(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 April 2000 letter to the governor of Jammu and Kashmir state, Girish Chander Saxena, RSF expressed concern about the climate of violence facing the public and private press, especially after the explosion of a landmine near the building that houses the government station Radio Kashmir. RSF asked Girish Chander Saxena […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 April 2000 letter to the governor of Jammu and Kashmir state, Girish Chander Saxena, RSF expressed concern about the climate of violence facing the public and private press, especially after the explosion of a landmine near the building that houses the government station Radio Kashmir. RSF asked Girish Chander Saxena to order an inquiry into the incident, in order to identify those responsible for the attack. The organisation’s secretary-general, Robert Ménard, reminded the authorities that they had a duty to “ensure the safety of journalists.” Finally, RSF asked the governor to ensure that news put out by the public media was impartial.
According to the information collected by RSF, a landmine exploded on 15 April near Radio Kashmir, a local branch of All India Radio, in Srinagar. The authorities blamed the attack on Muslim separatists. According to the police, the terrorists tried to destroy the transmitter of the station, which is known for its criticism of separatist movements. In March, the offices of state television were also targeted. Three grenades were thrown at the building in Srinagar. In this north-eastern province of India, where a ten-year civil war has caused the deaths of at least 25,000 people, the press is a target for both separatists and the security forces. Nine journalists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since the start of the disturbances in 1989.
