[Peace-discuss] Journalism in Iraq.

Sat Mar 20 11:49:18 CST 2004

FYI [from the website: BoycottIsraeliGoods at yahoogroups.com]

The International Federation of Journalists today accused the US
authorities in Iraq of attempting to “control and intimidate” the media,
following the recent detention of several Korean journalists by the US
forces in Baghdad.

On 6 March, the US military in Iraq detained three Korea Broadcasting
System (KBS) journalists for close to four hours on suspicion of
carrying explosives. The journalists were all handcuffed and held in
custody based on “internal regulations”, despite the fact that the
Korean Embassy in Iraq had confirmed their identifications and had
called for their immediate release.

“Such actions are absolutely unacceptable,” said Aidan White, IFJ
General Secretary. “It is very difficult not to interpret this as a
direct attempt to intimidate the media.”
After finding that there were no traces of explosives in their luggage
and finally acknowledging that they were bona fide reporters covering
the ongoing reconstruction process in Iraq, the journalists were
eventually released.

The IFJ is supporting its affiliate, the Journalists Association of
Korea, which is calling on the US military in Iraq and the US
administration to apologise and to make public “internal regulations” on
the basis of which the US military authorities detained the journalists.

“These regulations are used to control journalists, but journalists are
ignorant of what they are and how they are applied,” said White.

This latest incident comes as the right of all journalists to enter Iraq
to cover all sides of the story without the need for a licence, specific
permission or accreditation by the US authorities has been restricted.
At the beginning of March, US forces announced that all journalists
currently in or arriving to Iraq must register with and obtain a press
card from them.

As part of an international campaign, the IFJ has declared April 8th –
the anniversary of the attack by United States military on a Baghdad
hotel filled with foreign journalists in which two were killed – a day
of mourning and protest over the killings of journalists during the Iraq
war and the “abject failure” of the Pentagon to carry out adequate
investigations and to publish the findings.

“The detention of our Korean colleagues, like other incidents in recent
months, confirms our feeling that the US military operate with a sense
of impunity when it comes to dealing with journalists,” said White.
“They act like all journalists are potentially hostile and that puts all
reporters and media staff at risk.”

Further information: + 32 2 235 22 00
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries
. [A free and democratic Iraq?]