New
York, April 30, 2003---The Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the threat
issued yesterday by the militant group Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen
against journalists working "against
the freedom struggle" in the disputed
territory of Kashmir. The organization is
one of more than a dozen armed groups fighting
against Indian rule in Kashmir, which is
claimed by both India and Pakistan.
The
rebel group's statement was published on
Tuesday, April 29, by the Current News Service,
a private news agency based in Srinagar,
the summer capital of Indian-controlled
Kashmir. In the statement, a senior commander
of Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen was quoted as saying,
"There are seven dailies among the
local ones and a well-known news agency
which work at the behest of the Indian (intelligence)
agencies and are paid by them," according
to a translation of the report prepared
by The Associated Press. "We inform
such journalists that they will be killed
if they fail to mend their ways," added
the commander, identified as Dr. Abd-ar-Rabb.
The statement did not identify any journalist
or news organization by name.
Violence
in the region has spiked recently, even
as the prime ministers of India and Pakistan
announced plans this week to improve strained
bilateral relations and resume dialogue
over Kashmir.
On
April 26, three militants attacked the heavily
guarded compound housing the Indian government-run
broadcasters Doordarshan Television and
Radio Kashmir, located in central Srinagar.
The three assailants and two security guards
were killed in an ensuing gun battle.
According
to CPJ records, nine journalists have been
killed for their work in Kashmir since 1989,
when the conflict there became a full-fledged
civil war. CPJ is still investigating the
motive behind the January 31 murder of a
10th journalist, Parvaz Mohammed Sultan,
editor of an independent wire service based
in Srinagar. No
perpetrators have been brought to justice
for any of these killings.
CPJ
is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit
organization that works to safeguard press
freedom worldwide. For more information
about press conditions in Kashmir, visit
www.cpj.org.
______________
Kavita Menon
Senior Program Coordinator for Asia
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue -- 12th floor
New York, NY 10001
