----- Forwarded Message ----
From: RSF ASIA <asie@rsf.org>
To: asie@rsf.org; Vincent Brossel <vbrossel@hotmail.com>; asia2@rsf.org
Sent: Monday, 2 June, 2008 6:22:01 AM
Subject: INDIA: Protesters attack Hyderabad newspaper after article about castes (Eng+Fr)
Reporters Without Borders condemns the physical attacks that members of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), an organisation that defends a lower caste, staged on the headquarters of the Telugu-language daily Andhra Jyothi and its employees on the evening of 26 May in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, in protest against an article accusing certain caste organisations of corruption.
Shouting "Long live the MRPS," around 50 people threw stones at the newspaper's offices, located in the east of the city, then forced their way inside, where they spilled petrol from cans and started fires in several places. Some employees came close to being set on fire after been splashed with petrol. The fires were put out and the staff finally got the assailants to withdraw after about 10 minutes. The attack occurred during a brief absence by police who had been sent to protect the newspaper after telephone threats were received in the morning.
Reporters sans frontières condamne les attaques perpétrées contre des locaux du quotidien Andhra Jyothi et de ses employés, dans l'Etat de l'Andhra Pradesh (Sud), par des membres du Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) qui protestaient contre la publication d'un article dénonçant la corruption de certaines organisations de castes.
From: RSF ASIA <asie@rsf.org>
To: asie@rsf.org; Vincent Brossel <vbrossel@hotmail.com>; asia2@rsf.org
Sent: Monday, 2 June, 2008 6:22:01 AM
Subject: INDIA: Protesters attack Hyderabad newspaper after article about castes (Eng+Fr)
Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières
Press release
2 June 2008
INDIA
Protesters attack Hyderabad newspaper after article about castes
Reporters Without Borders condemns the physical attacks that members of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), an organisation that defends a lower caste, staged on the headquarters of the Telugu-language daily Andhra Jyothi and its employees on the evening of 26 May in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, in protest against an article accusing certain caste organisations of corruption.
Shouting "Long live the MRPS," around 50 people threw stones at the newspaper's offices, located in the east of the city, then forced their way inside, where they spilled petrol from cans and started fires in several places. Some employees came close to being set on fire after been splashed with petrol. The fires were put out and the staff finally got the assailants to withdraw after about 10 minutes. The attack occurred during a brief absence by police who had been sent to protect the newspaper after telephone threats were received in the morning.
Simultaneous protests were also staged in the nearby towns of Vizag, Warangal and Sangareddy, where many copies of the newspaper were burned. MRPS president Manda Krishna Madiga, who filed a complaint against the newspaper, told a rally in the centre of Hyderabad: "Andhra Jyothi is a newspaper run by the upper castes. The article was a deliberate attempt to create conflicts within the Dalits [lower caste 'untouchables']."
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy condemned the incident but called on journalists to exercise more restraint and rejected the corruption charges made against himself.
---------
INDE
Un journal victime d'attaques suite à un article sur le système des castes
Reporters sans frontières condamne les attaques perpétrées contre des locaux du quotidien Andhra Jyothi et de ses employés, dans l'Etat de l'Andhra Pradesh (Sud), par des membres du Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) qui protestaient contre la publication d'un article dénonçant la corruption de certaines organisations de castes.
Une cinquantaine d'individus se sont rassemblés, dans la soirée du 26 mai 2008, devant le bureau du journal en telugu Andhra Jyothi, situé dans l'est de la capitale Hyderabad. Les assaillants ont pénétré dans les locaux en jetant des pierres et en criant "Longue vie au MRPS". Les militants ont déversé de l'essence à plusieurs endroits avant d'y mettre le feu. Plusieurs employés ont failli être brûlés vifs après avoir été aspergés d'essence. L'incendie a pu être maîtrisé et d'autres employés ont réussi à faire fuir les assaillants. Les employés du journal à Hyderabad avaient reçu des menaces téléphoniques dans la matinée. L'attaque, qui n'a duré qu'une dizaine de minutes, est survenue au moment où une partie des policiers dépêchés sur place s'était absentée.
De nombreux exemplaires du journal ont été brûlés au même moment à travers l'Etat, dans les villes de Vizag, Warangal et Sangareddy. Le président du MRPS, Manda Krishna Madiga, a justifié ces manifestations simultanées lors d'un rassemblement au centre de la capitale : "Andhra Jyothi est un journal dirigé par des castes supérieures. L'article était une tentative délibérée pour créer des conflits entre les 'Dalits' (castes inférieures dites 'intouchables')." Le dirigeant a porté plainte contre le journal.
Le chef du gouvernement de l'Andhra Pradesh, Rajasekhara Reddy, a en partie condamné l'incident, tout en appelant les journalistes à plus de retenue dans leurs articles, et en rejetant les accusations de corruption dont il fait l'objet.
--
--
Vincent Brossel
Asia - Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Frontières
47 rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
33 1 44 83 84 70
33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax)
asia@rsf.org
www.rsf.org
Vincent Brossel
Asia - Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Frontières
47 rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
33 1 44 83 84 70
33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax)
asia@rsf.org
www.rsf.org
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