The Prime Minister to stand down reform of the monarchy and a new constitution its only chang is that those protests in bangkok. They have showed very clearly that they can still extract the numbers after the crackdown on friday night the police use. Of the riot police use. A cannon with chemical laced water in scenes that i think surprised many thais. But they are still coming out they came out yesterday despite the fact that a lot of public transport was shut down the central bank of the same thing happened today. The police repeated the threat that anyone turning up at these protests would be arrested and showed u. S. Forces in afghanistan are denying allegations theyre violating their agreements with the taliban by carrying out airstrikes in Helmand Province taliban Spokesman Says the u. S. Are engaging in provocative actions and bombing noncombat zones but the u. S. Says its not violating the agreement isnt acting in the and is acting in the defense of Afghan Security forces fighting has increased in recent days in a n. Zer voting in a tense election that follows months of unrest the incumbent president of a calm day has cast his ballot in the capital cannot carry on sunday morning hes running against 11 others but the main rival is his former Prime Minister etc down then. Thousands of protesters gathering in paris right now following the beheading of a teacher on friday the school where the teacher taught is believed to have received multiple threats after he showed a controversial image of the prophet muhammads in a lesson about freedom of expression. Those are the headlines on aljazeera more news coming up after at listening post by. Line for the code 19. Asian americans suffering an epidemic of Violent Attacks and abuse. One east meets the new generation fighting back on out 0. 1 year since august when the. Rock. Block. Hello im richard just bird and youre watching a special edition of the listening post kashmir is emerging slowly from the worlds longest most comprehensive internet blackout one that lasted nearly a year it was imposed on august 5th of 2019 that was the day in irans remote is government in new delhi change the rules on the way the indian controlled part of the region is governed instantly the 9 jamu and kashmir a degree of independence that was negotiated more than 70 years ago in 1970 having revoked that part of the constitution motive then placed an already militarized region under a communications blockade kashmir is disputed territory the countries involved India Pakistan and china are all Nuclear Powers each comes armed with its own narrative that doesnt match the way many kashmiris see themselves on this program were focusing on the indian administered part of kashmir later in the show well hear from 3 Kashmiri Journalists on the challenges of reporting with their communications curtailed 1st though the background story on a region thats been contested on the ground and in the news media ever since indias independence 7 decades ago. History changed. And buyers governments and ideology. But never changes is geography. The geographical reality for the people of kashmir is that the territory they live in is in dispute and unlike any other geopolitical flashpoint on the planet the main antagonists involved India Pakistan and china which administers part of the region all happen to be nuclear power. You have to understand that this really stands between 3 Nuclear States all of them lay claim to parts and in the world which is very uncertain that you know very precarious position with the german history is concerned if we try and do really x. Ray down to the very base of what is happening when india and pakistan speak about it theyre both functioning from the philosopher limited to read this forest of possession and liberation so both of them have one thing that was asked and also in the name of liberation dunking still fish movies that have made their sufferings worse there is no not a tip of push me it is only 2 contesting sites and when we say that there are only 2 can distil know what it is essentially talking about the 947. 00 history of the partition of india. 72 years after that partition on august 5th 2019 the government in new delhi fundamentally changed the relationship between kashmir and it revoked what is known as article 370. 00 that gave kashmir its special status. You want to understand the significance the change had on the lives of kashmiris one must consider the history. When the partition occur just as the sub continent gained its independence from britain the ruler of the Princely State known as Jammu And Kashmir maharajah hurry singh had a decision to make he was handed most of his subjects were muslims he was trying to play india and pakistan off against each other to preserve Jammu And Kashmir sc independence just months after the british pulled out when the region was invaded by muslim fighters from pakistan he chose to exceed his territory to be in the condition he demanded was the jehmu in kashmir be accorded a special status including autonomy on key issues such as citizenship and Property Rights that formed the bedrock of the relationship between the indian state and kashmiris in general in kashmir that are so many versions of history depending on where you begin to begin history hundreds of years ago do you begin history in 1947 when the hindu king decided to sign the letter of accession towards india im not to pakistan to begin history when the 1st Prime Minister did all out and went to the United Nations and said this is an international dispute now over the course of these different events i think that formulated the sense of job one because for years existence has also come a sense of grievance that every promise that was given at these most important points in history has in fact been overturned india broke every promise pakistan broke every promise these ridges in history are essentially defined in media narrative by that. One kashmir acceded to india in 1947 it did so without consulting its citizens big promises. A referendum came to nothing pakistan has always called that expression fraudulent refusing to accept its legality pakistan and india have since fought 3 wars over kashmir in 19471965 again in 1999 that last war took place in the region of cargo it was the 1st Armed Conflict ever fought between Nuclear Powers it lasted just 2 and a half months but it changed. Indias media sector was booming dozens of new 24 hour news channels were on the air competing for. The order of a bunch of hippies a lot about a bit out ok but then also what about a hoodie with god give or the negative jeans because it was for the 1st time that because she was brought to the living rooms of people who thought that through the b. B. C. s got to use the right people in this country to look at the screen was what i was. Taught by you large becomes one quest was the in india about this nonsense to get media types in that way. And we still see the legacy of some of that in a lot. Of them out of the believe ahmed backs when there were fears of India Pakistan war the hyper nationalism that is still in the t. V. Studio journalists in combat fatigues and speaking in a very aggressive i was about confronting the enemy that sort of thing is is is the legacy of back. One chapter of kashmir is history that for years went under reported began a decade before the cargill war the mass forced exodus of the regions hindu minority the Kashmiri Pandits starting in 1990. Separatist movements some prone to violence many backed by pakistan were on the rise attacking indian. Forces and Kashmiri Pandits pundits still speak of the threats they heard from mosques delivered over loudspeakers on january 4th 1990 a kashmiri newspaper published a press release from an Islamic Militant group the Hizbul Mujahideen advising pundits to leave panic set in within 2 years of the 75000 pundits families in kashmir more than 70000 fled today 3 decades later only about 800 such families remain what happened afterwards is more tragic than the exile its the story of course many pundits was relegated to the margins because for the media here it was a simple people should be muslims who were brutalized by the indian state but at the same time they forgot the fact that the same type of people had brutalized another set of people happened because many pundits and this is. Over the years the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits has grown into a potent issue for hindu nationalists who now get a disproportionate amount of airtime on indian news channels and use the pundit issue to justify the governments policies on genuine kashmir. I dont know that its the officials of the government of india that you know whatever we do do good muslims is legitimized because of what has happened because weve done. But certainly ive witness you know its socalled give dates on earlier as you know where its really hundreds referred this as an argument for or from the just my thing that revenge in a way for gods sake do not use our story as a as a as a military weapon one studio being does not have to exist at the cost of 1. 00 of the stories all these stories of being have a right to exist. Could look at the visuals that could be on indian teacher. On the afternoon of august 5 in the arc of 370 was a few Kashmiri Pandits head and the group in suites etc. They have a right to do that because they have a stake in the story but that does not mean that theyre happy that course midis back home facing an unprecedented situation. So that the picture of the scores of competing little its way than the reason histories of the different communities are only fitted against each other and it doesnt result in justice for anyone but its like useful for political profit for an excellent list committed by the bad east taking the bull shit by clearly now with every passing day we see on and under the fascist patenting. That is the political reality that is indeed under the beach in the guinness capable context of the kashmir issue today. In august of 2019 when the Modi Government unilaterally eliminated kashmirs autonomy it had to alter the constitution to do and get revoked to what is known as article 37. 00 that gave kashmir its special status. The entry modi is making good on the election the legislation was rushed through parliament troops poured into the region elected leaders in kashmir were placed under house arrest and communications were cut off for the most part they still are it doesnt matter whether its been the congress or be a part of the agenda the party at the helm of the power of every means and in order to be sure what has happened in the context of the obligation of article 370 on all this fight is that the rubicon has been crossed and that Political Party which is the b g b m e bay existence over this issue alone good existence is found big in the idea that india has to be one nation one side. Ones going to do shit and jehmu English Media had a separate constitution separate flag and separate law therefore it was historic from that perspective now jim or english medium is legally in degraded with the rest of the states and union did trees in the union or the kind of sweeping measure of the government whether it came to stopping the internet or this of all the top leadership a complete shut down of the political process inside of the government was no longer going to me any kind of adjustment if you like for what was originally a special state. The Modi Government justifies the communications lockdown as the most effective way to disrupt the operations of extremist groups it caused terrorists new delhi has frequently used fighting extremism as a basis for blockades from 2012 to 2018 the internet was shut down 125. 00 times in Jammu And Kashmir those blockages would typically end in a day or 2 this one has lasted more than a year the internet has gone from being completely blacked out for the 1st 5 months to moving in slow motion since with 2 g. Speeds that seem to take forever having relied on constitutional lawyers to rewrite the law of the land men in uniform to patrol the streets of kashmir it. Experts to carefully limit communications there. And indian news channels to spread the message in the rest of the country the b j p has both shaped this debate and limited it severely in the weeks that followed the august 5th decision i think it is safe to say no Television Channel actually challoners the governments version that is an overwhelming on. I believe a credential right. At the back but in our life stopped. Before our very eyes. The integration of german cushnie was actually up in fact most of them not only indoors to do what the visuals they showed the debates they held seemed to indicate that nobody wanted to challenge the governments decision if there were to be a one hour just a one hour program on an indian super mainstream channel at primetime that actually lays just to the bare facts of the chemise history political dispute just even the bare facts even something as tiny as a drop in the ocean is that would make a Significant Impact and they do not know because its not on their t. V. Its not in their papers you just kind of keep on with that sanctioned ignorance enforced silence and perpetuate your own narrative the narrative. Is very dark and that is listen we just want to be left alone to live as we would like to live and that we were told at one point that we would be asked as to what we would like for our future things have not happened that is because we live which has been ignored completely then you say that there is no question the negative are you nor do lying are you not who are drinking people because in the last 30 years youve been saying dark meat is one thing dependence how did this point of view become saw mainstream if you were not given the space to speak what you wanted but the truth is that he alone is not at the there are a shred of pundits there are the swedish 6 there are the smiting muslims who swear by india are they not bush meetings i am an arbiter. The garden state of course really is critical because the media. Is redefining it said whether it is going to be a secular democracy or whether it is going to be a religious republic or a majority they View Community and i think the significance of that is that it has huge implications for a fair treatment because me and most importantly the people of kashmir. Denied their normal means of communication Kashmiri Journalists have had to find new ways to do the job consider what theyre up against checkpoints roadblocks restrictions on movement and even if they are able to Research Stories get to sources have information verified and produce a report how do they get it out some reporters have been smuggling news content out on her drives others are forced to queue up at a state run Media Facilitation Center to upload stories knowing that they run the risk of government surveillance harassment and intimidation of journalists is far too common daring to question the official line could land them in a Police Interrogation room the end result is selfcensorship a sanitized local media ill equipped to report what this new reality means for citizens there weve spoken with 3 local journalists on the work that they do to make sure that the kashmiri narrative isnt completely blacked out. There was already. Logged on here since august 5th and then when this quarter not game it was. Logged on within a log. Completely silent majority of the population. Behind what the government is trying to do it hes. Population that we are in control of your life. What changed after august 5 is the level of intimidation it was for the 1st time that we use has taken over the control of journalism and journalists and bushmeat and they ensure that no journalists. From the government never do and no journalist tries to do in going to be an injustice. But. As a photojournalist it was very harsh it was very difficult like you know working in kashmir the past many years i have covered different uprisings different movements different for tests i have covered the funerals of militants. But since 5th august what happened it was ordered to be that a very different thing. There were like huge number of Indian Forces everywhere on the road in the cities in the alleys or everywhere you know around kashmir it had been very difficult to even like move because we were being stopped at many places. In kashmir there was already a military lockdown here but since the pandemic happened we had again a log on for the war it was it was a log down for the 1st time but for me for us 7 in the meat for people here i could see it has been happening for a year even if i should stories im not able to communicate to my editors on time im not able to you know access the high Speed Internet at my home i go to my friends place every day i have to travel 8 kilometers and kilometers just to play file or check my email so its like its thats a very sad situation traveling distances to just you know send a single story as a freelancer i also find it very difficult like working in kashmir just because i saw many of my colleagues people working as a journalist but all the people are right there are authors they were being summoned for the stories they have done so it also has an impact on my life as well personally because i also somehow feel scared of. What happens is that you do selfcensorship im not likely able to promote openly talk about things that are happening in kashmir just because. You know i also care that if today some of my colleagues are being called tomorrow they might call me. But i think it was peak of covert it was april 19th sunday so i received a call from cyber police that im required in that office 1st i was asked to sit in the cyber police then i was taken to gargle which is meant for hardcore militants so it was there i was questioned so one can understand the kind of intimidation you get at the police of each is meant for the hardcore militants i was asked by just a cyber police regarding a story which was published about a family which clean. They are being allowed to collect the body of a suspected militant who they cleaned may have been their son i based my report on the it because on the interviews which i had of the families but the illustrations said the neighborhood allowed the families collect the bodies so they lied the dispute the fact remains that i did try to get in touch with the Deputy Commissioner on many dark forms but he did not reply i dont think it was about the story they were really unhappy with the kind of journalism ive been doing since august 5 not just me other colleagues also anyone who has done in could mean in journalism the state has ensured that either someone or there is indeed an intimidation really what took them a reputed author. Was booked under you a peer an act which is usually a slap against hard code militants then you saw a young budding photojournalists mustards and she was also slap. By you would be which otherwise would be slapped on someone who has been into militancy for many many years i also faced a case under section 505 for inciting people i think they chose these cases deliberately they wanted to ensure that every afraid of journalism gets this message that if you deviate from the government narrative if you try to bring reality to the fore you will physics you know you are not sure if you do work around the world if you will be home tomorrow or in a Police Station that is the kind of failing. As a journalist i think im equally worried because of the in that of what has happened on the future of media the media is on able to perform in the way it should people for me me has been one of the most turbulent period ever and still we havent heard enough stories the blockade itself is a way of intimidating the journalists because when you take away the Days Technology internet telephones these are not privileges these are vital those that are used by journalists these days and to take away their tools itself is intimidating and it is instead a sense of fear in their minds its. Cause its not that. The entire media has been silenced there are people who are doing their work. Very bravely very courageously but what is disturbing is that it is the local media which is being squeezed more which is being controlled more and why this is something that is being consciously done by the government whether it is by arm twisting them whether it is by stopping that advertisement and this is consciously being done because local media becomes a vital tool for why the light is light from for the local people empowering them and theyre providing them wise giving them black from giving theres issues and problems of blacks and fish me times has always tried to perform the sign of a job to be frank i think the meantime absolutely has been hampered even before all this process in the making for many many years. Im not sure whether we can continue the way we are continuing im not even sure whether we can manage to keep alive the institution which is 65 years old but what keeps me going is that whole mortal behind of the organization to accord still values and the ethics of journalism to become a lawyer of the waste left to fight for liberal democracy i mean at the end of the day you only have 2 choices one is completely set and the other is you fight the bag so i to the latter. Its been more than a year now since kashmiris officially lost what autonomy they had and then saw their media slowly suffered. News organizations are supposed to give voice to the voiceless when they are effectively silenced so where the populations they come from where does that leave jabber when kashmir at the mercy of the Modi Government in a country that still likes to brand itself the Worlds Largest democracy youve been watching a special edition of our program on the competing narratives in the media stranglehold in kashmir well see you next time here at the mostly because i want you to know our nations going to defeat this terrible china virus as we call it there is no place for hate in america well im feeling great i dont know about you worried umask is not a political statement its a scientific recommendation the final president ial t. V. Debate live on aljazeera. Investigating the use and abuse of power across the globe on you see. This is aljazeera. Out of there i mean this is a new life and coming up in the next 60 minutes they get in president conde bids for a controversial 3rd term mid simmering ethnic tensions. Hundreds of lives lost in 3 weeks of fighting it will a shaky new truce be respected by azerbaijan and media. Protesters in thailand continue to defy Police Threats to shut down down