Glorifying terrorists

It is essential that rather than PEMRA or the Information Ministry dictating terms, saner elements in the media put their heads together to evolve a code of conduct that does not "glorify the terrorists". Tapes received from Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders threatening the government or the military, may prove tempting to broadcast, but if the media is united and cohesive, they will resolve to ignore them. Similarly terrorists claiming responsibility for suicide attacks or acts of sabotage and brutality should be denied direct access to the powerful electronic media, depriving them of the attention they seek.

A lesson can be learnt from the Na Trioblóidí (The Troubles), a period of three decades of conflict involving the Irish Roman Catholic guerrillas clashing with the principally Protestant British Army for the reunification of Northern Ireland with Ireland involving acts of terrorism, ethnic strife, guerrilla and civil war till peace resulted through the Belfast Agreement of April 10, 1998. During this period, bloody violence erupted, letter-bombs, sabotage and massive bomb attacks, which resulted in tremendous loss of lives. The remarkable aspect of the bloody episode is that the British media reported the incidents with due diligence but never provided media access to the terrorists claiming responsibility. It is now for our media to weigh a few seconds of advantage over their competitors by portraying terrorists on their screen versus denying them that access which may glorify them.