Washington, USA, December 8, 2008 (ANI): The latest example of global media coverage about Kashmir shows how, without accurate information, it spreads misinformation, inaccurate, and biased reports. However, Victoria Jones, a Diplomatic Courier writer, has written that there is an NGO which can help to change the reputation of the region through correct facts.
According to the author the Western media may not know Jammu or Kashmir and are not able to locate it on a map. They only care about Jammu and Kashmir during the 1990s insurgency, or the period following the removal of Article 370.
Victoria Jones is a Senior Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Foundation. This international policy assessment group is based in London. She is also the chief editor at ‘INTERZINE, a digital media platform that contextualizes current global issues using history.
JK Policy Institute is a grassroots NGO that is currently in its third year. It is working to improve their reputation. JKPI describes itself as a “burgeoning grassroots organisation” that aims to bring peace and development together. This could include bringing attention to infrastructure projects in the area, such as roads being built and linking them to economic growth. They also mention climate issues such as flooding in 2014, which is unfortunately all too common in Pakistan.
The NGO has one of its core goals to promote social impact initiatives. JKPI has a project that focuses on fundraising and helping the LGBTQ community integrate in society. The author explains that this includes training and organizing skill-based workshops to help community members acquire work. They often face difficulties securing employment and can only get jobs as entertainers at weddings because of their severe marginalization.
Some are challenging the legality of the removal Article370, while others claim its abrogation offers opportunities for the region’s economic and social development, she writes.
One member of JKPI stated that he believes transparency and accountability are two of the positive effects of the decision to remove Article370. He said that he did not support Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party but that he supported the repeal of Article370. However, he made it clear that he does not support the party or the policy. JKPI also stated that there has been a surge in investments, employment, and tourism in the region. The region is experiencing increased security. People are also seeing the benefits of the development and supporting it. Local business owners also enjoy a lot of tourists. But it is not all roses. JKPI members explained to the author that violence is a distraction. It is impossible for the city and region to forget their history. These threats are not confined to the past. It added that insurgency continues, though it is less frequent due to Pakistan’s domestic crisis.
JKPI also discussed the existence ‘hit list’ against NGO workers who are subject to trolling from places like Jammu, Kashmir, Europe, and the United States. Diplomatic Courier reported that JKPI was also attacked by the so-called “conflict entrepreneurs” who accused them of being American agents via social media. They created a space for locals, which was not affiliated to India or Pakistan. (ANI)