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Calling Media To Observe Restraint: South Asian Editors

by sacw.net, 26 January 2009

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The following is a press statement issued from Kathmandu on December 24, 2008.

As journalists from South Asia, we have been deeply saddened by the horrific killings in Mumbai and are also deeply concerned about the fallout of rising India-Pakistan tensions on the entire region.

We call upon all media professionals, especially in the television networks, to observe restraint in reportage and interpretation, and to be careful to avoid imbalance.

Tens of millions of South Asians, and many across the world, have closely followed the news of the recent developments through the print, audio and visual media and the Internet. The media coverage has influenced opinion on crucial issues and impacted on the political stance and policies of the authorities. In the current situation, the media cannot be seen as being partisan or driven by a particular agenda.

Media can exacerbate or ameliorate a situation: we are keenly aware of this, as journalists based in the various parts of South Asia who continue to seek a common future in peace.

Signatories:

Mahfuz Anam, Daily Star, Dhaka; Anuradha Bhasin, Kashmir Times, Jammu; Vinod Mehta, Editor, Outlook, New Delhi; Subir Bhaumik, BBC, Kolkata; Sumit Chakravartty, Editor, Mainstream, New Delhi; Dileep Chandan, Editor, Asom Bani, Guwahati; Kanak Mani Dixit, Editor, Himal Southasia, Kathmandu; H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune, Chandigarh; Yubaraj Ghimire, Editor, Newsfront, Kathmandu; Rehana Hakim, Editor, Newsline, Karachi; Sanjoy Hazarika, Columnist, New Delhi; Nurul Kabir, Editor, The New Age, Dhaka; Kumar Ketkar, Chief Editor, Loksatta, Indian Express Group, Mumbai; Abbas Nasir, Editor, The Dawn/Dawns News TV, Karachi; Kuldip Nayar, Columnist, New Delhi; Mrinal Pande, Editor, Hindustan, New Delhi; Pradip Phanjoubam, Editor, Imphal Free Press, Imphal; A.J. Philip, Associate Editor, The Tribune, Chandigarh; Pamela Philipose, Chief Editor, Women’s Feature Service, New Delhi; Ghazi Salahuddin, Columnist, The News, Karachi; Siddharth Varadarajan, Associate Editor, The Hindu, New Delhi; B.G. Verghese, Former Editor, Indian Express/Hindustan Times, New Delhi; Narayan Wagle, Editor, Dainiki, Kathmandu