[Reader-list] Another man spreading lies

Tue Aug 10 19:44:13 IST 2010

Dear Shuddha

What do you mean by 'processed' news'?

If Fayyaz is known for "dishing out 'processed' news", who are the ones known for 'dishing out' non-processed news from Kashmir? 

In the next mail I will offer to you, for comparison betweeen Fayyaz's reporting and that of Greater Kashmir, the statement issued by Asiya Andrabi of Duktraan e Millat.

The very standards that you set for others Shuddha, you yourself flout by this poorly veiled allegation against Fayyaz.

But then, all news is in a manner of speaking 'processed'. From the 'roshomonic' stage to some degree of 'chinese whispers' at times, to the reporter, to the sub to the editor. When it is not, as in 'Live' TV coverage, it often makes a mockery of itself.

Fayyaz says that the boy's "head was broken with a stone".  Is that incorrect? I think not. A fractured skull is a broken skull.

Unless the term  is removed from the lexicon of all journalists (which would kill almost all 'investigative reporting') Fayyaz quotes what he calls 'informed sources'. Not a first hand report but from 'sources'. Is that a problem? How much of 'news' and even 'field reporting' is from being 'on the spot eyewitness to a particular happening'. Is quoting 'sources' a problem?

These sources tell Fayyaz:
- the boy collapsed after the stone hit
- was described as 'critical' at SKIMS
- was discovered with a skull fracture
- was put under 'intensive care'

Let us look at the 'processed' news that comes through you:

- Your friend fails to mention anything about a 'collapse'. That is incredible when you realise that the stone had enough kinetic energy to to fracture the skull (remember that the skull is a bloody hard nut to crack). An oversight perhaps. 

   It is more than likely that the boy 'collapsed' - had a concussion. Perhaps that is why he was (to quote your friend) "immediately rushed to a doctor in the town, ...... he was then taken by taxi to SKIMS Soura". Obviously he had everyone greatly worried inspite of his not having (to quote your 'sources') a 'visible wound'

- You confirm that "the boy did get hurt", that "The doctor has said that he has a hairline
fracture. He has been given first aid and medication"

  What kind of 'first aid' was he given when he reportedly had no 'visible wound'?

  To stress the point. A stone hit that fractures the skull and does not leave a 'visible wound'? Looks like your 'sources' are mis-reporting to you. Fully the the work of someone or the other's amenisic imagination.

- Having availed of the opportunity to make a just short of a libelous remark against Fayyaz, your main grouse seems to be over the use of the word 'critical'.

  A stone hit; A fractured skull; A (much more than likely) collapse/concussion. Is that a 'critical injury'? Yes it is. Irrespective of whether Fayyaz used the term on his own or was quoting his 'sources'. See http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900834_e.htm

- Given the 'history' of why the boy was brought to SKIMs in the first place, it would be the normal and essential thing to do for the hospital to put the boy under 'critical care' observation for some period. 

  Even after needing to administer him just 'first aid' and releasing him from the hospital (judging that he was not in a 'critical condition', they would have asked for the boy to be kept under observation for 'unsteady gait'; 'vomitting'; 'disorientation'. 

  Check on that from your 'sources'. 

- Think about this too - why would your souces tell you that the boy "is out of danger" unless he was thought at some stage to be "in danger"?    

Kshmendra

--- On Tue, 8/10/10, shuddha at sarai.net <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:

From: shuddha at sarai.net <shuddha at sarai.net>
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Another man spreading lies
To: reader-list at sarai.net
Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 12:16 PM

Dear All, 

This did not get sent to the list, by mistake

best, 

Shuddha

Original Message
----------------
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Another man spreading lies
From: "shuddha at sarai.net" <shuddha at sarai.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:48:43 +0530

Dear Rashneek, 

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz is not exactly an unknown quantity when it comes to the
dishing out of 'processed' news from the Kashmir valley. He has plied this
trade for a long time. Some of us are quite familiar with his body of work.

That said, yes, a boy did get hurt, and yes, his name is Imtiyaz Ahmed Dar S/o
Ghulam Nabi Dar R/o Shilwat, Sonawari. But he is not 12, he is 15, and studies
in the 9th class (not that this makes a difference,as far as the substance of
the story goes). 

I asked a friend to make enquiries about the boy. He did, and spoke the boy's
uncle, Mohammed Ramzan Dar, who is also the head of the family. According to
his uncle, the Boy had gone to Sumbul town to buy notebooks. While at the shop
he got hit on the head with a stone. There was no crowd, no stone pelters. A
stray stone, which could have been lobbed by a miscreant, or by anyone, hit
him. He was immediately rushed to a doctor in the town, his family was
informed, a cousin came and then he was then taken by taxi to SKIMS Soura. 

Luckily, the boy was NOT (contrary to the report) injured seriously. He does
not have a visible wound, the person I spoke to has also spoken to the doctor
who examined and treated the boy. The doctor has said that he has a hairline
fracture. He has been given first aid and medication, and sent home. He is not
in a critical condition, is out of danger and is recovering. 

The doctor also informed him that SKIMS Soura alone has had to treat 136
serious injuries from bullets, tear gas shells, baton charges and the
occasional stone, (lobbed both by protestors and lobbed back by the security
forces) 

This is by no means to overlook the fact that in the stone pelting, ordinary
people have gotten hurt (either by accident, or due to stones thrown back by
security forces) . But then, whenever possible, they have usually been rushed
to hospitals by local people. The ferrying of people has of course often had to
face the normal Kashmiri obstacle of a curfew. 

So, yes, some of what Ahmed Ali Fayyaz has written in his report, especially
stating that the boy had a 'critical injury' is partly the work of his
imagination. 

Even informers usually do a better job. 

best

Shuddha

On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 16:25:23 +0530 rashneek kher <rashneek at gmail.com> wrote

> I do not claim to know the authencity of this news.I think all he writes
> here could be his imagination neither do i know who the stone pelters
> were...
> 
> http://www.earlytimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=57784
> 
> NO HINDI FONTS OR TRANSLATION REQUIRED.
> 
> the journos profile is in the link below,just in case we may want to sue him
> 
> http://aafayyaz.blogspot.com/2010/08/12-year-old-critically-injured-in-stone.
> html?spref=fb
> 
> best regards
> --
> Rashneek Kher
> http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
> http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
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