26 octobre 2004
THIRD ANNUAL WORLDWIDE PRESS FREEDOM INDEXEast Asia and Middle East have worst press freedom records
Iraq is the world's deadliest country for journalists and Iran is the region's biggest prison
Reporters Without Borders announces its third annual worldwide index of press freedom. Such freedom is threatened most in East Asia (with North Korea at the bottom of the entire list at 167th place, followed by Burma 165th, China 162nd, Vietnam 161st and Laos 153rd) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia 159th, Iran 158th, Syria 155th, Iraq 148th).
In these countries, an independent media either does not exist or journalists are persecuted and censored on a daily basis. Freedom of information and the safety of journalists are not guaranteed there. Continuing war has made Iraq the most deadly place on earth for journalists in recent years, with 44 killed there since fighting began in March last year. But there are plenty of other black spots around the world for press freedom. Cuba (in 166th place) is second only to China as the biggest prison for journalists, with 26 in jail (China has 27). Since spring last year, these 26 independent journalists have languished in prison after being given sentences of between 14 and 27 years. No privately-owned media exist in Turkmenistan (164th) and Eritrea (163rd), whose people can only read, see or listen to government-controlled media dominated by official propaganda.The greatest press freedom is found in northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway), which is a haven of peace for journalists. Of the top 20 countries, only three (New Zealand 9th, Trinidad and Tobago 11th and Canada 18th) are outside Europe.Other small and often impoverished democracies appear high on the list, such as El Salvador (28th) and Costa Rica (35th) in Central America, along with Cape Verde (38th) and Namibia (42nd) in Africa and Timor-Leste (57th) in Asia.
Reporters Without Borders compiled the index by asking its partner organisations (14 freedom of expression organisations in five continents), its 130 correspondents around the world, as well as journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists, to answer 52 questions to indicate the state of press freedom in 167 countries (others were not included for lack of information).Continuing impunity in the Middle-East The ranking distinguishes between the state of press freedom inside Israel (36th) and acts of violence against the press by the Israeli army in the Palestinian territories (115th). Fewer journalists were wounded or killed by Israeli army gunfire. Nonetheless, no investigation was conducted into the death of a Palestinian journalist in Nablus and dozens of reporters continue to be threatened when they try to cover the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Violations of the freedom and safety of Palestinian journalists have increased in the West Bank and Gaza since September 2003 against a backdrop of chaos and violence. The Palestinian Authority (127th) provided no information about a supposed investigation into the murder of a journalist in the Gaza Strip. Several news media were ransacked and some 10 Palestinian journalists were physically attacked by unidentified persons or armed groups such as the
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.Too many journalists stripped of their freedom With 14 journalists detained, Iran (158th) is the Middle-East's biggest prison for the press. Not satisfied with putting journalists behind bars, the conservatives in 2004 began a systematic crackdown on Internet sites which sprang up after most of the country's reformist newspapers were suspended or closed down for good.The situation deteriorated in Algeria (128th). The privately-owned press was harassed before the April 2004 presidential elections, with dozens of journalists summoned by judicial authorities. Since his re-election, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has tried to bring the privately-owned media to heel. Four journalists or media owners have been sentenced to heavy prison sentences (three of them for press offences) and are still detained. Provincial correspondents are often the target of threats from local officials. In Morocco (126th), the authorities continue to be
very sensitive whenever the press writes about life in the royal palace or the Western Sahara issue. Several journalists have been prosecuted without good reason and some have been given long prison sentences. And some foreign journalists have been expelled.Non-existent independent press In Tunisia (152nd), Saudi Arabia (159th), Syria (155th) and Libya (154th), the emergence of a free and independent press remains a mirage. In Syria, the information ministers have been changed, but the vice-like grip on the media has not loosened. The only kind of news report that is permitted is the ruling Baath party's propaganda. Journalists who refuse to censor themselves are quickly forced into exile. In Saudi Arabia, the media are all directly or indirectly controlled by the royal family. A western journalist has been the victim of a
terrorist attack for the first time in years.On the other hand, despite a few cases of intimidation, Lebanon (87th) has recovered its position as the leading Arab country as regards respect for press freedom.A particularly deadly war U.S. behaviour towards the press in Iraq (108th) is ranked separately from the overall situation in the country (148th), which is one of the most dangerous places in the world, both for Iraqi journalists and foreign reporters. All are in
danger of being targeted in the course of combat or by armed groups. Six journalists and media assistants have been killed by U.S. army gunfire without the U.S. military ever conducting proper enquiries. Furthermore, the new Iraqi authorities have not yet established a framework guaranteeing press freedom and have reacted in an authoritarian manner towards the pan-Arab satellite TV news stations whose coverage they view as pro-terrorist.KM Exclusive
E.Ahmed and K P Mohan in Secret Deal to Negotiate with Kuwait Government to relax Punishment in Indian School Scam
The first exclusive interview with Rejina, the main witness in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour sex racket, was taken by an enthusiastic young reporter of Asianet - Deepa. However, she has got a severe jolt in her career when the relatively young rival channel India vision aired it a few seconds after her superiors killed the story. The exclusive story was video graphed in the Calicut Studio of Asianet and transported to the head office in Thiruvananthapuram for telecasting. Nobody knows what happened to the contents of the exclusive videos taken by this lady reporter with much pain . It is learned that the tape was about to be played a few minutes before India Vision started airing it when the chairman of the channel himself personally intervened to stop it. What prompted Reji Menon, the promoter of the first major television project in India, and the editor K.P.Mohan to take such a drastic decision?
What are they trying to hide from the public when the one hour newsprogramme did not carry a single word about ice cream or sex racket or Rejina? The reason for taking such a stupid stand is not difficult to find out. Media which is said to be the watch dog of democracy and public interest is demoted here to the status of a dog that cannot bark or bite because it is under chains. It is not the first time that Asianet is killing good stories or harassing journalists. Quite often such an approach cause some confusion.
When Asianet started the special Gulf News Programme, this author was selected by Moideen Koya, the former head of Dubai Bureau to report stories from Muscat. A number of sensational stories were the talk of the town and they focused on the growing sex trafficking to the Gulf and illegal detention of young girls in sex racket. Stories reported by this journalist through Asianet helped helpless Keralite girls to escape from the prostitution racket. Stories on Indian school corruption created sensation. However, the channel abruptly ended that service for unknown reasons. However, all the journalists who were involved in such stories are not working for the channel!!!This is how they reward good journlaists.
When the George Family of Muscat faced a sort of house arrest and an young daughter of that family was being trapped in a sex racket, Asianet did not air the story for sometime due to unknown reasons. It was said that the local franchiser with a lot of vested interests did not want to publish the story and antagonize the powers that be. Only after the news was reported in other media (read Keralamaonitor.com) and some negative stories about it appeared in this website that the channel touched the story. Why should the channel stop some stories from being aired? Why should it terminate or harass journalists who do reasonably good job? Journalists are perplexed when media organisations terminate their services even after showing a better performance? Same thing happens when a good story is killed.
It is certain high-level influence that hijacked the channel function . KM learns that the channel editor K P Mohan has reached an illicit understanding with the senior Muslim League politician, E. Ahmed a former Member of Parliament and currently minister of state for External Affiars, to negotiate with the Kuwait authorities and clear his name from the multi crore Kuwait school scandal. In return, Asianet has a tacit understanding not to air anything that goes against the party's interests or the business interests of many people including prominent Gulf based NRKs. Television is such a powerful medium that its control in the wrong hands can cause more harm than public good. And that is happening with Asianet under an editor without integrity or commitment to principled journalism. Fortunately, the fast changing media scene and technology make it difficult to hide such illegitimate pregnancy for a long time...Kuwait Chandy, who owns the Alappuzha resort is a close associate of the editor and there is no reason why stories about Kiliroor sex scandal should be aired by the channel.
More about Keralamonitor and Asianet Reporting
Sex Scandal Victim Alleges: Kunjalikutty Assaulted her three Times, Gave Money to give false statement in Court
KOZHIKKODU - October 29 2004 The sensational revelations made by Rejina, one of the main witnesses in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour sex scandal, which remained dormant for almost two years, will create strong undercurrents within the state politics as rival factions within the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the ruling coalition are trying to fight it out in the open battle field with charges and countercharges. A running battle has been going on between M.K. Muneer the League Minister and son of former chief minister C H Mohammed Koya and Kunjalikutty the industry minister. KM learns that Kunjalikutty has been trying to sabotage Muneer's pet project - the Indiavision Television - which has been able to make a strong impact in the state media scenario.
Even though it is yet to break even and Muneer has been trying to rope in some investors from the Middle East, read Dubai, a group within League has been trying to sabotage the project through what is said to be a misinformation campaign among potential investors. Recent reports about the financial viability of the TV channel and the stories on bankruptcies harmed the channel in a major way. It is learned that Indiavision is starting operation in Dubai in a big way and its operations are currently handled by a marketing man. A leading lady journalist is also joining soon and Indiavision was prompt to telecast Kunjalikutty's recent visit to Dubai as part of the Gitex Dubai 2004. Kunjalikutty who was accompanied by the IT Secretary Aruna Sundararajan IAS was optimistic about a major investment from the Dubai Internet City. The channel got a golden opportunity to prove that Indiavision is not a Muslim League channel. Giving a 20 minute coverage of the girls startling revelations attracted many new viewers to the channel and distanced its editorial team from Muslim League. The channel has been aggressively pursuing news and the ice cream parlour case reporting has definitely boosted its image.
A team of experts from the DIC and TEACOM is to visit Kerala on Saturday and the impact of the political crisis unleashed by the girl's strong accusations is yet to be gauged. The inter party tussle within Muslim League was more obvious when Jaleel, the young firebrand leader raised accusing fingers against Kunjalikutty and his business associates. Kunjalikutty and Muneer are two equally strong power centers within the IUML and the potential influence and glamour for Muneer from owning a television channel could not be digested by other power centers within the party. Leading newspapers were in a hurry to report that the sensational revelation was first reported in Indiavision, headed by Muneer. The latest sex controversy is happening at a time when another victim of a similar sex scandal is fighting for life in a private hospital owned among others by the police chief involved in a gang rape case. . Kunjalikutty has denied the allegations and said that the mad girl has been often changing her statements. According to the allegation, three lady police officials and a close relative of Kunjalikutty persuaded her to give a misleading statement in the courts. While the girl earlier accused Kunjlikutty in the case, she changed her statement, putting even the naxallite leader Ajitha in a difficult position. Kunjalikutty's relative Rouf has been giving her money and support and even a new husband. It is alleged that now the middle men are taking away all the money from Kunjalikutty.
The Karimanal controversy in which V.M.Sudheeran and Kunjalikutty have been at loggerheads is another reason for the current controversy. Sudheeran strongly believes that the League leadership ditched him in the last elections due to his opposition to the sand mining project. It is crystal clear that Kunjalikutty has a clear private agenda about various controversial projects including the Kovalam Hotel deal. It is alleged that the Kovalam hotel deal is done by a prominent NRK on behalf of the minister and the state government machinery was utilised for this purpose. Recently it was reported that a minister is excerting pressure on the villege officers to favour the private business.
This media war appears to be a continuation of the cold war between Antony faction on the one hand and League ministers on the other. The vague statements made by V.S.Achuthananthan about the ice cream sex scandal investigation during the LDF government and the subsequent developments indicate that there are many actors behind this politically sensitive drama. The revelation that a minor girl was assaulted three times in Shornur, Kozhikkodu and Thiruvananathpuram with or without her consent is a criminal act and the police need to investigate he case. However, Kunjalikutty's blatant denial of the allegations and the League leadership's statements that the move is aimed at tarnishing the party leadership image indicate that there will be strong politicisiation of sex in Kerala. Will the combined strength of Kiliroor sex scandal and Kozhikkodu Ice cream parlour case force the resignation of Kunjalikutty as demanded by the senior RSP leader? (Photo - M K Muneer) It is said that a realtive of the minister and a senior congress leaders are behind the new sensational revelation.
Like the Kiliroor sex scandal, Kozhikkodu ice cream parlour scandal too had clear linkages to the Gulf region. Sreedevi, the main accused who was running an infamous ice cream parlouer at Kozhikkodu, adjacent to the Muslim Education Society College and the Malabar Christian College was frequented by many young girls who were lured into the sex racket and submitted to many customers including prominent ministers, politicians and businessmen. The gang used some intoxicants to make the victims unconscious and cleverly trapped them. It is believed that many young girls who were lured into the sex racket were send to the Gulf countries to work as sex workers. While those aspects of the case were not investigated properly thanks to the political links, the current Kiliroor sex scandal also indicates clear Gulf links. As earlier reported by KM, the Kiliroor sex scandal partially took place in an Alappuzha resort developed and owned by a prominent NRK from Kuwait. The culprits involved in the Kiliroor scandal have clear links to the fake certificates making and recruitment racket. There are some NRK businessmen who follow Kunjalikutty as his shadow and indulge in some shady deals. They are sure to support their menotor in hisbad time of distress.
Active Channels Cover ... Silent Channel Covering Up News
Paradoxically enough, when the entire media in the most literate state of India have vied with each other to first report the girl's sensational announcement, one channel remained silent busy reporting about the solar eclipse and Theyyam in its hour long news programme. Is this most popular channel slowly but surely trying to become the most notorious news television channel in the state? The ugly manner in which its editors are trying to protect some criminal elements involved in the sex rackets that rock thhe state indicates that. Many eyebrows were raised when the most popular channel in Kerala turned a volte-face while reporting about the Kiliroor sex scandal. Starting with a great bang, the channel was reporting about Kiliroor sex scandal and all of a sudden there was a sudden break...The story is continuing..
Questioning every chapter in the journalistic ethics, the chief editor of this channel, who is single handedly responsible for its moral degradation was involved in a multicrore scandal involving Indian School Kuwait. KM is referring to none other than the formr Kuwait Times journalist who has been protected from his criminal identity by none other than a coterie of corrupt and sex starved political leaders. His involvement in the Kuwait Indian School scam and the dubious manner in which he has invested that booty in the channel is an open secret. A prominent league leader, currently a cabinet minister in the Congress Government, has offered full protection to him in return for protecting their vested interests. That involves more of suppressing news than reporting.
Gone are the days when a single monopoly channel could dictate terms to the viewers by blocking sensational stories or sacking efficient journalists. Viewers are clever to switch over to India Vision, Kairali TV, Jeevan and Soorya TV to know important news in the state. Any channel's perverted policy towards journalism and reporting will make it a butt of ridicule as the publish would realize those who try to make a total mockery of journalistic ethics and morality.
It has been widely reported that the culprits who sexually exploited the minor girl in the Kiliroor sex scandal involved the editor of a leading Malayalam channel. The identity of this criminal sex starved editor is yet to be ascertained. Everyone knows who is the journalist closely linked to the owner of the controversial Alappuzha resort. It may be recalled that the goons of the resort have attacked journalists from Jeevan TV who tried to shoot Latha Nair's presence within its premises. Surprisingly, Jeevan TV camera crew has been haunting the resort owner for sometime. One reason for this special interest in exposing the sex scandal angle of the Alappuzha resort is the channels commitment to public interest and morality.
It is to be appreciated that when a leading channel is trying to protect the culprits by suppressing news and information from public knowledge, a young TV channel like Jeevan is going out of its way to bring out the truth. However, there is another angle to the story which is that Jeevan TV management is related to another resort in Kovalam with similar facilities. The resort M D happened to be occupying a prominent position in Jeevan TV. Genuine reporting about the Kiliroor sex scandal, especially the role of Alappuzha resort owner in it, will be good for the channel and its related resort people. It is another matter that this interest does not clash with public interest. Reporting the event and linking the story to the editor of the prominent channel would also help the new channel to wean away the channel viewership. If they do it smartly without clashing with the public interest, there is no problem. Viewers will get irritated only when the channel's vested interests clash with the public right to know. Kuwait Indian School More
School News Kuwait Indian School Iran Indian Schools
The Alappuzha Resort where Kiliroor Girl was Allegedly Exploited belongs to Kuwait-NRK with close Congress Links
ALAPPUZHA - KUWAIT There appears to be a close link between the sex mafia in Kerala and their counterpart in the Gulf. The current investigation into the Kiliroor sex racket case is centered on a resort in Alappuzha that belongs to Non Resident Indian from Kuwait who was involved in the multcore Indian School Kuwait scandal. One resort where the girl is allegedly sexually exploited is owned by none other than a prominent Non Resident Keralite who was financing the ruling Congress party over a long period of time. More
