Bad Militants…
Look at the news-reports below. Notice anything strange (hint: look at the words in bold)?
Body of major killed in Kashmir brought to Gujarat
Ahmedabad: Body of a major from Gujarat who was killed in a fierce gun battle near the LoC in Kupwara district of North Kashmir was brought here tonight. Major Rishikesh Vallbhbhai Ramani(27) of the 23 Punjab Regiment and one of his colleague were killed in the gun battle when army confronted a group of heavily-armed militants at Gulab Post, 130 kms from Srinagar when they were attempting to sneak into the valley from across the border…
From the Hindustan Times:
An army Major, another soldier and three militants were killed when security forces thwarted an infiltration bid by ultras from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday.
Such cowardly and pusillanimous style of reporting is an insult to the memory of the brave men and women who gave their lives to secure our peace…
What will it take for the (English language) media to wake up?
Can this war really be won when we are scared to even mention the “T-word”?
Please take a moment to remember the two brave soldiers who will never see another morning.
And to round off this post, pl. read these excerpts from: News Media Makeovers — Terrorists Are Militants Are Fighters
…In Western news media the sanitization process begins with terrorist, proceeds to the word choice militant, then continues through activist to gunman and onward to insurgent and fighter before arriving at the usages resistance and even the opposition. That is, from criminal — terrorism being a crime under international law — through ambiguous neutrality (activist and gunman) before arriving at admirable (resistance) or even legal and political (opposition).
In “A Strike at the ‘Soul’ of S. Asia; Gunmen Target Cricket Team in Pakistan Attack” (March 4), Washington Post correspondent Emily Wax wrote that “a squad of terrorists [this and subsequent emphases added] armed with grenades, rockets and rifles opened fire on a busload of visiting Sri Lankan cricketers players in Lahore, Pakistan ….” The Post’s lead “The World” section article added that “Pakistani officials said the attack bore a resemblance to a terrorist siege in India in November ….” and said “the targeting of Lahore for a high-profile terrorist assault adds a twist to the tensions between India and Pakistan ….”
But near the end of the dispatch, The Post observed that “in India, news stations compared the Lahore attack to the 1972 Munich attack on Israeli Olympians by fighters linked to the Palestine Liberation Organization.”
The article also refers to “a radical Islamist group, Lashkar-i-Taiba, which Indian officials assert had links to the (November 2008) Mumbai assault squad” as “an anti-India militant group” and to Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers as “ethnic separatist guerrillas,” though both have specialized in terrorism and are designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
…In need, once again, of that timeless reminder with which George Orwell closed his 1946 essay ” Politics and the English Language”:
“Political language — and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists — is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”
Bonus: This article from May 2001 (written four months before Sept 11, 2001) Good Terrorists, Bad Terrorists: How Washington Decides Who’s Who by Garry Leech
P.S. The lone exception to the widespread use of the term “militant” appears to be Indian Express:
The body of Major R V Ramani of 23 Punjab Regiment, who was killed in a counter-insurgency operation in Kupwara near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, was flown to Ahmedabad on Monday. He died on Saturday.
…Army sources said another jawan and a Junior Commissioned Officer were wounded in the operation while three terrorists were reportedly shot dead.
Related Posts:
Who are these “militants�
Also read: Why terrorists are called “militants†in India
The Center Left Media will not shed its “progressive” mindset. An alternate media must evolve but not as mouthpiece or echo chamber but as an independent voice to have credibility.
Hello Shantanu,
Here’s an interesting article by Emanuel A. Winston regarding the ‘Militant’ Vs ‘Terrorist’ nomenclature.
http://tampabayprimer.org/index.cfm?action=articles&drill=viewArt&art=717
The author’s opines that “the offending members of the media have chosen to make themselves party to crimes against humanity, using the cover of ‘just being professional observers’ when, in fact, they are participants.”
Shantanu, in my opinion, you are more confused than anyone else 😉 Who on earth told you that the media’s aim included winning the war? To begin with, did anyone in the ELM mention that there’s a war going on? So, if there’s no war on terror, why will they mention the T-word? Media is doing just its thing – making money. And, be glad that they didn’t say “gunmen” like their grandfather – BBC, who’ve admitted “pro-jihadi” bias countless number of times (just google “bbc admits bias”). I remember countless journalists like Vir Sanghvi rooting for Kashmir’s independence, as recently as last yr. Mind you, these are eminent journalists even today, not fruitcakes like Arundhati.
The question is why are we, Aam Admi of India, referring to these anti-national elements and giving them higher TRP ratings?
Perhaps one could ask the editor of the newspaper/media to clearly elaborate the difference between the words 🙂
Probably would be talking to a wall.
This is not a disease unique to India anymore. Per Obama’s diktat/hint all left leaning or ‘neutral’ media have switched from terrorist to militant verbage.
Example, this one is from Yahoo
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090609/ts_nm/us_pakistan_violence_13
Bhavananda,
>> The question is why are we, Aam Admi of India, referring to these anti-national elements and giving them higher TRP ratings?
Thats because we have no other option. We don’t have any other alternate media source.
@harish: Thats not necessarily true, because there is Daily Pioneer and the Organiser and many other Sangh affiliated newspapers (like Swastika in Bengali,etc). The reality is most Hindus/BJP sympathizers don’t bother looking into, and more importantly, paying for these newspapers. Organizer/Panchajanya has been there for a long time. How many of us pay for its delivery? Yes, media-wise we are lacking, but if we want we can change this. Not to blame you, but whining comes naturally to us Hindus 😉
However, I was trying to make a different point. We all know that the media is biased against Hindus. The least we can do is stay away from the most biased ones (like NDTV, IBN or Hindustan times,The Hindu, etc) and choose the lesser biased ones (like Rediff or Toi). What do you think?
Bhavananda,
What you say is true. I too read pioneer. But these papers don’t have the Television and pan indian presence. A good portion of Hindus don’t know about these papers. I have almost stopped watching ndtv and ibn. But what will normal people do, I think most of them don’t have the time to dissect the news, they just stick to what a few news channels say . Unless a strong alternate media i.e news channel is ushered in I don’t think people will stop watching NDTV,IBN. 🙂
And again anything associated with the rightwing and the sangh comes with a communal tag. I know many friends who when alone talk of hindutva but in a group they do secular talk. 🙂 When i ask them why so the answer is their career might get jeopardized. even i have been advised a lot not to speak on many of these issues many a times.
I think we are damn afraid of being stereotyped as communal. Many people look @ me with contempt at times when I talk about tipu sultan, conversions etc 🙂
@Harish: Everytime someone tells me that I’m communal, pat comes my reply “Proudly so” 😉 Typically there’s no response after that (unless I’m talking to a really stupid sekoolar idiot who’d keep arguing).
Today communal is a “dirty” word and its a success of the sekoolar guys in India. By proudly aligning with that word, we can change that. In fact, I’ve been in situations like yours and slowly, I’ve seen these “closet” Hindutva sympathizers come out in the open once I speak up. So, don’t be afraid, my friend!
@Harish, @Bhaananda,
Talking about one’s religion is protected by the Constitution which guarantees it as a fundamental right. Anyone who says otherwise is disputing that basic premise. Very simply, the pro Hindu organizations should start a legal campaign against all these media outlets about slander whenever they use that tone. Then and only then will they start to reform their biased coverage.
Dirt Digger,
Exactly. I think everytime they use words like Hindu terror etc , we need to start signature campaigns and file PIL’s against the channels and make them eat the humble pie.
I think to some extent that happened when NDTV had decided to award MF Hussain some award and lots of people protested. But its still a long way to go. They are thick skinned people isnt it 🙂
@ Yossarin: You are right…There is a dire need for an alternative…Unfortunately we only have “The Pioneer”. Sometimes I wonder what would it take to start a newspaper in India…If I am not mistaken, one still needs permission and an import license (for newsprint) to do that, am I right?
Does anyone else have any information on the business/commercial aspects of starting a newspaper?
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ego: Thanks for the link…Echoes my thoughts..
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Bhavananda: You are right…I am indeed confused! As you rightly pointed out, “…did anyone in the ELM mention that there’s a war going on?”
Hope you read this post on BBC’s bias.
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DD: Yes…that would be like talking to a wall!
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VoP: Very true…Are not terrorist acts now called “man caused disasters”?!
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Harish: For those who find it easy/convenient to go online, there are numerous sources of “alternative” news…but for those still reliant on print/ TV, there are few options.
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Bhavananda: I think the most balanced is The Indian Express…
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Harish: You are right…“normal people….most of them don’t have the time to dissect the news, they just stick to what a few news channels say. Unless a strong alternate media i.e news channel is ushered in I don’t think people will stop watching NDTV,IBN.” Sad but true.
“…I know many friends who when alone talk of hindutva but in a group they do secular talk. 🙂 When i ask them why so the answer is their career might get jeopardized. even i have been advised a lot not to speak on many of these issues many a times.”
Are you serious? This is a surprise to me (especially the last bit)
@Santanu: Harish’s last comments (on Hindu sympathizers being shy) is indeed very true. Many (probably most) people who are silently pro-BJP, are typically mum publicly in fear of retribution from boss or seniors, who typically are kangress-sekoolar people. On a psychological basis, traditionally Hindus are known to obey and respect the views of their seniors and questioning them is not “proper”. This, plus our “chalta-hai” attitude is reason why it so difficult to losen the kangressi grip over our social institutions from the judiciary to public servants to the so-called intellectuals.
Shantanu,
That’s true atleast in India i guess. Atleast i have faced that issue.
When i was preparing for US visa interview a few of my close friends called me up and told not to make my hindutva credentials obvious, else I am bound to get screwed.
I was labelled as “communal”, “fascist” etc by my team lead when i was working .
May be its just a problem with me i dunno, though!!! 🙂
In accordance with the great secular spirit of India, they will next start calling these terrorists as, ‘Naughty Boys’!
@Bhavananda
As a protest, I specifically selected DishTV package which didn’t have NDTV (eng), Times NOW, CNN, BBC, CNN IBN etc 🙂
Quite surprisingly, all the above mentioned channels weer made available to me by ‘somebody’ for about 1 1/2 month during election (?) season!
@Hemant: Good work and I appreciate your effort.
For the record, I do NOT watch TV any more and rely entirely on the internet for information.I prefer Rediff and Daily pioneer for everyday news. I haven’t “clicked” the NDTV, CNN-IBN websites even once for the last 6 months. I largely rely on google news for ELM news coverage, which is customised to filter out obnoxious channels/websites (although sometimes they escape the “spam” filter & thats how I know these channels are keeping up with their dhimmitude).
Bottomline – What you’ve done is very good, but there’s room for further improvement 😉
PS- All right-minded Hindus should read Chanakya. After the death of his mother, he refused to buy firewood (and contribute to the treasury) from king Nanda whom he considered his enemy. Likewise I believe, every time we visit or watch channels like NDTV, we are contributing, in some way, to our own destruction.
Likewise I believe, every time we visit or watch channels like NDTV, we are contributing, in some way, to our own destruction.
Bhavananda, depends on the reason why someone is watching a channel like NDTV. If it is with the knowledge of their prejudice and a desire to refute their “news” (say, on a blog), then I don’t see why it’d cause the viewer’s destruction.
@Kaffir and Hemant: True, but how many people actually watch NDTV with a “desire to refute”? 0.1% of viewers? The rest just swallows the news. So, shouldn’t we urge one and all to stay away from them? Moreover, NDTV is like the Teesta & Co. You refute one, and the other follows up. You end up refuting one after the other with no end 😉
what would you call baghat singh who killed capt. saunders and hurled a explosive in the indian parliament for indians baghat singh is a hero and a century after he is still remembered,probably english did not have this word called terrorist invented by than.but tday if a kashmiri is fighting for independence he is a terrorist to you is he not fights an armed army trooper.he has a cause to liberate his mother land from forgein occupation where details are from 1947 with united nation or any nation who knows kashmir.for explation millitant is a person who has a cause with political and international meaning rather than a terrorist who is morally incorrect and has a cause to spread terror among innnocent civillians,furthermore the independent press writes what is truth, rather than biased press who will call terrorist a millitan a millitant a terrorist.
@ Adeel: Pl. read some history – carefully. There is NO equivalence between India’s struggle for independence and the terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir.
The residents of Jammu & Kashmir have participated in multiple free elections over the last 60 years and have a government that represents them.
J&K has also benefited enormously (and somewhat unfairly) over the last 60 years through very large fiscal transfers from New Delhi to Srinagar.
There are numerous other factors that expose the fallacy of your argument.
Another important thing: the option for “independence” for Jammu & Kashmir does not exist (and NEVER existed).
Read some of the posts in this category to develop a better understanding of the situation.
The only REAL problem in Jammu & Kashmir is Pakistan’s support to terrorism in J&K, and supply of arms and men across the border to wage a low-intensity war in the region.
@shantatnu well congress also formed a dialouge with the british on a political ground…while the kratikaris were armed ur patrotism says india were fighting for independance while as i say the same for my motherland….more 50 thousand laid thier lives for it will that go waste ..you being an indian has a strong point to further strengthen your occupation here by sending financial assistance and building more bases and bunkers ….trouble started here soon after 1947 it still reamins there for indpendence from india it is in the eyes of the world,the political organisations seek a solution on bases of autonomy and self rule and contested elections to bring help to common people u being an indian can call our armed struggle terrorism no doubt any power will do so like islam has bcome a “terrorist religon” what the west wants it to be for there vested intrests and thier monoply in the world and india shakingt hands with them makes it for clear to you to call us terrorists, like you say low intensity war, we are surely fighting a might but will not stop till we reach a solution and you are bound to defame us and our struggle
Shantanu, aren’t you oversimplifying things a bit in post # 31? No real issues at all? (This is as bad as Pakistan’s story of us supporting the Jiye Sindh and the Balochs and the Pakhtoons. And the Waziris and the Afridis. One day they will say the Taliban are RAW trainees.)
And, Adeel, Bhagat Singh’s bomb was not lethal. In fact, it wsa thrown away from the people. He was making a statement, made no attempt to escape, and hoped to use the trial to state the case for India’s freedom. And this he did without the support of any religion. Quite a few Kashmiri militants may be freedom fighters – I do not deny that, but they really besmirched their struggle with the Pandit pogroms. What freedom fighter drives out his meighbour from home and hearth? You want to check the number of Kashmiri civilians murdered by the militants versus the number of security personnel they killed? And do you ever wonder who benefits from the whole struggle? The politicians and cops who grow fat on extortion and bribes, the militant leaders who “liberate” a good part of the funds? And have you ever wondered why every time the agitators and the Indian Government get close to a rapprochement, there is a particularly offensive atrocity on the part of the security forces which takes things back to square one? And with due respect for the Pakistani supporters of Azadi, would they tolerate an independent nation-state of Kashmir which will take away Azad Kashmir/POK, when they have already sold off one-third of it to China? I am sorry to say this, but you have been sold down the river a long time back.
@jayadevan i think u make lot of sense without the common ignorant approach of anyother idian i have come across
1. pakistan was never our choice because they are same as the indians are punjabis sindhis but there support to our cause of self determination cannot be forgotten
2.india on the other hand has been illegally occupying our land for past 62 yrs with so many statements made on its dispute since whether united nations or diplomatic approach by both countries
3. pandints were not driven by kashmiris but by than governor jagmohan who is renowned of being communal so to make a story outr of it he did that
4.how many civilians have been killed or have disappeared the role of secret services and army together dont u think it is terrorism
Adeel, Jayadevan: Pl. discuss Kashmir on one of the relevant threads.
How about this: https://satyameva-jayate.org/2008/08/17/one-country-one-law/
Also see some of these slides on the historical backdrop to the issue:
And this post on who drove whom out of the Valley
Also The forgotten “J” in J&K
Discussion on relevant threads only please.
Pl. keep this thread for a discussion on the terms “militants” vs. “terrorists” etc.
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@ Jayadevan: Re. over-simplyfying things a bit (in #21); yes I accept…It was deliberate – to bring the role of Pakistan in sharp focus.
If anyone here thinks that US or West is generous that it will stand by India for sake of truth, the person is mistaken. Only idiots practice and believe in non alignment theory, sickularism while cunning exploits. One needs to have edge to garner support… India has none… India has been and will be dictated by US + west… Indo Pak Official statement in Sharm Al Sheikh, MultiBand’s time to time statements, HellBroker’s statement, HillAreY?’s statements and our honorable accountable MMS and unaccountable Sonia are a testimony to fact. And yes, media which thrives on feces is always there to suppport catapult.
@ adeel shafi who blabbered in incoherent English: “pandints were not driven by kashmiris but by than governor jagmohan who is renowned of being communal so to make a story outr of it he did thatâ€
Since you digressed and started your Islamic Propaganda here, I will counter your whitewashing of Jihad with the truth – facts, proof and photographs. (Shantanu, please bear with me)
The indigenous Kashmiri Pandits were butchered, raped and driven away by their fellow Kashmiri Muslim brethren, with the participation of the Ummah.
I know you lack compassion for the Kafirs in Kashmir, but let’s enumerate the divine deeds of compassion by the Ummah:
• Ever heard of Girija Kumari Tickoo who was stripped, gangraped for many days, placed on a band saw and starting from her genitalia and moving up, she was sliced into two halves by her converted Kashmiri brethren on June 11, 1990.
• Ever heard of Hindu babies and children who were beheaded with axes by their Muslim brethren in Dhakikot and Prankot on April 17, 1998 ?
• Ever heard of the successful religious genocide against an entire native population (Kashmiri Hindu population) by their converted cousins within the past decade?
Congratulations to all my Ummah brethren on a job well-executed.*sarcasm*
• Read more of your wonderful Islamic exploits in Kashmir in this remarkable book by a Kashmiri Pandit survivor:
“Kashmir: Wail of a Valley” by Mohan Lal Koul
http://www.kashmir-information.com/WailValley/B2chap8b.html