Kashmir journalist protest communication blockade

Kashmir journalist protest communication blockade

SRINAGAR: Journalists working in Kashmir Thursday held a sit in protest against the communication blockade which enters 60th day, and demanded access to internet and communications.
The journalists from various media associations including members of the Kashmir Press Club (KPC), Kashmir Working Journalists Association (KWJA), Kashmir Journalists Association (KJA), Kashmir Press Photographers Association (KPPA), Kashmir Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), Kashmir News Television Journalist Association (KNTJA), Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG), JK Editors Forum (JKEF), Kashmir Video Journalists Association (KVJA), Journalists Federation of Kashmir (JFK) and Anjuman-e-Urdu Sahafat Kashmir (AUSK) assembled inside the premises of the Kashmir Press Club and highlighted the problems faced by them due to communication blockade that was imposed by the government during the night of August 4 this year.
The protesting journalists described the communications blockade, including the snapping of internet services across all the platforms as an attempt to muzzle the press in Kashmir Valley.
“While limiting the access of media to a hall hired at a private hotel designated as Media Facilitation Centre- where the government has set-up nine computers and a cell phone connection for over 400 journalists, the government has attempted to prevent the information go out of the valley,” the protesting journalists said.
The communication blackout, especially the snapping of internet and mobile services is seriously hampering the professional work of journalists operating in the valley. “How long can the journalists of valley rely solely on official releases and occasional press briefings that have always been a one-way communication,” the journalists questioned.
Journalists said that through the protest they want to convey in unambiguous terms that they “had enough of it”- sixty days of restrictions on media, sixty days without any communication and sixty says of an information blackout from the government.
Highlighting the problems faced by the media, the journalists said that they are unable to cover their assignments due to the communication gag imposed by the government. In absence of the internet and broandbrand services, the local newspapers published from Srinagar have not been able to upload their internet editions or update the news on the web-portals.
There have been no clear answers from the government on why it has put Kashmir journalist fraternity under a communication blockade.
By limiting the access and continuing with communication gag, the government aims to reduce journalists to its mouth pieces.
They demanded lifting of the communication gag, and restoring the mobile and internet facility to the newspapers offices and other media houses.

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