26-November-2012
Showing posts with label Media Talk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media Talk. Show all posts
Monday, November 26, 2012
The Children of Troumaron
26-November-2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
All India Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues
The Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Smt. Neelam Kapur addressing the All India Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues, at Puducherry on February 10, 2012. The Union Minister for Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Narayanasamy, the Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Shri Iqbal Singh, the Chief Minister of Puducherry, Shri N. Rangaswamy and other dignitaries are also seen. {PIB photo}10-February-2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Prime Minister releases the book
“The Tribune 130 Years: a witness to history”
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has released the book titled “The Tribune 130 years: a witness to history” in New Delhi today. Following is the text of the Prime Minister’s speech on the occasion:
“I am delighted to be in the midst of The Tribune family once again. The last time I was involved in your celebrations, I had the pleasure of releasing an anthology of selected writings to commemorate 125 years of this magnificent paper.
Today marks the release of a comprehensive history of The Tribune, on completion of 130 years of its publication. It is truly pleasant to go down the memory lane with the newspaper of my choice which has been my staple reading every morning for decades.
‘A Witness to History’ is an apt title of a book that records the 130 year old history of The Tribune. Indeed, this history stands closely intertwined with the story of our country’s journey during this turbulent period.
Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, the newspaper’s founder was a man of rare foresight and a great reformist. He was inspired by high ideals and wanted The Tribune to be free of any sectarian or commercial bias, and unaligned to any dogma or political party. I am happy that the newspaper has by and large lived up to its founder’s vision. While being an effective watchdog of the interests of the people it has practiced responsible and credible journalism.
The Tribune has also been a wonderful example of good what trusteeship is about. Its Trustees have been men and women who have distinguished themselves in their respective professions and who embody the spirit of The Tribune very aptly.
The newspaper is one of the very few in the country where the editor is insulated – as much as is possible - from managerial demands and proprietorial interests. But even more importantly, the newspaper has always been blessed with Editors of impeccable credentials. My friend Raj is one of them, with many very illustrious names before him and some of them are present on this happy occasion.
I compliment all those who have helped shape The Tribune into the newspaper it is today—the generations before us and the current torch-bearers of this fine institution.
I congratulate the author of ‘A Witness to History’ Professor V.N. Datta for writing such a fine book. Prof Datta recounts how in the early years of the 20th century The Tribune became passionate as a patriotic and nationalist newspaper. He elaborates how from 1920 onwards, as events began moving at a fast pace and as communal tensions began building up, the newspaper’s sober and reasoned approach attempted to bridge the divide between the Hindus and the Sikhs on the one hand and the Muslims on the other. The Tribune was opposed to the dismemberment of India and made sincere efforts to prevent it, but in vain.
Glancing through the pages of ‘A Witness to History’ I was struck by the words of an avid Tribune reader who wrote to the newspaper on September the 25, 1947, the day The Tribune resumed publication from Shimla, after Partition had forced it to move out of Lahore. And he wrote: “The heart of Punjab has begun to beat again, though the pulse is yet faint.”
On May 13, 1948, to mark the Tribune’s shift to Ambala, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote in a special message to the newspaper in his inimitable style: “You have passed through many difficulties and have stood many tests. I trust you will not be carried away by momentary passions but will function with a vision of the future before you.”
We have come a long way from the early years of The Tribune. Today, while India sits at the high table of nations and is looked upon and heard with respect, a vibrant media is crucial to our needs—a media that informs and educates, a media that is inspired by public interest and not guided by sectarian or commercial considerations.
The Indian media of today has its inevitable highs and lows. Every day we see examples of journalism of a very high calibre. There are instances of fair and accurate reporting, free of biases. There are stories with painstaking research to back them up. Journalists often expose wrongdoings even at considerable risk to themselves. There are efforts to report constructively on subjects that are of vital national importance.
But we also see sensationalism, driven by a desire to sell a story at any cost. There are stories without a clear understanding of the underlined issues. There is reporting which is prejudiced. There is trivialisation of important matters. There is corruption. The prevalence of the practice of ‘paid news’ exposed recently has come as a shock to all right-thinking people.
It has been our government’s avowed belief that the Fourth Estate is an essential pillar of our democracy. We believe in complete independence of the media from external control. It is true that sometimes irresponsible journalism can have serious consequences for social harmony and public order, which the public authorities have an obligation to maintain, but censorship is no answer. It is for the members of the Fourth Estate themselves to collectively ensure that objectivity is promoted and sensationalism is curbed. It is for them to introspect how best they can serve our country and society and advance their well-being, and how best they can earn the respect of our common citizens. Those in the media should come together to exercise a degree of self-regulation to combat perversions like paid news.
It is an important responsibility of the media to expose corruption and other ills in our polity and society. It should also advise the government and even reprimand it when it goes wrong. But let me also suggest that it should not be all gloom and doom all the time. The world is looking up to us today and it would be but fair that positive news is also given its due share. The Indian development story is an exciting one and should be told through the print and visual mediums.
I believe that good journalism is very serious business and a very difficult work. The responsibilities that journalists carry are onerous - to inform and educate the public, to keep a watch on the government’s work and to highlight issues of critical importance. It is hard to be a good journalist - ever willing to learn, ever alert to new developments, objective, fair, sensitive, balanced and constructive in approach.
However, I also believe that collectively the country’s journalists have acquitted themselves reasonably well. I am convinced that the Indian media is on the balance responsible and attuned to serving national interest. I am also sure that the coming years will see even higher standards from our media.
I thank you for inviting me for this fine occasion. Let me end by saying that I look forward to many more milestones in this newspaper’s onward march. Sardar Dyal Singh Majitha had charged the future generations of Tribune’s editors and other journalists with the mandate to “act for the public weal”. I am sure that advice will remain the guiding principle for The Tribune in the years to come. May God bless its path.” (PIB) * * *
 |
| The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing at the release of the book titled “The Tribune 130 years: a witness to history”, at a function, in New Delhi on January 19, 2012.(PIB) |
 |
| The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh releasing the book titled “The Tribune 130 years: a witness to history”, at a function, in New Delhi on January 19, 2012. (PIB photo) |
“I am delighted to be in the midst of The Tribune family once again. The last time I was involved in your celebrations, I had the pleasure of releasing an anthology of selected writings to commemorate 125 years of this magnificent paper.
Today marks the release of a comprehensive history of The Tribune, on completion of 130 years of its publication. It is truly pleasant to go down the memory lane with the newspaper of my choice which has been my staple reading every morning for decades.
‘A Witness to History’ is an apt title of a book that records the 130 year old history of The Tribune. Indeed, this history stands closely intertwined with the story of our country’s journey during this turbulent period.
Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, the newspaper’s founder was a man of rare foresight and a great reformist. He was inspired by high ideals and wanted The Tribune to be free of any sectarian or commercial bias, and unaligned to any dogma or political party. I am happy that the newspaper has by and large lived up to its founder’s vision. While being an effective watchdog of the interests of the people it has practiced responsible and credible journalism.
The Tribune has also been a wonderful example of good what trusteeship is about. Its Trustees have been men and women who have distinguished themselves in their respective professions and who embody the spirit of The Tribune very aptly.
The newspaper is one of the very few in the country where the editor is insulated – as much as is possible - from managerial demands and proprietorial interests. But even more importantly, the newspaper has always been blessed with Editors of impeccable credentials. My friend Raj is one of them, with many very illustrious names before him and some of them are present on this happy occasion.
I compliment all those who have helped shape The Tribune into the newspaper it is today—the generations before us and the current torch-bearers of this fine institution.
I congratulate the author of ‘A Witness to History’ Professor V.N. Datta for writing such a fine book. Prof Datta recounts how in the early years of the 20th century The Tribune became passionate as a patriotic and nationalist newspaper. He elaborates how from 1920 onwards, as events began moving at a fast pace and as communal tensions began building up, the newspaper’s sober and reasoned approach attempted to bridge the divide between the Hindus and the Sikhs on the one hand and the Muslims on the other. The Tribune was opposed to the dismemberment of India and made sincere efforts to prevent it, but in vain.
Glancing through the pages of ‘A Witness to History’ I was struck by the words of an avid Tribune reader who wrote to the newspaper on September the 25, 1947, the day The Tribune resumed publication from Shimla, after Partition had forced it to move out of Lahore. And he wrote: “The heart of Punjab has begun to beat again, though the pulse is yet faint.”
On May 13, 1948, to mark the Tribune’s shift to Ambala, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote in a special message to the newspaper in his inimitable style: “You have passed through many difficulties and have stood many tests. I trust you will not be carried away by momentary passions but will function with a vision of the future before you.”
We have come a long way from the early years of The Tribune. Today, while India sits at the high table of nations and is looked upon and heard with respect, a vibrant media is crucial to our needs—a media that informs and educates, a media that is inspired by public interest and not guided by sectarian or commercial considerations.
The Indian media of today has its inevitable highs and lows. Every day we see examples of journalism of a very high calibre. There are instances of fair and accurate reporting, free of biases. There are stories with painstaking research to back them up. Journalists often expose wrongdoings even at considerable risk to themselves. There are efforts to report constructively on subjects that are of vital national importance.
But we also see sensationalism, driven by a desire to sell a story at any cost. There are stories without a clear understanding of the underlined issues. There is reporting which is prejudiced. There is trivialisation of important matters. There is corruption. The prevalence of the practice of ‘paid news’ exposed recently has come as a shock to all right-thinking people.
It has been our government’s avowed belief that the Fourth Estate is an essential pillar of our democracy. We believe in complete independence of the media from external control. It is true that sometimes irresponsible journalism can have serious consequences for social harmony and public order, which the public authorities have an obligation to maintain, but censorship is no answer. It is for the members of the Fourth Estate themselves to collectively ensure that objectivity is promoted and sensationalism is curbed. It is for them to introspect how best they can serve our country and society and advance their well-being, and how best they can earn the respect of our common citizens. Those in the media should come together to exercise a degree of self-regulation to combat perversions like paid news.
It is an important responsibility of the media to expose corruption and other ills in our polity and society. It should also advise the government and even reprimand it when it goes wrong. But let me also suggest that it should not be all gloom and doom all the time. The world is looking up to us today and it would be but fair that positive news is also given its due share. The Indian development story is an exciting one and should be told through the print and visual mediums.
I believe that good journalism is very serious business and a very difficult work. The responsibilities that journalists carry are onerous - to inform and educate the public, to keep a watch on the government’s work and to highlight issues of critical importance. It is hard to be a good journalist - ever willing to learn, ever alert to new developments, objective, fair, sensitive, balanced and constructive in approach.
However, I also believe that collectively the country’s journalists have acquitted themselves reasonably well. I am convinced that the Indian media is on the balance responsible and attuned to serving national interest. I am also sure that the coming years will see even higher standards from our media.
I thank you for inviting me for this fine occasion. Let me end by saying that I look forward to many more milestones in this newspaper’s onward march. Sardar Dyal Singh Majitha had charged the future generations of Tribune’s editors and other journalists with the mandate to “act for the public weal”. I am sure that advice will remain the guiding principle for The Tribune in the years to come. May God bless its path.” (PIB) * * *
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Voice of Voiceless: Community Radio Mattoli
Radio Mattolli has a saga of success
A special feature by Sudha S. Namboothiry*
For the past two and a half years most of the people of backward Wayanad in Kerala wake to the echo of their lone Community Radio- Radio Mattolli . If you are in Wayanad you can tune in to Radio Mattolli at 90.4 MHz frequency from 6 am to 10 pm. Located at Dwaraka, Mananthavady in Wayanad District, this Community Radio is administered by Wayanad Social Service Society , an NGO with 36 years of experience in development interventions in Wayanad District.
Radio Mattolli which was launched in 2009 has a saga of success and need not say Fr. Thomas Joseph Therakam , Director of the Radio has reasons to be happy. Latest survey show that number of daily listeners come to 24.05% of the population. In demographic figures of the district (as per 2011 census) it comes to 2,00,056 people. But if weekly and occasional listeners of the Radio Mattoli are included, the figures will be 74.05% (6,10,539). Another interesting factor is 56% depends on Radio Set for listening to community radio program, whereas 40% use their mobile phones to tune into Mattoli.
According to Fr. Therakam, Community Radio is the perfect tool to provide comprehensive knowledge, technology, awareness, and empowerment etc. to a targeted audience. Radio always had upper hand over other media like newspaper and television since a literate can only read newspaper or pamphlets and viewing television means dedicating time for that and there is a need for electricity in the area too. But anyone can listen to a radio and do other work simultaneously. This is to be noted that about 30,000 families in Wayanad do not have electricity connection.
Radio Mattoli is the first Community Radio service in Kerala and the only electronic media in the State to broadcast programme in tribal dialects daily. The programme which is all comprising of education, information health etc. is daily aired at 2.30 PM and at 8.05 PM. Radio Mattoli has also launched “Namma Sasthra” – A Special Science Popularization Program supported by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. This is broadcasted in local dialect also. Apart from this there are the regular features like reflections on Gandhian thoughts, Interaction between officials and public, programmes for women prepared by women, introducing various books and local libraries, health programmes, programmes on job oriented training , new courses etc. Well the Radio is living upto its mission of providing an avenue for the free flow of beneficial information aimed at bringing socio economic changes in the society. As the programmes aired are mostly presented by local people, listeners have an immediate emotional attachment with the presenter and the message is effectively received. The target groups consist of marginal farmers, indigenous people, dalits, agricultural labourers women and children. Hence such an emotional bonding is much required says Fr. Therakam. These people need to have the sense of belonging in order to trust .
Radio Mattoli has even formed Mattoli clubs in schools. Out of the 288 schools in the district 91 schools have Mattoli clubs. Members of these clubs get a chance to broadcast their programmes over Mattoli. This inculcates leadership quality, creativity, presentation capability and awareness in children. They get a wonderful exposure to the world of electronic media.
Started with an initial investment of Rs. 58 lakh, which was used for infrastructure and one year functioning of Radio Mattoli, today it has the support of NABARD, Coffee Board, Kerala State Agricultural Department and the limited commercial spots permitted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Need not say Radio Mattoli is here to give voice to the voiceless and help them express themselves socially, economically, culturally and spiritually in order to make them masters of their own destinies. ***
*Media & Communication Officer (PIB, Cochin)
A special feature by Sudha S. Namboothiry*
Radio Mattolli which was launched in 2009 has a saga of success and need not say Fr. Thomas Joseph Therakam , Director of the Radio has reasons to be happy. Latest survey show that number of daily listeners come to 24.05% of the population. In demographic figures of the district (as per 2011 census) it comes to 2,00,056 people. But if weekly and occasional listeners of the Radio Mattoli are included, the figures will be 74.05% (6,10,539). Another interesting factor is 56% depends on Radio Set for listening to community radio program, whereas 40% use their mobile phones to tune into Mattoli.
According to Fr. Therakam, Community Radio is the perfect tool to provide comprehensive knowledge, technology, awareness, and empowerment etc. to a targeted audience. Radio always had upper hand over other media like newspaper and television since a literate can only read newspaper or pamphlets and viewing television means dedicating time for that and there is a need for electricity in the area too. But anyone can listen to a radio and do other work simultaneously. This is to be noted that about 30,000 families in Wayanad do not have electricity connection.
Radio Mattoli is the first Community Radio service in Kerala and the only electronic media in the State to broadcast programme in tribal dialects daily. The programme which is all comprising of education, information health etc. is daily aired at 2.30 PM and at 8.05 PM. Radio Mattoli has also launched “Namma Sasthra” – A Special Science Popularization Program supported by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. This is broadcasted in local dialect also. Apart from this there are the regular features like reflections on Gandhian thoughts, Interaction between officials and public, programmes for women prepared by women, introducing various books and local libraries, health programmes, programmes on job oriented training , new courses etc. Well the Radio is living upto its mission of providing an avenue for the free flow of beneficial information aimed at bringing socio economic changes in the society. As the programmes aired are mostly presented by local people, listeners have an immediate emotional attachment with the presenter and the message is effectively received. The target groups consist of marginal farmers, indigenous people, dalits, agricultural labourers women and children. Hence such an emotional bonding is much required says Fr. Therakam. These people need to have the sense of belonging in order to trust .
Radio Mattoli has even formed Mattoli clubs in schools. Out of the 288 schools in the district 91 schools have Mattoli clubs. Members of these clubs get a chance to broadcast their programmes over Mattoli. This inculcates leadership quality, creativity, presentation capability and awareness in children. They get a wonderful exposure to the world of electronic media.
Started with an initial investment of Rs. 58 lakh, which was used for infrastructure and one year functioning of Radio Mattoli, today it has the support of NABARD, Coffee Board, Kerala State Agricultural Department and the limited commercial spots permitted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Need not say Radio Mattoli is here to give voice to the voiceless and help them express themselves socially, economically, culturally and spiritually in order to make them masters of their own destinies. ***
*Media & Communication Officer (PIB, Cochin)
Monday, December 19, 2011
"The act of violence was highly condemnable"
Chhina condemns attack,demand police action
Gajinder Singh King,
Amritsar18 December, 2011:
---------------
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Media today is accused of giving only juicy news
Media to day is accused of giving only juicy news-ground reality is never mentioned.
Let Me point out;
showing as health care unit or diagonostic centres.No proper disposal of medical wastes-causing Biological terrorism by rich medical professionals.Charges made is under no cotrol.
2]Inefficiency in power supply has forced neo-rich traders to set up Heavy capacity Diesel Generators at their residence causing spread of toxic gases and dynamic effect on adjacent structures.This is inaddition to the sub merged pumping of Ground water causing permanent damage to adjacent structures.Who in his senses has approved such arrangement and what media has to say on this.Incorrect inflated Electric Bills is very common with the present Private supplier.
3]Please ask the Lady with Sari as to how she crosses over the road with high barriers in between to go to the Bus stand stand.Some arrangement for pedestrians safe passage is necessary
Is the media doing enough for the public.Please do not fall in line to attend the free lunch hosted by politicians to suit their interests.Refuse gifts offered.
\Please be of some service to common person.Full page adverisement of some limited persons is the order of the day.The whole country has been bonded to a fewpersons of dynastic rule.Their real contribution is now being questioned by many.
Our name is in shame because of corruption at the highest level.General public are now happy with little daily necessities.
It is time to consider value based quality reporting for improved living for each one of us..
With kind regards
A.K.BHATTACHARYYAWith kind regards
F.I.StructE (UK), FIE (India), FIBE, FIRT
H-2A, Hauzkhas, New Delhi -16,
Phone contact: :011-26854127
Phone contact: :011-26854127
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Air Force Couple Blogs About Deployment
By Elaine Wilson American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 8, 2011 - From predeployment jitters to post-deployment reunion, an Air Force couple is taking a worldwide audience with them during their service in Afghanistan.
This is the master sergeant's sixth deployment and his wife's first. The aim, said Christina, a financial analyst stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is to pass on lessons learned to other service members preparing for their own deployments. "I want people to understand the emotions of deployments from both sides," she said. "I've been on the other side -- left at home with a full-time job and then some, with two kids and no family in driving distance. "Now I see it from the deployed side," she added. "I understand the need for a stronger emotional toughness so the deployment doesn't destroy you. It can be a helpless feeling over here at times, knowing you can only do so much to take care of the ones you love." The couple's blog posts have run the gamut from dealing with household packing to the pain of family separation to day-to-day life in a combat zone. Christina's blog posts range from the highly practical –- such as a list of items to pack when flying overseas –- to the whimsical. A recent post, for example, dealt with a conversation she had about fishing with an Afghan interpreter. "He told us that when the war first kicked off, their version of fishing was throwing a grenade in the water," she wrote. "The fish would be stunned, so it made it easy to scoop them up." Rudy, a communications director on Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, touched on attitude in one of his blog posts. "Sometimes our problems aren't so much the circumstances we're confronted with, but more the perspective in which we view them," he wrote. But most heartfelt are the couple's posts about their children, 5-year-old Tomas and 3-year-old Eva. Christina wrote extensively about the day in January when she left for predeployment training. A snowstorm had delayed their arrival at the airport, and she had only about 20 minutes to say goodbye to her family for a year. She clung to her children at the gate, but all too soon the final boarding call came. "I asked my family to take them and walk away first before I finally turned around to walk down the hall to my plane," she wrote. "It was, without a doubt, the hardest moment I've had as a mom." Now stationed in western Afghanistan, Christina still tears up when recalling that day, which not only is imprinted on her memory, but also is saved for posterity in the blog. "It was an emotional day from the start, and never seemed to stop," she wrote. Her husband, who is on his third deployment in three years, also shared his thoughts about that day in a blog post. "Today I am heartbroken," he wrote. "Though I was not there to drop off Tomas and Eva with Grandpa and Grandma, I feel a large emptiness. Our two li'l ones will be without Mom and Dad at their side for quite some time; the hardest fact I've had to come to terms with on this deployment. "It's not easily done nor accepted as today I am flooded with the emotion of how wrong this may be," he continued, "and bear an aching heart and a knot the size of Afghanistan in the pit of my stomach." The couple plans to continue to blog through their homecoming and reintegration. Rudy will return home a few months before his wife, so he will be writing about life as a temporary single parent, and Christina plans to shed light on the reintegration process. "It's not all glitz and glamour the pictures portray," she said. "It's stressful for just about every return. It's just the part we don't talk about -- maybe [now] now we can more." It's not always easy to bare her emotions for public consumption, Christina said, but she hopes by doing so, she can help herself while helping others. "I know, if nothing else, that I was able to help a couple of my friends that have been reading it and found out that they are deploying out this way in the next couple of months," she said. "It's also been very therapeutic getting it all out; talking about the emotions, the struggles ... and the laughs," she added. Her husband has found it tougher to pour out his emotions for the world to see. But he also sees the benefits in doing so. The blog, he noted, offers him not only an emotional outlet, but also a way to start a conversation with other service members. "I've talked to young service members about it, so it's been positive," he said. | ||
| Related Sites: Double Duty Blog | ||
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Journalist killed in Pakistan- JIP Condemns
 |
| Iftikhar Chaudri |
His reporting critical of the Pakistani authorities and his support for the Baloch national movement were almost certainly the motive for his abduction and murder.
“If the local and federal authorities want to rein in the violence in the province of Balochistan, they must conduct an exhaustive and impartial investigation into Abdul Hameed Hayatan’s murder,” Reporters Without Borders said. “If it goes unpunished, the province’s journalists will have every right to treat it as another extrajudicial execution.”
Hayatan was shot in the head and chest. Marks on his body clearly indicated that he was tortured before being killed. The body of a student, Hamid Ismail, was found alongside Hayatan’s. In a reference to a Muslim Eid (festival) that has just ended, a message found with the bodies said: “Eid present for the Baloch people.”
Journalists based in Balochistan told Reporters Without Borders that Hayatan was probably murdered by members of the security forces (who are fighting Baloch armed separatists) or a Jihadi group.
Balochistan is by far the most dangerous region in Pakistan for the media. Three other reporters have been killed there this year. One was gunned down in June and two others were killed in suicide bombings, in April and September. Several cases of extrajudicial executions of journalists in Pakistan have not been investigated properly. They include the 2006 abduction and murder of Hayatullah Khan in the tribal area of North Waziristan.
Journalists For International Peace condemns brutal murder of the journalist and demanded early arrests of the culprits involved in the crime. By--Iftikhar Chaudri ((Journalists for International Peace)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Media Shoots Imagery at Afghan Detention Facility
Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:29:00 -0500
Joint Task Force 435
“The change in the documentation policy enables a level of transparency that did not previously exist, countering negative perceptions with truthful, accurate images,” said Navy Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, Joint Task Force 435’s commander. The admiral has command, control, oversight and responsibility for U.S. detention and correction operations in Afghanistan. “Joint Task Force 435 is proud of the facility and the important mission our people areresponsible for doing every day,” Harward said. “We are committed to transparency at all levels of the detention operations mission and welcome the opportunity to show that we are conducting operations in accordance with international law and providing appropriate treatment and care to all detainees.” The Parwan facility will transition to the Afghans beginning January 2011. Some restrictions on photography and videography remain, officials said, due to security or safety considerations. These restrictions, they added, are in place to protect detainees, the facility and its personnel by not revealing security measures or procedures. Photos or video in which detainees are recognizable are not authorized and are deleted as part of the security review. “I am exceptionally proud of the work this task force does every day, providing humane, respectful care to those in our custody,” Harward said. “I welcome this opportunity to show what it is really like inside the detention facility in Parwan. These truthful, accurate images of our operations help to mitigate false accusations and perceptions that may otherwise fuel the insurgent cause.” The detention facility’s design allows for safe, humane and effective management of the population, and allows willing detainees to participate in group activities and educational programs, officials said. It is equipped with modern medical facilities, an on-site family visitation area, video teleconferencing capability, large recreation areas, vocational technical and education classrooms, and additional space to conduct legal proceedings. The detention facility was completed in September 2009 and became fully operational in late December 2009. The facility’s design accommodates detainee reintegration efforts and enables JTF 435 to better align detainee operations with the overall strategy to defeat the extremist insurgency in Afghanistan. The facility currently is designed to house about 1,300 detainees. Three additional detainee housing units are being constructed, with an expected delivery date of March 2011. These units will be completely staffed and managed by Afghan authorities and will increase the overall capacity of the Parwan facility by nearly 1,000. The facility is operated by more than 1,200 professionals from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps with trained guards, expert medical personnel and legal support. More than 700 Afghan National Army military police soldiers are currently training to augment the guard force and more than 100 are fully trained and standing guard duty inside the facility with their American counterparts. JTF 435 is actively partnering with Afghan forces in preparation for the responsible transfer of military detention operations to the Afghanistan government . Once transferred, the detention facility will become part of a larger Afghan Justice Center in Parwan, which will become Afghanistan’s central location for the pre-trial detention, prosecution and post-trial incarceration of national security suspects. This transfer is consistent with the memorandum of agreement signed by the pertinent Afghan ministries on Jan. 9. | |||
| Biographies: Navy Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward |
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Journalist Captured in Somalia by Al-Shabab Must be Released, Says Amnesty International
Posted on 23 Feb 2010 at 10:11 PM
Washington : Amnesty International is calling for the immediate release of a Somali radio journalist held by the armed group al-Shabab, apparently after a report was broadcast alleging the group had killed a man in the Wanleweyn district.
Ali Yusuf Adan, a 47-year-old correspondent for Radio Somaliweyn, is being held by the armed group in the port city of Merka, in southern Somalia.
“Amnesty International fears for the safety of Ali Yusuf Adan, given the numerous human rights abuses committed by al-Shabab against civilians, including journalists”, said Erwin van der Borght, Africa director at Amnesty International.
“Al-Shabab must immediately release him without harm, stop threatening journalists and respect the right of all Somalis to freedom of expression.”
Ali Yusuf Adan was captured on February 21 in Wanleweyn, a town northwest of the capital Mogadishu controlled by the armed group,
Al-Shabab has said that the journalist was held because he made a “mistake.”
In the past few months the group has imposed drastic restrictions on journalists in an attempt to stifle information in areas they control.
They have closed down radio stations, banned the airing of reports mentioning Somalia’s government and made intimidating statements against journalists.
Many journalists who fled Somalia reported to Amnesty International that they did so after receiving death threats from individuals claiming to be members of al-Shabab.
Nine journalists were killed in 2009 in Somalia; at least three of them were deliberately murdered.
Two radio directors, Said Tahlil Ahmed and Mukhtar Hirabe, were killed in Bakara market last year, an area of Mogadishu controlled by al-Shabab militia.
Although al-Shabab spokespeople have denied involvement in these killings, the group’s leaders have failed to publicly condemn attacks against the media and order their forces not to target journalists.
Background
Al-Shabab currently controls vast areas of south and central Somalia, including major cities such as Merka, Kismayo and Baidoa, as well as districts of the capital Mogadishu.
The internationally-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, which exercises authority only in part of the capital, is repeatedly attacked by al Shabab and other armed groups and has not been able to establish a national justice system.
Al- Shabab armed groups have grown out of the Islamic Courts Union, a movement that temporarily established control over Mogadishu and other areas in 2006.
The Islamic Courts Union was militarily defeated by Ethiopian troops who intervened in Somalia in late 2006 to assist the Transitional Federal Government.
After Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a former Islamic Courts Union leader, was appointed President of the TFG in January 2009, and Ethiopian troops left Somalia, al-Shabab and other armed groups have continued fighting against the TFG, claiming that it is allied to Western nations.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
Washington : Amnesty International is calling for the immediate release of a Somali radio journalist held by the armed group al-Shabab, apparently after a report was broadcast alleging the group had killed a man in the Wanleweyn district.
Ali Yusuf Adan, a 47-year-old correspondent for Radio Somaliweyn, is being held by the armed group in the port city of Merka, in southern Somalia.
“Amnesty International fears for the safety of Ali Yusuf Adan, given the numerous human rights abuses committed by al-Shabab against civilians, including journalists”, said Erwin van der Borght, Africa director at Amnesty International.
“Al-Shabab must immediately release him without harm, stop threatening journalists and respect the right of all Somalis to freedom of expression.”
Ali Yusuf Adan was captured on February 21 in Wanleweyn, a town northwest of the capital Mogadishu controlled by the armed group,
Al-Shabab has said that the journalist was held because he made a “mistake.”
In the past few months the group has imposed drastic restrictions on journalists in an attempt to stifle information in areas they control.
They have closed down radio stations, banned the airing of reports mentioning Somalia’s government and made intimidating statements against journalists.
Many journalists who fled Somalia reported to Amnesty International that they did so after receiving death threats from individuals claiming to be members of al-Shabab.
Nine journalists were killed in 2009 in Somalia; at least three of them were deliberately murdered.
Two radio directors, Said Tahlil Ahmed and Mukhtar Hirabe, were killed in Bakara market last year, an area of Mogadishu controlled by al-Shabab militia.
Although al-Shabab spokespeople have denied involvement in these killings, the group’s leaders have failed to publicly condemn attacks against the media and order their forces not to target journalists.
Background
Al-Shabab currently controls vast areas of south and central Somalia, including major cities such as Merka, Kismayo and Baidoa, as well as districts of the capital Mogadishu.
The internationally-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, which exercises authority only in part of the capital, is repeatedly attacked by al Shabab and other armed groups and has not been able to establish a national justice system.
Al- Shabab armed groups have grown out of the Islamic Courts Union, a movement that temporarily established control over Mogadishu and other areas in 2006.
The Islamic Courts Union was militarily defeated by Ethiopian troops who intervened in Somalia in late 2006 to assist the Transitional Federal Government.
After Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a former Islamic Courts Union leader, was appointed President of the TFG in January 2009, and Ethiopian troops left Somalia, al-Shabab and other armed groups have continued fighting against the TFG, claiming that it is allied to Western nations.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
Meanwhile the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is deeply concerned about the arrest of Radio journalist in Wanlaweyn district of lower Shabelle region on Sunday 21 February 2010. According to NUSOJ the arrest follows a report filed on 20 February by the journalist about Al-Shabab militias who shot a man over prayer delay in Wanlaweyn. It is believed that this report might be behind his arrest.
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