Valley scribes protest communication blockade

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 3

To press the government to lift the communication blockade which has crossed 60 days, journalists in Kashmir today held a demonstration at Srinagar’s press club.

The scribes demanded free access to internet and communication. All media unions representing journalists, photojournalists, video journalists, editors of all local newspapers and members of the Kashmir Press Club participated in the peaceful protest.

“The government wants us to carry just its own version that’s why it has put the curbs. We want that we should be provided the internet facility at our offices so that we are not forced to visit the government-provided media centre, which is a humiliation for us,” said Nusrath Sidiq, a woman journalist.

The journalists carried placards like ‘end communication blackout’ and wore black bands as a mark of protest against the continuous communication blockade.

The journalists said they were unable to carry assignments due to the communication gag.

The internet and mobile connectivity was disconnected on the midnight of August 4 when the government was planning to abrogate the special status of Kashmir which was done on the morning of August 5 when curfew was imposed in the region, triggering an outrage.

“It is not easy to work here. We are being pushed into an era of darknesss where least information is available on what is happening in other areas. We have no access at all. We are unable to tell the stories of difficulties faced by people,” said another journalist.

There has been no official word from the authorities as to when the communication ban will be lifted. Only landline phones have been restored so far to which a limited number of people have access. But this has not eased out the difficulties of journalists.