. It has very simple meaning terrorizing
people to promote a cause. "If terrorism is opposed, it can not be justified
by a cause." He pointed out several myths about terrorism, such as terrorism
is result of poverty, springs from the lack of democracy, or breeds in
territorial disputes. There are many examples of such situations (Tibet,
Taiwan, China, Koreas, etc) where terrorism is not resorted to solve the
problems.
Singh also asserted that "terrorism
is not religion-specific. There are people of various religion who are
involved in terrorism all over the world. The only difference being that
there are some religions which sanction, or are at least being used, and
that should be distinguished".
Selig Harrison, a veteran journalist
who is well versed with India and Pakistan said that the good news was
that the American press had finally discovered the ISI (Inter-Services
Intelligence - the Pakistani spy agency), particularly, the activities
of the ISI in the last stages of Soviet occupation of Afghan areas, providing
active support in bringing jehadis from all over the world and help them
to train as terrorists.
He pointed out that American media
did not really follow up even when the Indian airliner was hijacked a few
years ago, and all the evidence clearly pointed to the involvement of groups
supported by ISI. Harrison thought that American angle to the ISI activities
was brought forth when the case of Daniel Pearl came up. "Even so, the
nature of activities which ISI is carrying out in Kashmir has not been
the focus of the American media."
Ambassador Dennis Kux, who has had
diplomatic assignments both in India and Pakistan, thought the coverage
of South Asia in some national newspapers is pretty good. "I think it is
reasonably good, and when you have a big event as 9/11, the coverage on
Afghanistan and Pakistan, as of the Middle East, was terrific. There was
more reporting of Pakistan through the media than the state department.
There were more journalists there. At that point they started going below
the surface and get to know about the ISI."
Dr. Rita Frenchman, a physician
by profession but active in Indian community issues, however, thought that
the US media has never been honest in its coverage of India. "It tries
to find everything negative it can about India." She thought media in the
rest of the world, such as BBC, provides impartial and fairer coverage.
Dr. Frenchman believes that news agencies CNN, Fox News, etc., have to
echo US foreign policy. "But in the long-run it is only going to harm the
India-US relations." She felt that both US and India should work together
as "both countries have the same common enemy, Islamic fundamentalism."
The role of media in the effective
sustenance of a society was emphasized. Singh pointed out that "media is
on the three pillars in a modern functioning democracy." He said that media
has been institutionalized in the democratic system of governance. "Of
course, that gives a lot of power, but a lot of responsibility also. One
of the requirements of such responsibility is for them to be fair, balanced,
factual and truthful."
In this regard, Harrison retorted:
"I am afraid to say that the American media of that event (December 13
attack on the Indian parliament) did not reflect the magnitude of that
event. Particularly, I have been distressed by the fact that the way in
which this was covered did not define that fact that Lashkar-e-Taiba and
Jaish-e-Mohammed, which were identified by India as the groups responsible
for carrying out this event, groups which are primarily composed of Pakistanis."
Harrison thought the nature of the acuteness and seriousness of that event
was not accurately conveyed and more broadcast was needed.
Professor Chandrakant Panse, Director,
Media Watch project of Friends of India Society International, reminded
everyone of late Daniel Pearl, an adventurous, careful journalist who lost
his life to ISI, while discovering the role of the Pakistani agency in
terrorism. He cited New York Times and Boston Globe to point out that 4,000
Pakistani army officers were manning Kashmir desk of ISI. These officers
are reportedly being shifted, and media is not questioning as to what were
they doing for all these years? According to Panse the role of ISI in terrorism
is crystal clear.
Professor Diwan suggested that media
could play both positive and negative roles. He thought that even though
there are some good people in media, something is missing somewhere when
a story is picked up, and only part of the information is presented.
Diwan theorized that terrorism has
two two parties; terrorist and the victim. Terrorists have an intent for
their action but carry it out in a sneaky way, whereas antiterrorism action
is done openly. In his opinion, media must work hard to distinguish the
two action. Even though it is easier to report on the antiterrorist action,
media must go deeper in reporting evil designs of terrorists, their network,
and their ideology of hatred. "Media must not help terrorists by helping
them create the terror."
In case of India and Pakistan, Professor
Diwan thought, a distinction must be made between a free and democratic
society of India and a parochial and dictatorial society of Pakistan. He
pointed out a systematic terrorism in Pakistan practiced since its creation
in 1947. He cited ethnic cleansing as an evidence of this practice, as
the minority (Christian, Hindus and Sikhs) population in Pakistan has been
reduced from 23% in 1947 to 2% in about 50 years. He emphasized that Pakistan
has wiped out the entire minority population and the media has not informed
the public about it.
In Ambssador Kux's opinion though
there is a fair coverage of current events of terrorism in India and Pakistan
at least in major national newspapers (New York Times, Washington Post,
Los Angeles Times) of the US. He explained that the local media in US does
not cover anything beyond their local events. In the modern era of internet,
he thought anyone can get to read newspapers from all over the world, so
whether US media sources cover world's largest democracy or not should
not bother the Indian American community too much. He was also critical
of the TV culture of 10-second news spots which lack substantial discussion.
He challenged the Indian American
community to play a role in the education system of this country, "because
if you look at the curriculum in the high schools and colleges, where does
Asia fit in? You do not have much coverage in social science, or history,
or geography." He thought that lack the basic of knowledge about India
exists not in general but in the school system. Professor Singh in his
remarks emphasized that India should not be considered just another country,
especially in the United States which has been leader of the free world
for several decades. India has played a major role in promoting freedom
and pluralism for several thousands of years, and still is a continuously
living culture. "The media should examine India historically, geographically,
and socially in all possible ways." The evidence of India's importance
is in the fact that India is the only country in the whole history of the
world that has an ocean named after it. Even British who at one time had
such a vast empire that there was no sunset in their kingdom, but could
not have an ocean named after them.
Singh exhorted the media, especially
the Indian media, to present India's values of pluralism, tolerance, and
human rights, which resonate so well with those of the US, to the rest
of the world, not for the sake of India alone but for the sake of peace
in the entire world.
This Panel Discussion at the National
Press Club attracted print and electronic media, scores of Indian American
community members, and diplomats from both India and Pakistan, including
the Indian Ambassador at large, Honorable BK Agnihotri, who is based in
New York city.
Bal Ram Singh, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Indic Studies
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
Dartmouth, MA 02747
