[See SAJAforum's full coverage of the Mumbai attacks]
Two sets of listings here:
First, sources available now
Second, journalists looking for sources
Sources available now:
If you are an editor looking for a freelancer in Mumbai, PLEASE CLICK HERE to see SAJA's listings of freelancers in South Asia
+91 98205 28007, rwadia[at]mindspring.com
+91 921919591, correspondent.india@gmail.com
His mobile is: +91.98.210.71545 . E-mail is rahulbose7[at]gmail.com , but calling will have better results.
Independent Journalist/Columnist in Mumbai
Tel: +91-22-2363-7465/2367-3550
Mobile: +91-98200-81662
Email: kalpusharma[at]gmail.com/sharma.kalpana[at]yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.indiatogether.org/opinions/kalpana/ [www.indiatogether.org]
Blog: http://kscribe-kalpanasharma.blogspot.com
For the latest on the Mumbai attacks, Asia Society can put you in touch with the following
experts. Please email all of the following - dlee[at]asiasociety.org, hedab[at]asiasociety.org, elainem[at]asiasociety.org--to reach us.
Asia Society Fellow MIRA KAMDAR, author of Planet India: How the Fastest Growing Democracy is Transforming America and the World, has been reporting the story all day/evening and is available in New York.
"What has become apparent in this still unfolding
story," she says, "is that this is an attack of historic
proportions. Altogether, as many as ten different targets across the city,
especially in the southern part of the city were hit in this complex,
coordinated set of attacks by terrorists toting machine guns and lobbing
grenades striking Mumbai's most famous and prestigious landmarks, including the
Taj Mahal hotel, the Oberoi hotel, and the main railway station, Victoria
Station. Hostages, including Western hostages and Americans, have it is
believed been taken hostage...the first time in the history of terrorist
attacks in India that Westerners--Americans and Britons--have been specifically
sought out. Indian police and army units are attempting to retake the Taj and
the Oberoi hotel. The Taj hotel is an iconic symbol of India and of
Mumbai. A heretofore unheard of group, Deccan Mujahadeen is rumored to have
taken responsibility. It's also important to note the series of attacks
elsewhere in India over the
past several months in Bangalore, Assam, Delhi,
- a drumbeating. But the method--no longer just a car exploding but brazen
hotel and hospital takeovers with police shootouts, with at least scores of
attackers in the biggest attacks aimed at India's most symbolic monuments, in
its financial capital, is unprecedented. The targeting of Westerners who are
reportedly hostages at this point is certainly meant to get attention at the
international level, as well as to panic foreign businessmen, diplomats and
tourists."
Asia Society Fellow PRAMIT PAL CHAUDHURI, Senior Editor at the Hindustan Times, is coordinating coverage from Delhi.
One television cameraman he knows of, was shot taking video
of terrorists running away in a hijacked police van. Like Mira, Pramit says
these attacks are on a whole new scale, "arguably the most widespread and
carefully coordinated such attacks since 9/11. The possibility of an Al Qaeda
hand, combined with some local militant groups, cannot be ruled out: 1) the
terrorists singled out American and British tourists, 2) they have taken
Israelis hostages staying at a Jewish guesthouse, 3) attacking prominent hotels
favoured by foreigners and 4) the modus operandi of surgical strikes by armed
gunmen directly confronting soldiers is out of character with Indian Muslim
radical groups. They have carried out anonymous attacks against specifically
Indian targets, have tended to ignore foreigners and have never hit out at
Jewish targets."
Asia Society Fellow SADANAND DHUME, author of My Friend the Fanatic, is in Delhi.
The main lesson, says Sadanand, “is that this is India's
terrorism problem truly going global. India has been suffering from
terrorism attacks particularly this year, but both the style and the scale of
the current attack makes everything that’s passed before pale in
comparison. What it really means is that the world will have to figure out how
to deal with this new escalation and new tactics by Islamist terrorist organizations.
So it's a game-changer for India
but more importantly for the how the war on terror is fought worldwide. In
addition, the timing, right after the Obama election, tells us that while it
may not be an explicit reaction, it’s definitely a wakeup call for those
of us who believed that the problem was only George Bush. These groups are
motivated and have their own ideology, they are very committed and very
organized. We can’t wish this problem away, and in the age of globalized
terror, these terrorists are aware they're sending a message to the US and democratic
capitalist societies in the West, underscored by their singling out of British
and American tourists.
Asia Society India Centre Executive Director BUNTY CHAND is in Mumbai.
Asia Society in India is located in South Mumbai where most of the attacks took place. Bunty says "We are shocked and deeply concerned since these attacks were directed at the communities we live and work in. Obviously these attacks were meant to frighten and demoralize Mumbai, the financial capital of India. We hope the situation will resolve quickly and the city of Mumbai can return to normal as soon as possible. It is important to say that Mumbaikars can best serve the city by going back to business as usual; that said, with gunshots still going off in Mumbai, that may be premature."
Asia Society Associate Fellow SIMONE AHUJA, founder of Blood Orange Media based in Mumbai and Minneapolis, is also in Mumbai.
"People are on alert," Simone reports. "But what is remarkable is that trains are running today, Thursday morning, which is quite a statement for Mumbai. However, there are not a lot of commuters on the trains. This is something that has not happened before (after an attack). In the past, you would see people returning to their normal lives, going to work, to school - call it the spirit of Mumbai. But today that's not the case. There are very very few cars, rickshaws and taxis on the road. There's anxiety in the air."
We are listing U.S and Canadian media outlets looking to talk to folks in Mumbai. Please use these contacts only for story ideas:
- CNN Larry King Live:
Avrielle.gallagher[at]turner.com
If you would like to share my info with viewers as well – Larry would like to talk to witnesses & local journalists. - Wall Street Journal:
Amir.Efrati[at]wsj.com
Looking for companies doing business with India
- NBC News with Brian Williams
Subrata.De[at]nbcuni.com - Canadian Broadcasting Company
Deen.Kari[at]cbc.ca - CBS News
"We are looking for any eyewitnesses to any of the attacks. Please call 212-975-3019 if you can talk to us about what you've seen.
Also: SAJA member and correspondent: Hari Sreenivasan, Hari[at]ompower.com - "Keeping It Real" With Rev. Al Sharpton
nida1k[at]yahoo.com - Fox News Channel
Michael Kingsley, Kingsley[a]foxnews.com - National Public Radio
- "Feet In Two Worlds"
John Rudolph <j.rudolph[at]verizon.net>
Diego Graglia <nydf[at]diegograglia.net>
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