The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists from developing countries for its 2012 fellowship program. The application deadline is Wednesday, March 30, 2012.
The fellowships are available to radio, television, print and web journalists, age 25 to 35, from developing countries who are interested in coming to New York to report on international affairs during the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The fellowships will begin in early September and extend to late November and will include the cost of travel and accommodations in New York, as well as a per diem allowance.
The fellowship program is open to journalists who are native to one of the developing countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, and are currently working full-time for a bona fide media organization in a developing nation. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and commitment to international affairs and to conveying a better understanding of the United Nations to their readers and audiences. They must also have approval from their media organizations to spend up to two months in New York to report from the United Nations.
Details with regard to applying for a journalism fellowship can be found on our web site at www.unjournalismfellowship.org.
In an effort to rotate recipient countries, the Fund will not consider journalist applications for 2012 from nations selected in 2011: China, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria. Journalists from these countries may apply in 2013.
Four journalists are selected each year after a review of all applications. The journalists who are awarded fellowships are given the incomparable opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations at the United Nations, to make professional contacts that will serve them for years to come, to interact with seasoned journalists from around the world, and to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern. Many past fellows have risen to prominence in their professional and countries. The program is not intended to provide basic skills training to journalists, as all participants are media professionals.
Questions about the program, eligibility and application process should be directed to fellowship@unjournalismfellowship.org.
29 February 2012
24 February 2012
Journalists condemn Zaid Hamid’s allegations against SAFMA
They condemn the accusations that Zaid Hamid is levelling through social networking sites against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Leading media professionals, executive bodies of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), South Asia Media Commission (SAMC), South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), editors and press club representatives across the country condemn the accusations that Zaid Hamid is levelling through social networking sites against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
In a joint statement, leading media personalities took serious exception to what they called the unfounded and shameful accusations hurled through a social networking website by an irresponsible person violating all ethics and norms against a media body of most credible journalists of the South Asian region.
“Such unfounded allegations and defaming views on a social networking site are aimed at inciting public sentiments against SAFMA and its thousands of members and malign a media body and its leaders that are widely respected in the region for their professional standing and commitment to peace and progress of the people of South Asia,” they said.
The media representatives expressed their serious concern over the slander indicative of the dangerous trend in the cyber world of maligning various personalities and credible organisations. “What is quite despicable is that Zaid Hamid’s accusations have no basis whatsoever,” they added.
Appreciating SAFMA's remarkable role in defence of right-to-know, freedom of expression, press freedom, rights of journalists, media development, peace and regional cooperation, the media representatives resolved to frustrate the designs of fascist elements and their authoritarian patrons against independent media persons and organisations. They endorsed the SAFMA defamation case filed against Hamid and others.
The media personalities who condemned the propaganda against SAFMA include Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Director and senior journalist IA Rehman, Express Tribune Executive Editor M Ziauddin, Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami, Awam Editor Nazir Leghari, senior journalist Hussain Naqi, Express Tribune City Editor Ata-ul-Musawwir, CPNE General Secretary Aamer Mehmood, Balochistan Times Editor Siddique Baloch, PFUJ Vice President Tariq Chaudhary, National Press Club Islamabad President Farooq Faisal, Daily Awaz Editor Khalid Farooqi, Daily Express Editorial Editor Ayaz Khan, senior journalist Shahzada Zulfiqar, Aaj TV Anchorperson Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA Pakistan General Secretary Sirmed Manzoor, Geo News Director Agha Nasir, Geo News Anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmed, columnist Babar Ayaz, Peshawar Press Club President Shamim Shahid, Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid, Awami Awaz Editor Dr Jabbar Khattak, columnist Ghazi Salahuddin, CNBC anchorperson Mujahid Barelvi, columnist Irfana Mallah, Turbat Press Club President Jehangeer Aslam, senior journalist GN Mughal, Editor Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Mashriq Quetta and Lahore Editor Syed Mumtaz Shah, Sukkar Press Club President Lala Asad, Editor Khalid Khokhar, Sindh TV anchorperson Fayyaz Naich, columnist Amer Sindhu, Jang Group senior journalist Anjum Rasheed, Aaj Kal former editor Khalid Chaudhry, Naya Zamana Editor Shoaib Adil, Business Recorder Resident Editor Saida Fazal, columnist Munnoo Bhai, senior journalist Ibrahim Shirwani, SAMAA TV anchor Asma Shirazi, columnist Afzal Khan, Dateline Islamabad Editor Mustansar Javed, Pakistan Today Islamabad Resident Editor Rana Qaisar, PFUJ former secretary general Shamsul Islam Naz, Jinnah Editor Khushnood Ali Khan, Daily Times Op-ed Editor Mehmal Sarfaraz, editor and columnist Khaled Ahmed, Waqt columnist Allama Siddiq Azhar, South Asian Journal Editor Imtiaz Alam, Farah Warraich, Farah Zia, Ayaz Amir, Saleem Shahid, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Dr Karim Rajpar, Amn Editor Hamid Hussain Abidi, Herald Editor Badar Alam, Karachi Press Club President Tahir Hasan Khan, Newsline Editor Iqbal Mallah, Rehana Hakim, South Asia Media Net Editor Waqar Mustafa, South Asia Media Monitor Executive Editor Sadaf Arshad.
Leading media professionals, executive bodies of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), South Asia Media Commission (SAMC), South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), editors and press club representatives across the country condemn the accusations that Zaid Hamid is levelling through social networking sites against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
In a joint statement, leading media personalities took serious exception to what they called the unfounded and shameful accusations hurled through a social networking website by an irresponsible person violating all ethics and norms against a media body of most credible journalists of the South Asian region.
“Such unfounded allegations and defaming views on a social networking site are aimed at inciting public sentiments against SAFMA and its thousands of members and malign a media body and its leaders that are widely respected in the region for their professional standing and commitment to peace and progress of the people of South Asia,” they said.
The media representatives expressed their serious concern over the slander indicative of the dangerous trend in the cyber world of maligning various personalities and credible organisations. “What is quite despicable is that Zaid Hamid’s accusations have no basis whatsoever,” they added.
Appreciating SAFMA's remarkable role in defence of right-to-know, freedom of expression, press freedom, rights of journalists, media development, peace and regional cooperation, the media representatives resolved to frustrate the designs of fascist elements and their authoritarian patrons against independent media persons and organisations. They endorsed the SAFMA defamation case filed against Hamid and others.
The media personalities who condemned the propaganda against SAFMA include Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Director and senior journalist IA Rehman, Express Tribune Executive Editor M Ziauddin, Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami, Awam Editor Nazir Leghari, senior journalist Hussain Naqi, Express Tribune City Editor Ata-ul-Musawwir, CPNE General Secretary Aamer Mehmood, Balochistan Times Editor Siddique Baloch, PFUJ Vice President Tariq Chaudhary, National Press Club Islamabad President Farooq Faisal, Daily Awaz Editor Khalid Farooqi, Daily Express Editorial Editor Ayaz Khan, senior journalist Shahzada Zulfiqar, Aaj TV Anchorperson Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA Pakistan General Secretary Sirmed Manzoor, Geo News Director Agha Nasir, Geo News Anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmed, columnist Babar Ayaz, Peshawar Press Club President Shamim Shahid, Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid, Awami Awaz Editor Dr Jabbar Khattak, columnist Ghazi Salahuddin, CNBC anchorperson Mujahid Barelvi, columnist Irfana Mallah, Turbat Press Club President Jehangeer Aslam, senior journalist GN Mughal, Editor Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Mashriq Quetta and Lahore Editor Syed Mumtaz Shah, Sukkar Press Club President Lala Asad, Editor Khalid Khokhar, Sindh TV anchorperson Fayyaz Naich, columnist Amer Sindhu, Jang Group senior journalist Anjum Rasheed, Aaj Kal former editor Khalid Chaudhry, Naya Zamana Editor Shoaib Adil, Business Recorder Resident Editor Saida Fazal, columnist Munnoo Bhai, senior journalist Ibrahim Shirwani, SAMAA TV anchor Asma Shirazi, columnist Afzal Khan, Dateline Islamabad Editor Mustansar Javed, Pakistan Today Islamabad Resident Editor Rana Qaisar, PFUJ former secretary general Shamsul Islam Naz, Jinnah Editor Khushnood Ali Khan, Daily Times Op-ed Editor Mehmal Sarfaraz, editor and columnist Khaled Ahmed, Waqt columnist Allama Siddiq Azhar, South Asian Journal Editor Imtiaz Alam, Farah Warraich, Farah Zia, Ayaz Amir, Saleem Shahid, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Dr Karim Rajpar, Amn Editor Hamid Hussain Abidi, Herald Editor Badar Alam, Karachi Press Club President Tahir Hasan Khan, Newsline Editor Iqbal Mallah, Rehana Hakim, South Asia Media Net Editor Waqar Mustafa, South Asia Media Monitor Executive Editor Sadaf Arshad.
23 February 2012
Fellowships for multimedia journalism
Asian journalists can apply for a fellowship to earn an online diploma in multimedia journalism.
The Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University (ACFJ) in the Philippines offers a one-year distance learning program for up to 15 students.
The program features six theory and practice-oriented courses and a capstone project, enabling journalists to undertake multimedia projects. All courses are held online except for the initial course - Fundamentals in Multimedia Journalism - a hybrid of online and on-campus components.
ACFJ offers 10 scholarship grants for the program and five are full grants covering travel and tuition fees.
Applicants must be Asian journalists with at least two years of experience as fulltime journalists. Apply by February 29.
For more information, click here.
The Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University (ACFJ) in the Philippines offers a one-year distance learning program for up to 15 students.
The program features six theory and practice-oriented courses and a capstone project, enabling journalists to undertake multimedia projects. All courses are held online except for the initial course - Fundamentals in Multimedia Journalism - a hybrid of online and on-campus components.
ACFJ offers 10 scholarship grants for the program and five are full grants covering travel and tuition fees.
Applicants must be Asian journalists with at least two years of experience as fulltime journalists. Apply by February 29.
For more information, click here.
Media awards on water issues
Investigative journalists who cover water supply, sanitation or hygiene issues can apply for an award.
The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and the Stockholm International Water Instituteseek entries for the fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards, recognizing and supporting the crucial role of media in raising awareness of the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Journalists from developing and middle-income countries can enter five categories - online/print, TV, radio, cartoons/photo and economics of sanitation. The sixth category is open to journalists from high-income countries or those working for international media outlets across all media and formats.
Entries will be accepted in English, French and Hindi. Works not originally produced in one of these languages must be translated into one of them.
The six winners will receive a cash prize and participate in World Water Week in Stockholm in August 2012. Apply by April 1.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/media-awards-water-issues-open-worldwide
The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and the Stockholm International Water Instituteseek entries for the fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards, recognizing and supporting the crucial role of media in raising awareness of the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Journalists from developing and middle-income countries can enter five categories - online/print, TV, radio, cartoons/photo and economics of sanitation. The sixth category is open to journalists from high-income countries or those working for international media outlets across all media and formats.
Entries will be accepted in English, French and Hindi. Works not originally produced in one of these languages must be translated into one of them.
The six winners will receive a cash prize and participate in World Water Week in Stockholm in August 2012. Apply by April 1.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/media-awards-water-issues-open-worldwide
Deutsche Welle blogging contest
Bloggers worldwide can enter a competition.
Deutsche Welle seeks candidates for its International Blog Awards, the BOBs, honoring websites in 11 languages that champion the open exchange of ideas and freedom of expression.
Through Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte or OpenID, users can nominate candidates in German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Bengali or Indonesian.
Each language has a best blog category of its own. The remaining six, multilingual categories include best blog, best use of technology for the social good, best social activism campaign, a Reporters Without Borders award, best video channel and education/culture.
An international jury of bloggers, the online community and Internet activists and experts will select the winners that will receive their prize at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Germany.
The deadline is March 13.
For more information, click here.
Deutsche Welle seeks candidates for its International Blog Awards, the BOBs, honoring websites in 11 languages that champion the open exchange of ideas and freedom of expression.
Through Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte or OpenID, users can nominate candidates in German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Bengali or Indonesian.
Each language has a best blog category of its own. The remaining six, multilingual categories include best blog, best use of technology for the social good, best social activism campaign, a Reporters Without Borders award, best video channel and education/culture.
An international jury of bloggers, the online community and Internet activists and experts will select the winners that will receive their prize at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Germany.
The deadline is March 13.
For more information, click here.
Investigative journalist and family murdered
A freelance journalist who had investigated illegal mining activity, his wife and their two children were found brutally murdered in their home in India's Madhya Pradesh state on 18 February, report the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).
According to IPI, Chandrika Rai, his wife, Durga, and their children, Jalaj (19) and Nisha (17) had been killed with a sharp object and each left in a separate room of the house. The bodies were discovered by the journalist's brother, who became suspicious after noticing that the family's front door had been locked from the outside.
In a letter addressed to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Indian Editors Guild said it suspected that the gruesome crime was linked to Rai's work as a journalist.
Rai had been investigating illegal coal-mining activity in the state's central Umaria district and had recently written a series of articles for the Nagpur-based "Hitavada" paper alleging the involvement of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician.
According to IPI, although the Umaria coalfields are controlled by an arm of India's state-run coal corporation, illegal coal mining remains rampant in the region.
Local police, however, told the media they are pursuing multiple angles in their investigation, including the possibility that the murders may be linked to the kidnapping of the 7-year old son of a government official last week.
According to IPI, local media reported that Rai had publicly accused the police of protecting the two suspects in the kidnapping. Rai had also disputed police claims that the boy was rescued without a ransom having to be paid, say IPI and IFJ.
India is one of the worst countries for investigating journalists' murders, ranking 13th in the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) impunity index, which spotlights where journalists are slain and the killers go free.
According to IPI, Chandrika Rai, his wife, Durga, and their children, Jalaj (19) and Nisha (17) had been killed with a sharp object and each left in a separate room of the house. The bodies were discovered by the journalist's brother, who became suspicious after noticing that the family's front door had been locked from the outside.
In a letter addressed to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Indian Editors Guild said it suspected that the gruesome crime was linked to Rai's work as a journalist.
Rai had been investigating illegal coal-mining activity in the state's central Umaria district and had recently written a series of articles for the Nagpur-based "Hitavada" paper alleging the involvement of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician.
According to IPI, although the Umaria coalfields are controlled by an arm of India's state-run coal corporation, illegal coal mining remains rampant in the region.
Local police, however, told the media they are pursuing multiple angles in their investigation, including the possibility that the murders may be linked to the kidnapping of the 7-year old son of a government official last week.
According to IPI, local media reported that Rai had publicly accused the police of protecting the two suspects in the kidnapping. Rai had also disputed police claims that the boy was rescued without a ransom having to be paid, say IPI and IFJ.
India is one of the worst countries for investigating journalists' murders, ranking 13th in the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) impunity index, which spotlights where journalists are slain and the killers go free.
20 February 2012
Indian journalist, family murdered; hand of mining mafia suspected
The brutal murder of a senior journalist and his entire family Saturday night in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria distict, over 450 km from here, has sent shockwaves across the State with fingers being pointed at the illegal coal mining mafia active in the region.
Journalist Chandrika Rai (42), his wife Durga (40) and their two teenage children — son Jalaj (19) and daughter Nisha (17) — were murdered using a sharp object at their residence, police said. The bodies were found in four separate rooms.
Mr. Rai was a freelance journalist who contributed regularly to the Hindi daily Navbharat and English daily The Hitavada. He had been writing consistently against the illegal coal mining in the region. He had written a series of articles alleging the involvement of a local BJP leader in illegal mining.
The district is known for the Umaria coalfield under the control of the South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. However, illegal coal mining is also rampant in the region.
“The local illegal mining mafia has resorted to this horrific crime to silence the power of his pen,” said Congress MLA and leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Singh. “The BJP government gives open protection to the local mining mafia. Recently Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and some of his Ministers were seen sharing the stage with wanted criminals. In such a situation, criminals have no fear of the law and commit such mind-numbing crimes with impunity whenever their interests are harmed.”
The crime came to light when Mr. Rai's brother broke open the door on Saturday evening after he became suspicious on seeing it locked from the outside the entire day.
Linked to abduction?
The Umaria police believe the murders could also be linked to the kidnap of the seven-year-old son of a government official for ransom on Wednesday. He was rescued by the police on Thursday.
“DGP Raut visited the crime scene on Sunday and has ordered an STF probe,” Umaria SP Manohar Singh Jamara told The Hindu. “He also spoke to journalists here and assured them that the criminals would be brought to book as soon as possible. We have constituted a team to look into the crime and assist the STF which will arrive here tomorrow [Monday].”
Journalist Chandrika Rai (42), his wife Durga (40) and their two teenage children — son Jalaj (19) and daughter Nisha (17) — were murdered using a sharp object at their residence, police said. The bodies were found in four separate rooms.
Mr. Rai was a freelance journalist who contributed regularly to the Hindi daily Navbharat and English daily The Hitavada. He had been writing consistently against the illegal coal mining in the region. He had written a series of articles alleging the involvement of a local BJP leader in illegal mining.
The district is known for the Umaria coalfield under the control of the South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. However, illegal coal mining is also rampant in the region.
“The local illegal mining mafia has resorted to this horrific crime to silence the power of his pen,” said Congress MLA and leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Singh. “The BJP government gives open protection to the local mining mafia. Recently Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and some of his Ministers were seen sharing the stage with wanted criminals. In such a situation, criminals have no fear of the law and commit such mind-numbing crimes with impunity whenever their interests are harmed.”
The crime came to light when Mr. Rai's brother broke open the door on Saturday evening after he became suspicious on seeing it locked from the outside the entire day.
Linked to abduction?
The Umaria police believe the murders could also be linked to the kidnap of the seven-year-old son of a government official for ransom on Wednesday. He was rescued by the police on Thursday.
“DGP Raut visited the crime scene on Sunday and has ordered an STF probe,” Umaria SP Manohar Singh Jamara told The Hindu. “He also spoke to journalists here and assured them that the criminals would be brought to book as soon as possible. We have constituted a team to look into the crime and assist the STF which will arrive here tomorrow [Monday].”
17 February 2012
iPhone Photography Awards
iPhone photographers worldwide can enter a contest to win an iPad.
The iPhone Photography Awards is the first and longest-running competition recognizing iPhone photography since 2007.
One photographer of the year will receive an iPad and runners-up from each of the 14 categories will be publicized on the IPPA online gallery.
All images must be taken with an iPhone or an iTouch. The photos should not be altered in PhotoShop or any desktop image processing program, but the use of iPhone apps is allowed.
Entry fees range from US$3.75 for one photo to US$27.50 for 10 photos. Submit entries by March 31.
For more information, click here.
The iPhone Photography Awards is the first and longest-running competition recognizing iPhone photography since 2007.
One photographer of the year will receive an iPad and runners-up from each of the 14 categories will be publicized on the IPPA online gallery.
All images must be taken with an iPhone or an iTouch. The photos should not be altered in PhotoShop or any desktop image processing program, but the use of iPhone apps is allowed.
Entry fees range from US$3.75 for one photo to US$27.50 for 10 photos. Submit entries by March 31.
For more information, click here.
Associated Press seeks interns
Full-time students and recent graduates can apply for a summer internship in eight U.S. cities - Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. - and 10 international locations - London, Jerusalem, Seoul, Mexico City, Rome, Bangkok, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow.
After a one-year suspension, the Associated Press resumes its Global News Internship Program - a 12-week paid, individually tailored training program for students who are aspiring cross-format journalists.
Interns will contribute to AP’s text, video and photo reports. Responsibilities include tracking down information, conducting interviews, monitoring social media and covering breaking news stories, either by phone or going to the scene. Assignments may include covering general, sports, business or entertainment spot news or features.
Interns must show proof of legal authorization to intern in the assigned country prior to the start of the internship.
Candidates must send a 300-word autobiographical essay, a resume and cover letter, three to five work samples and two recommendation letters by March 2.
For more information, click here.
After a one-year suspension, the Associated Press resumes its Global News Internship Program - a 12-week paid, individually tailored training program for students who are aspiring cross-format journalists.
Interns will contribute to AP’s text, video and photo reports. Responsibilities include tracking down information, conducting interviews, monitoring social media and covering breaking news stories, either by phone or going to the scene. Assignments may include covering general, sports, business or entertainment spot news or features.
Interns must show proof of legal authorization to intern in the assigned country prior to the start of the internship.
Candidates must send a 300-word autobiographical essay, a resume and cover letter, three to five work samples and two recommendation letters by March 2.
For more information, click here.
Carnegie grants for science journalism
Graduate journalism programs in the U.S. can apply for a US$150,000 grant.
The Carnegie Corporation of New York will award up to three two-year grants to journalism schools undertaking science journalism curricula.
The program intends to address the decline of thoughtful and consistent coverage of science, technology, engineering and math.
The program will provide support to journalism schools offering new courses in science journalism to expand student interest in reporting on the sciences, health, nutrition, the environment and agriculture and the teaching thereof in our nation’s classrooms.
Submit your letter of intent by February 24. Finalists, announced March 16, must submit full proposals.
For more information, click here.
The Carnegie Corporation of New York will award up to three two-year grants to journalism schools undertaking science journalism curricula.
The program intends to address the decline of thoughtful and consistent coverage of science, technology, engineering and math.
The program will provide support to journalism schools offering new courses in science journalism to expand student interest in reporting on the sciences, health, nutrition, the environment and agriculture and the teaching thereof in our nation’s classrooms.
Submit your letter of intent by February 24. Finalists, announced March 16, must submit full proposals.
For more information, click here.
Media Release on the attack of a journalist
SAFMA Sri Lanka notes with concern the attack on an executive committee member and provincial reporter during a demonstration against the fuel price hike by the fisher community in Chilaw, on Wednesday the 15th of February. Prasad Purnimal was covering the event for the media when he was attacked by unknown persons. He is currently being treated for his injuries.
Incidents of this nature involving journalists who are engaged in their legitimate duty of informing the public is a continuing concern. SAFMA Sri Lanka calls upon the law enforcement agencies to conduct meaningful investigations into this and other similar incidents against the media and journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice.
We also urge all news organizations to take necessary action to provide survival training, insurance coverage and appropriate safety equipment to journalists who are assigned to cover situations where violence may occur.
SAFMA Sri Lanka is one of 8 chapters of the South Asian Free Media Association in the region with a network of members comprising media practitioners and others working towards media excellence in South Asia.
Incidents of this nature involving journalists who are engaged in their legitimate duty of informing the public is a continuing concern. SAFMA Sri Lanka calls upon the law enforcement agencies to conduct meaningful investigations into this and other similar incidents against the media and journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice.
We also urge all news organizations to take necessary action to provide survival training, insurance coverage and appropriate safety equipment to journalists who are assigned to cover situations where violence may occur.
SAFMA Sri Lanka is one of 8 chapters of the South Asian Free Media Association in the region with a network of members comprising media practitioners and others working towards media excellence in South Asia.
14 February 2012
Basic Liberties cannot be taken away by any State Organ
Judicial Intervention to Control Lawful Rallies? An Analysis on recent court orders obtained by Police to restrain meetings & rallies -By JC Weliamuna
Basic Liberties cannot be taken away by any State Organ
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Let me begin this article with the following often quoted words, worth reading and digesting.
"The law is not the private property of lawyers, nor is justice the exclusive province of judges and juries. In the final analysis, true justice is not a matter of courts and law books, but of a commitment in each of us to liberty and mutual respect." (Jimmy Carter, Dallas-Times Herald, April 26, 1978).
When court orders are frequently obtained by the police to restrain lawful protests and meetings, the public begin to wonder whether there is any legal basis for such actions, particularly when the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and freedom of speech. From colonial days until recently Sri Lanka has not seen the police making such unusual applications to courts to prevent mass protests, processions, strikes or peaceful meetings through judicial orders. This article is intended to examine some of the key legal provisions in this regards.
Article 14 of our Constitution recognizes the citizen’s right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. However, this right can be restricted in terms of the Constitution, through a particular legal mechanism. Firstly there must be a law passed, restraining such rights and secondly, such law must be for a specific purpose such as “in the interest of racial or religious harmony, in the national interest, morality and for the purpose of securing due recognition of the rights and freedoms of others", as stipulated in Article 15 of the Constitution. Each of such rights is subject to corresponding restrictions. For example, freedom of speech is subject to restrictions such as contempt of court, defamation, parliamentary privileges and incitement to an offence. Our Supreme Court, time and again, has emphasized that there cannot be a restriction of any such rights without passing a law for that purpose or without acting under an existing law. Mere administrative or executive decisions are inadequate!
Article 14(1)(b) recognizes freedom of peaceful assembly, and, in fact, this is a right that is recognized together with freedom of speech as a basic liberty guaranteed to the citizens to engage in political, social, artistic and various other non-criminal activities. Basically, these rights are exercised by all democracies to engage in participatory activities such as political dissents and challenging undemocratic actions of lawfully elected governments. We cannot forget one basic principle in democracy i.e. that citizens in a country do not surrender all aspects of their sovereignty/supremacy at an election. True enough they elect their political leaders for a definite term but they retain with themselves their inherent right to engage in direct and participatory democracy. This is not a right any organ of the state, be it the Executive, Legislature or Judiciary, can ever take away from the people!
Let us not forget that processions, public assemblies and meetings are held all over the world in public places. These activities are respected by all organs of the state so long as they are peaceful. It is however not unusual for countries to regulate these assemblies for valid reasons provided they are regulated by specific laws. The regulation of those meetings, processions and assemblies are not purely left to the discretion of the Executive or the Judiciary. In countries requiring prior permission for street demonstrations, there are safeguards against discriminatory exercise of these rights by law enforcement officers. Based on international legal literature one can argue that all such countries, if they are parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are required to ensure access to public space, (b) protection of the rally and (c) protection from hostile audience. Not mere regulations to control political rallies organized by opposition parties and groups. The point I am driving at is that presently there is no specific detailed legal provisions regulating these types of meetings, demonstrations and processions in Sri Lanka and therefore, there is no justification for law enforcement officers to move for the court to introduce such restrictions in respect or identified rallies.
In fact, many governments seek to justify restricting freedom of expression and assembly, on the basis of protection of others. “Freedoms of others are seriously affected, unless freedom of assembly is regulated or restricted”, they will say. We should then remind ourselves of the great words of Justice Brandeis:
“Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burned women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”
A Live Case Study - Application to Prevent Black January Protest
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How come then the Police have sought orders from Magistrate Courts to stop lawful meetings? These issues cannot be answered without taking practical examples. Let me deal with one.
On 24-1-2012, the Officer in Charge of Fort Police Station filed a report in the Fort Magistrate’s, stating that the OIC (Intelligence) of the police station had received information that an organization called “Platform for Freedom” has organized a rally on 25th January, bringing in over 5000 people and planning to obstruct the road and to walk to the temple Trees! Based on this information, the police had sought orders from court under sections 95 and 98(1)(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure read with section 106 to prevent the agitation/rally. The Magistrate, having considered this report and submissions made by the police, without hearing affected parties, had issued an order directing that the agitation (protest) be limited to the Fort Railway station premises and preventing the crowd from blocking the road or walking to the Temple Trees. The Magistrate had also directed that the orders issued by the Court be handed over to three persons (Brito Fernando, Sunny [sic] Jayasekera and Dharmasiri Lankapeli) described in the Report as "Conveners of the Platform for Freedom". On 27th January 2012, again the OIC of Fort Police Station has filed another report stating that having regard to the order made by the Court, no such crowd convened and no breach of peace was reported. Based on this report, the case was laid by.
Apart from the legal issues, I can say without any hesitation, that the police had deliberately misled the Magistrate on reporting facts in this instance. Let me give at least 4 reasons:
(a) I am one of the conveners of the Platform for Freedom and this organisation never organized a rally or meeting on 25th January 2012. The rest of the conveners of this organization are Brito Fernando, P. Saravanamuttu, Nimalka Fernando and Sudharshana Gunawardana. Police Intelligence Units of the country cannot be ignorant of that fact and reference to the Platform for Freedom is therefore a complete distortion. What is more plausible is that police intelligence units and secret services are taking things for granted, because people and authorities do take their world too seriously and they can easily deceive anyone for ulterior motives. Worse, when intelligence services are directly under politicians.
(b) The posters and publicity given in media for weeks would have sufficiently revealed that the media organizations have organized a protest rally on 25th afternoon opposite the Fort Railway Station (Black January) to condemn the continuous harassments meted out against media. This fact was not brought to the notice of the Judge.
(c) On the 25th, the organizers of the protest had shifted the venue to Lipton Circus mainly because groups of armed thugs were deployed near the Fort Railway station to attack the protesters. They had conducted themselves in a violent manner causing breach of peace, in the presence of police. This fact was never reported to the Magistrate on 27th January.
(d) The application was made by the police ex-parte and orders were obtained ex-parte. The Judge had ordered the service of his order on the three names mentioned but the police had not effected such service of the order.
For the purpose of clarity, we need to at least understand what those legal provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code are. Let me briefly set out the summary of those provisions:
Section 95 deals with unlawful assemblies. Where such an assembly is in progress, the Magistrate or a police officer above the rank of an Inspector can command such an assembly to disperse. If the crowd does not obey, then use of force is permitted, but the military cannot be used. The military can be called in only if the crowd cannot still be controlled. This section can, therefore, be invoked only when such an assembly is in progress and therefore, the Magistrate could not have made any order one day before the scheduled meeting.
Basic Liberties cannot be taken away by any State Organ
-------------------------------------------------------
Let me begin this article with the following often quoted words, worth reading and digesting.
"The law is not the private property of lawyers, nor is justice the exclusive province of judges and juries. In the final analysis, true justice is not a matter of courts and law books, but of a commitment in each of us to liberty and mutual respect." (Jimmy Carter, Dallas-Times Herald, April 26, 1978).
When court orders are frequently obtained by the police to restrain lawful protests and meetings, the public begin to wonder whether there is any legal basis for such actions, particularly when the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and freedom of speech. From colonial days until recently Sri Lanka has not seen the police making such unusual applications to courts to prevent mass protests, processions, strikes or peaceful meetings through judicial orders. This article is intended to examine some of the key legal provisions in this regards.
Article 14 of our Constitution recognizes the citizen’s right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. However, this right can be restricted in terms of the Constitution, through a particular legal mechanism. Firstly there must be a law passed, restraining such rights and secondly, such law must be for a specific purpose such as “in the interest of racial or religious harmony, in the national interest, morality and for the purpose of securing due recognition of the rights and freedoms of others", as stipulated in Article 15 of the Constitution. Each of such rights is subject to corresponding restrictions. For example, freedom of speech is subject to restrictions such as contempt of court, defamation, parliamentary privileges and incitement to an offence. Our Supreme Court, time and again, has emphasized that there cannot be a restriction of any such rights without passing a law for that purpose or without acting under an existing law. Mere administrative or executive decisions are inadequate!
Article 14(1)(b) recognizes freedom of peaceful assembly, and, in fact, this is a right that is recognized together with freedom of speech as a basic liberty guaranteed to the citizens to engage in political, social, artistic and various other non-criminal activities. Basically, these rights are exercised by all democracies to engage in participatory activities such as political dissents and challenging undemocratic actions of lawfully elected governments. We cannot forget one basic principle in democracy i.e. that citizens in a country do not surrender all aspects of their sovereignty/supremacy at an election. True enough they elect their political leaders for a definite term but they retain with themselves their inherent right to engage in direct and participatory democracy. This is not a right any organ of the state, be it the Executive, Legislature or Judiciary, can ever take away from the people!
Let us not forget that processions, public assemblies and meetings are held all over the world in public places. These activities are respected by all organs of the state so long as they are peaceful. It is however not unusual for countries to regulate these assemblies for valid reasons provided they are regulated by specific laws. The regulation of those meetings, processions and assemblies are not purely left to the discretion of the Executive or the Judiciary. In countries requiring prior permission for street demonstrations, there are safeguards against discriminatory exercise of these rights by law enforcement officers. Based on international legal literature one can argue that all such countries, if they are parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are required to ensure access to public space, (b) protection of the rally and (c) protection from hostile audience. Not mere regulations to control political rallies organized by opposition parties and groups. The point I am driving at is that presently there is no specific detailed legal provisions regulating these types of meetings, demonstrations and processions in Sri Lanka and therefore, there is no justification for law enforcement officers to move for the court to introduce such restrictions in respect or identified rallies.
In fact, many governments seek to justify restricting freedom of expression and assembly, on the basis of protection of others. “Freedoms of others are seriously affected, unless freedom of assembly is regulated or restricted”, they will say. We should then remind ourselves of the great words of Justice Brandeis:
“Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burned women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”
A Live Case Study - Application to Prevent Black January Protest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How come then the Police have sought orders from Magistrate Courts to stop lawful meetings? These issues cannot be answered without taking practical examples. Let me deal with one.
On 24-1-2012, the Officer in Charge of Fort Police Station filed a report in the Fort Magistrate’s, stating that the OIC (Intelligence) of the police station had received information that an organization called “Platform for Freedom” has organized a rally on 25th January, bringing in over 5000 people and planning to obstruct the road and to walk to the temple Trees! Based on this information, the police had sought orders from court under sections 95 and 98(1)(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure read with section 106 to prevent the agitation/rally. The Magistrate, having considered this report and submissions made by the police, without hearing affected parties, had issued an order directing that the agitation (protest) be limited to the Fort Railway station premises and preventing the crowd from blocking the road or walking to the Temple Trees. The Magistrate had also directed that the orders issued by the Court be handed over to three persons (Brito Fernando, Sunny [sic] Jayasekera and Dharmasiri Lankapeli) described in the Report as "Conveners of the Platform for Freedom". On 27th January 2012, again the OIC of Fort Police Station has filed another report stating that having regard to the order made by the Court, no such crowd convened and no breach of peace was reported. Based on this report, the case was laid by.
Apart from the legal issues, I can say without any hesitation, that the police had deliberately misled the Magistrate on reporting facts in this instance. Let me give at least 4 reasons:
(a) I am one of the conveners of the Platform for Freedom and this organisation never organized a rally or meeting on 25th January 2012. The rest of the conveners of this organization are Brito Fernando, P. Saravanamuttu, Nimalka Fernando and Sudharshana Gunawardana. Police Intelligence Units of the country cannot be ignorant of that fact and reference to the Platform for Freedom is therefore a complete distortion. What is more plausible is that police intelligence units and secret services are taking things for granted, because people and authorities do take their world too seriously and they can easily deceive anyone for ulterior motives. Worse, when intelligence services are directly under politicians.
(b) The posters and publicity given in media for weeks would have sufficiently revealed that the media organizations have organized a protest rally on 25th afternoon opposite the Fort Railway Station (Black January) to condemn the continuous harassments meted out against media. This fact was not brought to the notice of the Judge.
(c) On the 25th, the organizers of the protest had shifted the venue to Lipton Circus mainly because groups of armed thugs were deployed near the Fort Railway station to attack the protesters. They had conducted themselves in a violent manner causing breach of peace, in the presence of police. This fact was never reported to the Magistrate on 27th January.
(d) The application was made by the police ex-parte and orders were obtained ex-parte. The Judge had ordered the service of his order on the three names mentioned but the police had not effected such service of the order.
For the purpose of clarity, we need to at least understand what those legal provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code are. Let me briefly set out the summary of those provisions:
Section 95 deals with unlawful assemblies. Where such an assembly is in progress, the Magistrate or a police officer above the rank of an Inspector can command such an assembly to disperse. If the crowd does not obey, then use of force is permitted, but the military cannot be used. The military can be called in only if the crowd cannot still be controlled. This section can, therefore, be invoked only when such an assembly is in progress and therefore, the Magistrate could not have made any order one day before the scheduled meeting.
Section 98(1) deals with a totally different legal concept, i.e. public nuisances. When the Magistrate receives a report or evidence that there is an unlawful obstruction or nuisance to any “way (road), harbor, lake, river or channel [or other specified instances such as construction of buildings or excavations etc.]”, a conditional order may be issued by the magistrate requiring such person to “remove, suppress or alter” such obstructions. This is also intended, in my opinion, to remove an existing obstruction. This does not deal with a moving procession or a meeting, rather a nuisance that is created by way of prolusion, obstructive construction or any similar instance.
Section 106 gives the Magistrate the power to issue “absolute orders in urgent cases of nuisance”. This provisions is used when the “Magistrate considers that such direction is likely to prevent or tends to prevent obstruction, annoyance, or injury to any person …… or dangers to human life safety or a riot or an affray.” The judicial decisions in this regard suggest that these provisions are used in certain generic and standard activities involving public nuisance, not involving civil liberties. For example, continuous publication of defamatory articles in newspapers might cause annoyance to a person or a group of persons but that does not attract this legal provision.
In view of these basic legal provisions, I wonder how a police officer seeks these orders under the Criminal Procedure Code. We are conscious of the fact that Magistrates are under tremendous work pressure (due to the heavy load of work) and therefore, not much time could probably be spent by a Magistrate on an ex parte application made by the police. On the other hand, the criminal justice system requires the police to act with utmost honesty with the court and therefore, the magistrates are taking the applications of the police officers seriously. I do not blame the judges for not carefully analyzing the law in this instance because of two reasons - firstly, the police are making these unusual applications ex parte and therefore not much assistance is given to the court by any Counsel appearing for the affected parties. Secondly, not all judges in the lower courts do have much of judicial experience on Fundamental Rights, though they do deal with them move than higher courts. Of course, there are some judges who do not allow these applications for the sake of asking.
In my view there is no sufficient judicial education or awareness on protection of constitutional rights and civil liberties. This becomes aggravated with the criminal lawyers not having exposure to the area of civil liberties. This is certainly a contributory reason for the failure to detect “seemingly harmless” applications by the police to control meetings and stop lawful assemblies etc. Let us not forget that Article 4(d) of the Constitution requires all organs of the state, including the courts to “respect, secure and advance” fundamental rights recognized by the Constitution. Notwithstanding this, judges and lawyers alike must remind themselves that "A judge must bear in mind that when he tries a case he is himself on trial." (Philo, Special Laws, 1st century).
Why Ignoring Police Ordinance and Police Departmental Orders?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is quite clear that if there is an unlawful assembly, the police could always intervene and even proceed to arrest the participants of such an assembly. Two sections of the police ordinance and two Police Departmental Orders are directly relevant for this.
Section 56 of the Police Ordinance gives the basic answer to this question. In terms of this legal provision, “Every police officer ….. shall have the powers of a police officer in every part of Sri Lanka. It shall be his duty, among others,
(a) to use his best endeavors and ability to prevent all crimes, offences and, public nuisance;
(b) to preserve the peace;
(c ) to apprehend disorderly and suspicious characters”
Section 77 of the Police Ordinance requires the organizer of a procession to give notice of a meeting to the police. The purpose of this notice, as understood correctly and articulated in the Police Departmental Order E-5, is as follows:
“There is no requirement in law that a person or persons taking out a public procession should obtain a permit from the police to do so…… this provision is made in order to enable the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent in charge of the area …. to consider whether the provision is likely to occasion a breach of the peace or disturbance of public order.”
Section 77(3) also permit a police officer above the rank of ASP, if he thinks it is expedient to do so in the preservation of public order, may give directions prohibiting the taking out of any procession and imposing upon the organizers such conditions as appear to him to be necessary. Again, as elaborated in the Police Departmental Order E-5, “the only reason which will justify a police officer in prohibiting a procession will be the consideration that it is necessary to do so in the interest of the preservation of public order”. Nothing else! There are no provisions in the Departmental orders or the Police Ordinance that require the police officer to obtain orders from Magistrate to prohibit processions or meetings. Furthermore, in law the decision of the ASP cannot be substituted with that of a Magistrate.
Police Departmental Order A-19 is another relevant provision guiding all police officers. This Order guides the police how to disperse the crowds and use of force including use of firearms. This also recognizes that an unlawful assembly (not lawful assemblies) which is not actually committing or attempting to commit any crimes laid down in “Police Firing Orders”, can only be dispersed by special orders, which can be given both by a Magistrate and a police officer in the rank of Inspector and above. However these powers cannot be used in respect of peaceful rallies.
These provisions amply demonstrate that police do not require a Magistrate’s direction or orders to perform their duties. It must also be remembered that the police cannot intervene in a peaceful or lawful assembly under these provisions. However, the above provisions of the Police Ordinance read with Article 4(d) of the Constitution places a duty on the police to intervene and prevent when armed thugs and hostile crowds disturbs lawful meeting, rallies and demonstrations. Why they do not exercise their authority to protect political rallies and peaceful assemblies is an indication of how politicized the police is today.
If the police have powers to control unlawful assemblies, then why are the police seeking orders from the Magistrate? I have three possible answers to offer but there may be more.
Firstly, if the police disperse lawful meetings, police believes that there is a likelihood of a fundamental rights application being filed against the police. In Sri Lanka, the fundamental rights can be filed only in respect of executive or administrative decisions – and not against judicial decisions. Therefore, this is a possible move by the police to take refuge under a judicial order for what they cannot do otherwise.
Secondly, there may be a brilliant police officer who has innovated "a new procedure" to obtain judicial orders to prevent all lawful rallies based solely on police reports. However, there is no information on whether such an officer is recognized by the IGP and commended.
Thirdly, there can be corrupt or weak police officers who want to please the political masters who are afraid of dissenting voices. These applications are made to satisfy those masters.
Let us, therefore, hope that there will not be a repetition of unlawful restrain of lawful assemblies and meetings in Sri Lanka. Let us not forget the great freedom fighter’s words “We who in engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
-------------------------
(JC Weliamuna is a Constitutional Lawyer, Former Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka, Eisenhower Fellow and Senior Ashoka Fellow)
Section 106 gives the Magistrate the power to issue “absolute orders in urgent cases of nuisance”. This provisions is used when the “Magistrate considers that such direction is likely to prevent or tends to prevent obstruction, annoyance, or injury to any person …… or dangers to human life safety or a riot or an affray.” The judicial decisions in this regard suggest that these provisions are used in certain generic and standard activities involving public nuisance, not involving civil liberties. For example, continuous publication of defamatory articles in newspapers might cause annoyance to a person or a group of persons but that does not attract this legal provision.
In view of these basic legal provisions, I wonder how a police officer seeks these orders under the Criminal Procedure Code. We are conscious of the fact that Magistrates are under tremendous work pressure (due to the heavy load of work) and therefore, not much time could probably be spent by a Magistrate on an ex parte application made by the police. On the other hand, the criminal justice system requires the police to act with utmost honesty with the court and therefore, the magistrates are taking the applications of the police officers seriously. I do not blame the judges for not carefully analyzing the law in this instance because of two reasons - firstly, the police are making these unusual applications ex parte and therefore not much assistance is given to the court by any Counsel appearing for the affected parties. Secondly, not all judges in the lower courts do have much of judicial experience on Fundamental Rights, though they do deal with them move than higher courts. Of course, there are some judges who do not allow these applications for the sake of asking.
In my view there is no sufficient judicial education or awareness on protection of constitutional rights and civil liberties. This becomes aggravated with the criminal lawyers not having exposure to the area of civil liberties. This is certainly a contributory reason for the failure to detect “seemingly harmless” applications by the police to control meetings and stop lawful assemblies etc. Let us not forget that Article 4(d) of the Constitution requires all organs of the state, including the courts to “respect, secure and advance” fundamental rights recognized by the Constitution. Notwithstanding this, judges and lawyers alike must remind themselves that "A judge must bear in mind that when he tries a case he is himself on trial." (Philo, Special Laws, 1st century).
Why Ignoring Police Ordinance and Police Departmental Orders?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is quite clear that if there is an unlawful assembly, the police could always intervene and even proceed to arrest the participants of such an assembly. Two sections of the police ordinance and two Police Departmental Orders are directly relevant for this.
Section 56 of the Police Ordinance gives the basic answer to this question. In terms of this legal provision, “Every police officer ….. shall have the powers of a police officer in every part of Sri Lanka. It shall be his duty, among others,
(a) to use his best endeavors and ability to prevent all crimes, offences and, public nuisance;
(b) to preserve the peace;
(c ) to apprehend disorderly and suspicious characters”
Section 77 of the Police Ordinance requires the organizer of a procession to give notice of a meeting to the police. The purpose of this notice, as understood correctly and articulated in the Police Departmental Order E-5, is as follows:
“There is no requirement in law that a person or persons taking out a public procession should obtain a permit from the police to do so…… this provision is made in order to enable the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent in charge of the area …. to consider whether the provision is likely to occasion a breach of the peace or disturbance of public order.”
Section 77(3) also permit a police officer above the rank of ASP, if he thinks it is expedient to do so in the preservation of public order, may give directions prohibiting the taking out of any procession and imposing upon the organizers such conditions as appear to him to be necessary. Again, as elaborated in the Police Departmental Order E-5, “the only reason which will justify a police officer in prohibiting a procession will be the consideration that it is necessary to do so in the interest of the preservation of public order”. Nothing else! There are no provisions in the Departmental orders or the Police Ordinance that require the police officer to obtain orders from Magistrate to prohibit processions or meetings. Furthermore, in law the decision of the ASP cannot be substituted with that of a Magistrate.
Police Departmental Order A-19 is another relevant provision guiding all police officers. This Order guides the police how to disperse the crowds and use of force including use of firearms. This also recognizes that an unlawful assembly (not lawful assemblies) which is not actually committing or attempting to commit any crimes laid down in “Police Firing Orders”, can only be dispersed by special orders, which can be given both by a Magistrate and a police officer in the rank of Inspector and above. However these powers cannot be used in respect of peaceful rallies.
These provisions amply demonstrate that police do not require a Magistrate’s direction or orders to perform their duties. It must also be remembered that the police cannot intervene in a peaceful or lawful assembly under these provisions. However, the above provisions of the Police Ordinance read with Article 4(d) of the Constitution places a duty on the police to intervene and prevent when armed thugs and hostile crowds disturbs lawful meeting, rallies and demonstrations. Why they do not exercise their authority to protect political rallies and peaceful assemblies is an indication of how politicized the police is today.
If the police have powers to control unlawful assemblies, then why are the police seeking orders from the Magistrate? I have three possible answers to offer but there may be more.
Firstly, if the police disperse lawful meetings, police believes that there is a likelihood of a fundamental rights application being filed against the police. In Sri Lanka, the fundamental rights can be filed only in respect of executive or administrative decisions – and not against judicial decisions. Therefore, this is a possible move by the police to take refuge under a judicial order for what they cannot do otherwise.
Secondly, there may be a brilliant police officer who has innovated "a new procedure" to obtain judicial orders to prevent all lawful rallies based solely on police reports. However, there is no information on whether such an officer is recognized by the IGP and commended.
Thirdly, there can be corrupt or weak police officers who want to please the political masters who are afraid of dissenting voices. These applications are made to satisfy those masters.
Let us, therefore, hope that there will not be a repetition of unlawful restrain of lawful assemblies and meetings in Sri Lanka. Let us not forget the great freedom fighter’s words “We who in engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
-------------------------
(JC Weliamuna is a Constitutional Lawyer, Former Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka, Eisenhower Fellow and Senior Ashoka Fellow)
11 February 2012
National Forum on Parliamentary Best Practices
Chairperson, Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), D E W Gunasekera and Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Rauf Hakeem Ministers will be the guests of honour at the National Forum on Parliament Watch, scheduled to be held at February 16 at Galle Face Hotel.
The event is organized jointly by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) and South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) to share “Parliament Watch” research outcomes on how Parliament operates in Sri Lanka and to discuss regional best practices.
The two institutions jointly conducted the research under the “Parliament Watch” programme.
The research outcomes that will be discussed at the Forum are based on studies done over a two-year period beginning April 2010. Monthly reports were compiled highlighting the human rights focus with quarterly reports highlighting transparency and accountability in legislative conduct assessed against indicators developed by TISL.
Parliamentary best practices in the South Asian region based on studies carried out in six countries will also be presented at the forum. The countries covered are Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
A special website titled 'Our Parliament' designed and operated by TISL will also be launched at the Forum.
The National Forum will include a plenary session followed by panel discussions with the participation of several parliamentarians, civil society actors and senior journalists. 'Citizen's role in enhancing public access to Parliament', 'The role of parliamentarians in making Parliament more responsive to human rights', and 'The role of civil society & media in promoting transparency of Parliament' will be the topics of discussion.
The event is organized jointly by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) and South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) to share “Parliament Watch” research outcomes on how Parliament operates in Sri Lanka and to discuss regional best practices.
The two institutions jointly conducted the research under the “Parliament Watch” programme.
The research outcomes that will be discussed at the Forum are based on studies done over a two-year period beginning April 2010. Monthly reports were compiled highlighting the human rights focus with quarterly reports highlighting transparency and accountability in legislative conduct assessed against indicators developed by TISL.
Parliamentary best practices in the South Asian region based on studies carried out in six countries will also be presented at the forum. The countries covered are Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
A special website titled 'Our Parliament' designed and operated by TISL will also be launched at the Forum.
The National Forum will include a plenary session followed by panel discussions with the participation of several parliamentarians, civil society actors and senior journalists. 'Citizen's role in enhancing public access to Parliament', 'The role of parliamentarians in making Parliament more responsive to human rights', and 'The role of civil society & media in promoting transparency of Parliament' will be the topics of discussion.
02 February 2012
2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
Reminder: Application deadline is Wednesday, February 15 for the East-West Center's
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
The Jefferson Fellowships provide a three-week seminar and travel program for journalists from the United States and Asia Pacific to deepen their knowledge of regional issues and build international networks. The theme for the Spring 2012 program is “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World” with travel to Honolulu, Singapore, Guangzhou, and Seoul/Songdo. Participants will explore the challenges of urbanization, one of Asia’s most important mega-trends of the next decade, and the innovations and models that are effectively solving current problems and those that will shape the cities of the future. Below is a summary of the program. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
This special Jefferson Fellowships program will include participation in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference in Seoul, June 22-24, on the theme, “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” Journalists will explore the impact of new media on journalism, broaden their knowledge of Asia Pacific regional issues and expand their network of professional contacts with journalists and experts from across the region.
We hope you will share this announcement with journalists and newsrooms.
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
Dates: June 3-25, 2012
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World”
Travel Destinations: Honolulu, Hawaii (June 3-8); Singapore (June 9-13); Guangzhou, China (June 14-18); Seoul/Songdo, South Korea (June 19-25)
Who Can Apply: Working print, broadcast, and on-line journalists in the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Five years of experience preferred. English fluency required. 12-14 journalists will be selected, approximately 4-5 from the United States and the remainder from Asia and the Pacific.
Funding: Airfare, lodging, per diem and most other program expenses are provided through a grant from The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont. Participants are responsible for a $500 program fee and all applicable visa fees and any additional visa-related expenses. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad for 2 Pakistani journalists. See website for details.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Information and applications: For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit: http://www.eastwestcenter.org/jefferson
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World”
Across the Asia Pacific region, a massive demographic shift is underway. For the first time in human history, more people now live in cities than in rural areas. In the next 20 years, the world population will grow from 7 billion to 8.3 billion people. The urban population will grow even faster, from 3.5 billion to 5 billion. Hundreds of cities will be built and expanded to accommodate migration and growth – particularly in India and China. Urbanization has led to expanded economic development, poverty reduction and increased wealth in the Asia Pacific region and cities are centers of knowledge and innovation. But rapidly growing cities across the region have struggled to manage demand for basic services, transportation infrastructure, housing, energy and employment. With humanity's urban footprint set to almost double in just 20 years, there is a new sense of urgency about finding ways to accommodate the future billions in sustainable, efficient and equitable cities that can foster productivity and continued economic growth. Cities, especially in Asia, are thus the focus of intensive efforts to find new approaches to energy efficiency, building design, transportation, waste management, water and sanitation, and energy use. The investments will be huge, and companies around the world see their economic futures tied to solving the social, economic, environmental, and engineering challenges of this urban transformation, which will largely define the 21st century.
The Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships will provide journalists from Asia Pacific and the United States with an opportunity to explore this regional mega-trend and the models and innovations that are solving current problems and will be key to managing cities of the future. The Honolulu program will provide a forum for journalists to share perspectives from their countries and communities and gain broad perspectives on urbanization challenges for the U.S. and Asia. Participants will then travel to Singapore, which has developed and implemented some of the world's most advanced solutions to address urbanization challenges such as road congestion, water management and housing, and has positioned itself as a regional hub and “living lab” of urban solutions for high-density and livable cities. In Guangzhou, participants will have a chance to see how China is adapting its existing cities to be more efficient with a new internationally award winning bus rapid transit (BRT) system, by far the largest in Asia and a model for other cities around the world, as well as other efforts to manage migration, pollution and industrialization. Korea is experimenting with “green growth,” setting aggressive low carbon goals, and as the most wired country in the world, is a test bed for new information technologies. Journalists will visit Songdo, an urban laboratory of digital-city innovation providing the focus and investments to re-engineer the way cities work. Companies are investing heavily in “smart cities” and are using Songdo to test new technologies that they hope to employ in cities across the world. Journalists will explore the role of government, business and civil society in affecting positive development for the regions' growing urban populations.
The program will close in Seoul with the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference, June 22-24, on the theme “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” The Conference is expected to draw more than 300 media professionals from around the world to engage with leading journalists, analysts, policymakers and one another through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops. Topics will include new media and its impact on journalism, society, and politics across the region, as well as analysis of current security, economic, energy and international relations issues. There also will be a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
The Jefferson Fellowships program provides journalists with the chance to gain on-the-ground perspectives on the most important regional issues; access high-level and important speakers and resources; and engage in three-weeks of intensive study and dialogue with colleagues from across the Asia Pacific region.
For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit our website:
www.EastWestCenter.org/jefferson
Program Contact: Ann Hartman, jefferson@eastwestcenter.org or (808) 944-7619
Apply Now! Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding between the United States and the nations of the Asia Pacific region through cooperative research, education and professional development programs.
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
The Jefferson Fellowships provide a three-week seminar and travel program for journalists from the United States and Asia Pacific to deepen their knowledge of regional issues and build international networks. The theme for the Spring 2012 program is “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World” with travel to Honolulu, Singapore, Guangzhou, and Seoul/Songdo. Participants will explore the challenges of urbanization, one of Asia’s most important mega-trends of the next decade, and the innovations and models that are effectively solving current problems and those that will shape the cities of the future. Below is a summary of the program. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
This special Jefferson Fellowships program will include participation in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference in Seoul, June 22-24, on the theme, “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” Journalists will explore the impact of new media on journalism, broaden their knowledge of Asia Pacific regional issues and expand their network of professional contacts with journalists and experts from across the region.
We hope you will share this announcement with journalists and newsrooms.
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
Dates: June 3-25, 2012
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World”
Travel Destinations: Honolulu, Hawaii (June 3-8); Singapore (June 9-13); Guangzhou, China (June 14-18); Seoul/Songdo, South Korea (June 19-25)
Who Can Apply: Working print, broadcast, and on-line journalists in the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Five years of experience preferred. English fluency required. 12-14 journalists will be selected, approximately 4-5 from the United States and the remainder from Asia and the Pacific.
Funding: Airfare, lodging, per diem and most other program expenses are provided through a grant from The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont. Participants are responsible for a $500 program fee and all applicable visa fees and any additional visa-related expenses. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad for 2 Pakistani journalists. See website for details.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Information and applications: For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit: http://www.eastwestcenter.org/jefferson
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World”
Across the Asia Pacific region, a massive demographic shift is underway. For the first time in human history, more people now live in cities than in rural areas. In the next 20 years, the world population will grow from 7 billion to 8.3 billion people. The urban population will grow even faster, from 3.5 billion to 5 billion. Hundreds of cities will be built and expanded to accommodate migration and growth – particularly in India and China. Urbanization has led to expanded economic development, poverty reduction and increased wealth in the Asia Pacific region and cities are centers of knowledge and innovation. But rapidly growing cities across the region have struggled to manage demand for basic services, transportation infrastructure, housing, energy and employment. With humanity's urban footprint set to almost double in just 20 years, there is a new sense of urgency about finding ways to accommodate the future billions in sustainable, efficient and equitable cities that can foster productivity and continued economic growth. Cities, especially in Asia, are thus the focus of intensive efforts to find new approaches to energy efficiency, building design, transportation, waste management, water and sanitation, and energy use. The investments will be huge, and companies around the world see their economic futures tied to solving the social, economic, environmental, and engineering challenges of this urban transformation, which will largely define the 21st century.
The Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships will provide journalists from Asia Pacific and the United States with an opportunity to explore this regional mega-trend and the models and innovations that are solving current problems and will be key to managing cities of the future. The Honolulu program will provide a forum for journalists to share perspectives from their countries and communities and gain broad perspectives on urbanization challenges for the U.S. and Asia. Participants will then travel to Singapore, which has developed and implemented some of the world's most advanced solutions to address urbanization challenges such as road congestion, water management and housing, and has positioned itself as a regional hub and “living lab” of urban solutions for high-density and livable cities. In Guangzhou, participants will have a chance to see how China is adapting its existing cities to be more efficient with a new internationally award winning bus rapid transit (BRT) system, by far the largest in Asia and a model for other cities around the world, as well as other efforts to manage migration, pollution and industrialization. Korea is experimenting with “green growth,” setting aggressive low carbon goals, and as the most wired country in the world, is a test bed for new information technologies. Journalists will visit Songdo, an urban laboratory of digital-city innovation providing the focus and investments to re-engineer the way cities work. Companies are investing heavily in “smart cities” and are using Songdo to test new technologies that they hope to employ in cities across the world. Journalists will explore the role of government, business and civil society in affecting positive development for the regions' growing urban populations.
The program will close in Seoul with the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference, June 22-24, on the theme “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” The Conference is expected to draw more than 300 media professionals from around the world to engage with leading journalists, analysts, policymakers and one another through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops. Topics will include new media and its impact on journalism, society, and politics across the region, as well as analysis of current security, economic, energy and international relations issues. There also will be a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
The Jefferson Fellowships program provides journalists with the chance to gain on-the-ground perspectives on the most important regional issues; access high-level and important speakers and resources; and engage in three-weeks of intensive study and dialogue with colleagues from across the Asia Pacific region.
For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit our website:
www.EastWestCenter.org/jefferson
Program Contact: Ann Hartman, jefferson@eastwestcenter.org or (808) 944-7619
Apply Now! Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding between the United States and the nations of the Asia Pacific region through cooperative research, education and professional development programs.
01 February 2012
The Knight Science Journalism Fellowships
Mid-career journalists covering science, technology, the environment or medicine can apply for a nine-month fellowship.
The Knight Science Journalism Fellowships hosts international and US journalists for a year of personalized study, auditing courses at MIT and Harvard, attending lectures and interviewing faculty members.
Fellows receive a US$65,000 stipend plus tuition. Additional benefits include health insurance, research trip stipends, conference stipends and access to MIT and Harvard resources.
Applicants must have English proficiency and at least three years experience as reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators or photojournalists. They may work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio or the web.
Submit a professional autobiography, resume, project proposal, work samples and four recommendation letters by March 1.
For more information, click here.
The Knight Science Journalism Fellowships hosts international and US journalists for a year of personalized study, auditing courses at MIT and Harvard, attending lectures and interviewing faculty members.
Fellows receive a US$65,000 stipend plus tuition. Additional benefits include health insurance, research trip stipends, conference stipends and access to MIT and Harvard resources.
Applicants must have English proficiency and at least three years experience as reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators or photojournalists. They may work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio or the web.
Submit a professional autobiography, resume, project proposal, work samples and four recommendation letters by March 1.
For more information, click here.
Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia
Journalists with works on Asia can apply for a US$10,000 award.
The Asia Society seeks nominations for the Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia.
Nominations are open to online or print journalists who produced the best example of journalism about Asia during 2011.
The Asia Society defines Asia as the countries from Iran eastward, including Australia and New Zealand. It does not include the Arab Middle East.
Applications are accepted from non-U.S. outlets, but works must have been published in English.
Criteria for the prize include consideration for the impact of the work, originality, creativity, depth of research and educational value in informing the public about Asia.
The deadline is February 10.
For more information, click here.
The Asia Society seeks nominations for the Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia.
Nominations are open to online or print journalists who produced the best example of journalism about Asia during 2011.
The Asia Society defines Asia as the countries from Iran eastward, including Australia and New Zealand. It does not include the Arab Middle East.
Applications are accepted from non-U.S. outlets, but works must have been published in English.
Criteria for the prize include consideration for the impact of the work, originality, creativity, depth of research and educational value in informing the public about Asia.
The deadline is February 10.
For more information, click here.
International Women's Media Foundation awards
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is accepting nominations for its 2012 prizes honoring outstanding journalists.
There are two yearly IWMF awards: the Courage in Journalism Awards honor three female journalists worldwide who have suffered political persecution in their efforts to expose corruption and defend human rights. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes journalists who elevate the principles of journalism and become role models.
Full-time, part-time or freelance women journalists currently working in print, broadcast or online media in any country are eligible. Candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award can be retired.
Journalists cannot nominate themselves. Candidates must be named by colleagues, employers, journalists or others. The application deadline is March 2.
For more information, click here.
There are two yearly IWMF awards: the Courage in Journalism Awards honor three female journalists worldwide who have suffered political persecution in their efforts to expose corruption and defend human rights. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes journalists who elevate the principles of journalism and become role models.
Full-time, part-time or freelance women journalists currently working in print, broadcast or online media in any country are eligible. Candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award can be retired.
Journalists cannot nominate themselves. Candidates must be named by colleagues, employers, journalists or others. The application deadline is March 2.
For more information, click here.
Documentary journalists can apply for a grant
Documentary journalists can apply for a grant ranging from UK£5,000-50,000 (about US$7,847-US$78,472).
The Bertha BRITDOC Fund for Journalism is an international film fund dedicated to supporting long-form feature documentaries of a journalistic nature.
The fund seeks films that break stories, expose injustice and bring attention to unreported issues and cameras into regions previously unseen. Due to the investigative nature of long-form films, the fund seeks filmmakers with a journalistic background.
The fund supports in-depth research & development, production funding for longitudinal investigations, editorial support for long-form documentary structure, hostile environment training, emergency transportation and legal advice.
Funding is awarded on a rolling basis.
For more information, click here.
The Bertha BRITDOC Fund for Journalism is an international film fund dedicated to supporting long-form feature documentaries of a journalistic nature.
The fund seeks films that break stories, expose injustice and bring attention to unreported issues and cameras into regions previously unseen. Due to the investigative nature of long-form films, the fund seeks filmmakers with a journalistic background.
The fund supports in-depth research & development, production funding for longitudinal investigations, editorial support for long-form documentary structure, hostile environment training, emergency transportation and legal advice.
Funding is awarded on a rolling basis.
For more information, click here.
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