2008 Woodie Awards
Media ban affects Pakistani student
By: Ryan Barton
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: News
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Sophomore Meher Makda's family is 7,000 miles away from Greencastle.
Makda is from Pakistan, and her family is still there. Despite the distance, her family members have relied on her for information about what is happening in their own country.
As Makda explained it, on Nov. 3 this year, President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in his country, ahead of a Supreme Court decision determining the legality of his October re-election and amid rising militant violence. He suspended the constitution and made it impossible for the emergency to be challenged.
As part of this emergency declaration, Musharraf ordered a media ban in Pakistan, shutting down any television stations and newspapers that Musharraf felt were causing discord in Pakistan, including Pakistan's two biggest television stations. Some foreign journalists were expelled, and international news stations such as BBC and CNN were censored. All of this resulted in a lack of information for the Pakistani people.
And concern for those away from their loved ones, like Makda.
"I was worried about my family," Makda said.
She said her father called her to get information about what was happening in Pakistan.
"They had the Internet [which was not censored], but it was too slow to download any news because everyone was trying to get information from it at once," she said. "Everyone was desperate for information."
She said in order to circumvent the media ban, several Pakistani residents bought satellite dishes to gain access to media other than the censored news that was coming from inside Pakistan.
While Makda said none of her family members were directly affected by the emergency declaration, she has friends who were.
As part of Musharaff's declaration, troops stormed the Supreme Court. The lawyers and judges were ordered to take an oath to Musharaff. Those who refused were arrested, including 15 Supreme Court justices.
Makda is from Pakistan, and her family is still there. Despite the distance, her family members have relied on her for information about what is happening in their own country.
As Makda explained it, on Nov. 3 this year, President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in his country, ahead of a Supreme Court decision determining the legality of his October re-election and amid rising militant violence. He suspended the constitution and made it impossible for the emergency to be challenged.
As part of this emergency declaration, Musharraf ordered a media ban in Pakistan, shutting down any television stations and newspapers that Musharraf felt were causing discord in Pakistan, including Pakistan's two biggest television stations. Some foreign journalists were expelled, and international news stations such as BBC and CNN were censored. All of this resulted in a lack of information for the Pakistani people.
And concern for those away from their loved ones, like Makda.
"I was worried about my family," Makda said.
She said her father called her to get information about what was happening in Pakistan.
"They had the Internet [which was not censored], but it was too slow to download any news because everyone was trying to get information from it at once," she said. "Everyone was desperate for information."
She said in order to circumvent the media ban, several Pakistani residents bought satellite dishes to gain access to media other than the censored news that was coming from inside Pakistan.
While Makda said none of her family members were directly affected by the emergency declaration, she has friends who were.
As part of Musharaff's declaration, troops stormed the Supreme Court. The lawyers and judges were ordered to take an oath to Musharaff. Those who refused were arrested, including 15 Supreme Court justices.
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