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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=7768">http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=7768</A></FONT></DIV>
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<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">World News > Media blackout in <?xml:namespace prefix
= st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
tribal areas triggers outrage<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H3>
<DIV><BR>Lahore, Mar 27 (IANS) :<BR><BR>Media groups in Pakistan are protesting
attempts to prevent journalists from reporting the government's offensive
against Al Qaida and Taliban members in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan,
OneWorld reports.<BR><BR>Security forces have been accused of several rights
violations in the military operation underway in South Waziristan agency in the
Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA). <BR><BR>The forces, which are said
to have suffered a huge number of casualties, are accused of killing civilians
in the region. <BR><BR>International media group, Reporters Sans Frontières, has
objected to Pakistan's concerted efforts to block media coverage, requesting
armed forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan to guarantee media access to the
region.</DIV>
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<DIV><snipped - full text at URL></DIV>
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<DIV>RSF Report</DIV>
<DIV>"<FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN class=grostitre>Media
prevented from reporting independently on army offensive in <st1:place
w:st="on">South Waziristan. </st1:place></SPAN><SPAN class=grostitre>At least
four journalists arrested"</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9620">http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9620</A></DIV>
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