Bombings in Jaipur

Shiver me Timbers

Excellent post there Mach, sums it up nicely.....

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machadinha

Thanks, ooff <wipe brow emoticon here>. I gave it much consideration if it wouldn't come across as too callous or sharp or so. I was actually shocked seeing the news pass by today, like anyone would be I'm sure.

But I've seen complaints here that we in the west may think terrorism is something new or special, but Indians have had to deal with it for as long as they can remember. A valid complaint, I'd say.

Anyway: Before we get into the nitty-gritty of that, better to spare a thought for Jaipur today I guess.

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capt_mahajan

If from me, not a complaint- a disgusted aside, maybe. Disgust at the near collusion of some Western countries with terrorists in India in the past and even today - or at best, intimate knowledge.

Somebody told me in Singapore once, "It is terrorism only if the white man bleeds." Overstated, I think, but not without basis.

(No, he wasn't Indian.)

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Shiver me Timbers

So true.

When this news broke, I told my mother (who has no special interest in events from India) what had happened - she was absolutely shocked and horrified, couldn't believe what had happened.

In turn, I was shocked by her reaction (as most people would just shrug and forget about it), and sat her down to explain that far from being a one-off event, this kind of thing happens in India all the time.

There are many reasons for the apparent indifference, and Capt. has mentioned some above.

However, I also think that there are many internal reasons for the lack of attention, probably not worth getting into here. I remember walking through Main Bazaar in Paharganj 4 days after the 2005 bombings, it was as if nothing has happened, everything was open for business, and apart from the general state of Paharganj anyway, there wasnt much of a clue that an explosion had happened. Compare it to the reaction of Londoners that same year.

Ignite

"Police said Wednesday that several people had died from their wounds in hospitals overnight, pushing the death toll from 60 to 80. The number of wounded also increased to about 200 from 150, after officials developed a better picture of carnage."



80 People dead.

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rubsen

Just spoke with German embassy employees and tv/newspaper correspondents that they would at the moment not broadcast, that the HUJI extremist movement is involved in the blasts. There were similarities but it is too early to blame one group.

Some newspapers are already speculating over the involved groups.

larsomat

Very true. Just compare the media coverage of terrorist attacks in todays Iraq with the coverage 9/11 got. I don't want to weight one life against another, both were/are horrible, so is the attack in Jaipur. But the media definitely is biased.

Though it's not only the fault of the "evil massmedia". They are just trying to meet the demands of their most important customers:
people who can affort to buy the products advertised in the news breaks.

Edit: Maybe 9/11 was not such a good comparison. It really was an exceptional attack in its magnitude, being a single event. But take any attack, where white people are the victims, or their tourist spots are being hit (bali anyone?) and compare it with other attacks with the same amount of victims and my statement still holds true.

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Mickey S

The bomb attacks in India have not even been mentioned in passing on this morning's Today programme on Radio 4 (which is the BBC's very highly-regarded flagship news and current affairs programme), yet they have reported a terrorist bomb attack in Spain which killed just one person...

I guess explosions in India are simply no longer newsworthy in the west. Unless, of course, tourists are involved.

tonylittle

Here we go again lets blame the press ,whites b.b.c. the indians how about the shits who did it


Tony

xiaojie

cant agree with you more..This reminds me of a movie line Unka Khoon, Khoon aur apna khoon paani..?!meaning their blood is blood..& ours is water..???

larsomat

Hmm, the media coverage in germany is quite extensive, after all this is a tourist spot.
Don't know about TV (I don't own a TV), but the largest online news site has a long article which has been updated many times in the past 10 hours:
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/auslan...553157,00.html

Uncle_Martin

However the definition of 'white' is both quite flexible and context sensitive. I could start or send you with tales of Adorno and the Franfurt School ....

People want stories about 'people like us' its what constitutes the 'us' thats important .... News media exist within a commercial environment, first it sells space then it wraps chips. One should not expect much beyond shock ... horror ... WICKEDNESS !!!! ... local has narrow escape "I was three miles away and my ears are still ringing after the bang" or the cliche of "Small Earthquake in China, not many dead" as an example of journalese which is perhaps too pained at the moment. All one can do is to with those who have suffered. Leibniz coined the best aphorism about this type of realisation.

Anyroad, my youngest daughter should have arrived in Jaipur this morning. Her mother said don't arrive, get off the train or get the hell out as quickly as possible, whereas I suggested stay put but don't gawp, adding that Jaipur would be safe as its already happened.

Anyone have any ideas/advice to pass on to her when I contact her this evening ... whether it will be relevant or she will take any notice is another matter.

sssall

Hope your daughter has a safe and enjoyable trip to Jaipur and India. It will probably be difficult to move around for a while as expected. I always think of these acts as similar to lightening strikes. What I think of the people who commit and support these acts is not really printable here.

Mickey S

What brought on this rant?

I'm not "blaming" anyone for the lack of coverage, and least of all the BBC, which I think is a fine organisation with high journalistic standards.

I am merely pointing out that - for whatever reason - a series of bomb explosions in India, killing dozens, is not newsworthy in the UK, whereas the death of a policeman in Spain is.

But even that is several clicks away from the front page, filed under "Politics > Overseas".

PeakXV

Given the horrendous events in the world in the past week or so, the Jaipur bombings got very fair play on BBC World, CNN, & CBC Newsworld - from my scan of cable TV channels last night.

Uncle Martin: Tell you daughter to relax, enjoy & go about her trip as per planned. Although impress upon her that crowded bazaars/places of worship especially around the hours before & after twilight/dusk, statistically, are the most targeted times/places for these creeps ..... and, as a result, are a good time to chill out at the hotel or relax in a quiet place.

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