Saturday 1 October 2016

Urge to De Escalate Tension

JOINT STATEMENT BY SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN JOURNALISTS

We, the undersigned, members of South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) condemn the escalating war hysteria in Pakistan and India, and all kinds of violence in word and deed.
We demand the governments and political leaders of both countries to play a responsible role.
We also urge our colleagues in the media to play their role as responsible journalists and work towards de-escalating rather than fanning tensions.
We acknowledge, appreciate and support the sane voices in both countries, including our colleagues in the media who are trying to shape a sensible narrative that rejects outright war and adheres to factual reporting rather than regurgitating militarized discourse.
Last, but as crucially, we assert that the undivided state of Jammu & Kashmir is not a piece of real estate to be jingoistically squabbled over, but concerns the lives and aspirations of the people who live there.
We urge upon both India and Pakistan to de escalate tensions and immediately begin the process of diplomatic engagement through dialogue to address their respective concerns. Kashmir and Kashmiris must be included in this process.
Signed:Jyoti Malhotra, Freelance Journalist, President SAWM India, New Delhi
Marvi Sirmed, Op Ed writer for Pakistan Today
Nirupama Subramanian, The Indian Express
Beena Sarwar, Editor, Aman ki Asha, Pakistan
Tanzeela Mazhar, Pakistan television
Muslim Jan, Editor at Media Department,University of Kashmir
Mannika Chopra, Independent Journalist, New Delhi
Bachi Karkaria, Columnist, Times of India, Mumbai
Arfa Khanum, Rajya Sabha TV, New Delhi
Farah Zia, Editor, The News on Sunday, Pakistan
Dr Syeda Afshana, Media Department, University of Kashmir
Sevanti Ninan, The Hoot, New Delhi
Najiba Ayubi. Killid Group Afghanistan
Dilrukshi Handunnetti, Consultant Editor, Weekend and Daily Express, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Anita Katyal, Freelance journalist, New Delhi
Nivedita Jha, Freelance Journalist, Vice President, SAWM India, Patna
Teresa Rehman, Managing Editor, Thumbprint, Treasurer, SAWM India, Guwahati
Nasim Zehra, Journalist, Islamabad
Shuma Raha, Independent Journalist, New Delhi
Ramya Kannan, The Hindu, Chennai
Madhumita Datta, Ebela, Kolkata
Kalpana Sharma, independent Journalist, Mumbai
Neena Gopal. Deccan Chronicle/The Asian Age. Bangalore
Uma Sudhir, NDTV, Hyderabad
Sarada Lahangir, Kalinga TV, Bhubaneswar, India
Mehmal Sarfraz, Independent journalist, Pakistan
Saroj Razdan, Freelance journalist, Jammu and Kashmir
Ammu Joseph, Independent Journalist, Bangalore
Shruti Ganapatye, The Asian Age, Mumbai
Anuradha Bhasin, Executive Editor, KashmirTimes
Saroj Nagi, Freelance Journalist, New Delhi
Maya Mirchandani, NDTV
Munizae Jahangir, Aaj TV, Islamabad
Swati Bhattacharjee. Ananda Bazar Patrika, General Secretary SAWM India, Kolkata

3 comments:

  1. Welcome a very important and necessary intervention by women journalists. Wish the male journalists join them.

    Sumanta Banerjee

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sumanta babu. We too hope men will join us in this.

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  2. i, on behalf of the journal Bhumodhyasagor and LoknodI Trust support strongly the anti war-hysteria stand taken by the South East Asian Women Reporters. this 'patriotic' showing off at the borders is, we think, a flimsy cover to screen the hardship common people have to endure every day for the spiralling prices of everyday market and disposition of livelihood in the name of Industrialisation of the country

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