The betrayal of Iraq’s media professionals
(Dirk Adriaensens, member BRussells Tribunal executive Committee, 29 September 2007)
A new landmark in the Iraq catastrophe, and a new landmark in history altogether:
at least 300 media professionals have died in Iraq.
Suhad Al-Khalidi, reporter for Iraqi Media Network, was killed by US troops on 4 February 2007 when their patrol passed by her car in Hilla. Three guards working for the government funded al-Iraqiya TV were killed by fire of foreign security guards in central Baghdad on 7 February 2007. Foreign security guards accompanying a delegation shot and killed the three guards. Rasoul Abdul Hussein, a reporter, was killed together with his wife in Diwaniya on 21 February 2007. Hamid Mohammed Salih, a program director for the Dijlah radio station, was assassinated in the Jami'a district 0n 19 March 2007. Mohammed Jassim Yousif, a reporter for the Iraqi Media Network, was assassinated west of Baghdad on 31 March. An unknown correspondent for the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram was killed in a car bomb explosion targeting the Shi’ite Khillani mosque in a crowded area of central Baghdad on 19 June 2007. Abdul Khaliq al-Habir al-Anbaki, a caricaturist in al-Mutamar newspaper, was killed along with his 11-member-family in the car bombing attack that took place on 27 July 2007 in Karrada, central Baghdad.
The two things these murders have in common is that these persons were Iraqi media professionals and that their assassination, which occurred in 2007, went unreported by CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists), and RSF (Reporters Without Borders). These casualties are listed on the BRussells Tribunal website (http://www.brusselstribunal.org/JournalistKilled.htm) and their cases were taken from different press reports.
What’s happening with the Western journalist ethics? What’s happening with the solidarity between Western media professionals and their Iraqi colleagues? The above mentioned killings, did they not take place? Were they not mentioned in one or another press report? Why are they not listed then?
Different journalists organisations defend the interests of their colleagues and/or compile lists of killed media professionals in occupied Iraq: CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists), RSF (Reporters Without Borders), INSI (International News Safety Institute) – closely linked with the IFJ (International Federation of Journalists), ICasualties (Iraq Coalition Casualty Count), (IFEX) International Freedom of Expression Exchange - who collect most of their data from RSF-, and others, like UNESCO.
CPJ considers a journalist to be killed on duty if the person died as a result of a hostile action—such as reprisal for his or her work, or crossfire while carrying out a dangerous assignment. CPJ does not include journalists killed in accidents, such as car or plane crashes, unless the crash was caused by aggressive human action (for example, if a plane were shot down or a car crashed trying to avoid gunfire). Nor does CPJ include journalists who died of health ailments. They list only 26 Media professionals killed in 2007, of which 5 in a list of pending investigations into suspicious deaths, called Killed: Motive Unconfirmed.
The Freedom Forum Journalists Memorial (Newseum) staffers claim to compile their list from information circulated by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press Institute, the International Freedom of Expression Clearing House, Reporters Sans Frontières, the International Federation of Journalists, the Inter American Press Association, news stories and other sources. A whole lot of sources, it seems. They list only 28 journalists killed in Iraq in 2007.
Reporters without Borders lists only 50 killed media professionals in 2007. INSI lists 57 casualties in 2007.
The BRussells Tribunal lists 300 deceased media professionals since the illegal invasion until now, of which 271 are Iraqi Nationals. 6 died of “non-violent” causes. All the others are violent deaths. The number for 2007 stands at 72 killed media professionals, of which 71 are Iraqis. The latest casualty being an Iraqi newspaper correspondent who was fatally wounded in a rocket attack in Mosul on 28th September 2007.
All the mainstream media worldwide take over the ridiculous figures of CPJ and RSF. Here’s what one usually reads in an article about yet another killing of a media professional:
“According to Reporters Without Borders at least X journalists and media assistants have been killed in Iraq since the start of the war in March 2003; two are missing and 13 are currently being held hostage. Their number may be higher than the CPJ figure quoted above because it includes media assistants as well as journalists.”
“The CPJ count is the most widely cited number in reporting on journalist deaths in Iraq. But the CPJ tally of 61 is misunderstood and incomplete because it excludes dozens of journalists and news organization employees killed or who otherwise died on assignment in Iraq.”, Eason Jordan writes in the IHT on 08 February 2006.
The US Administration, the Brookings Institution, you name it, they all use CPJ, RSF and ICasualties figures of killed media professionals. One would expect that lists of murdered colleagues are compiled with the greatest care, given the importance official bodies attach to these figures. That is not the case. The negligence with which the lists are compiled is revolting. It is another sign of either self-censorship or deliberate downplaying of casualties, something we’re seeing happening with the surveys of civilian casualties in Iraq. The media don’t use the scientific studies of the Lancet or the credible polls of ORB, the media use the ridiculous figure of Iraq Bodycount, an organisation that lists only what the Western media reports. A clear case of inbreeding. A clear case of imitating “His Master’s Voice”.
Please have a look at some figures. These include Journalists, Media workers and unconfirmed cases.
SINCE 2003:
CPJ Committee to Protect Journalists Not reported: 132 violent deaths
RSF Reporters Without Borders Not reported: 92 violent deaths
INSI International News Safety Institute Not reported: 68 violent deaths
ICAS Iraq Coalition Casualty Count Not reported: 163 violent deaths
NEWSEUM Freedom Forum Journalists Memorial Not reported: 170 violent deaths
Al-Iraqiya director general Habib al-Sadr told AFP last month that at least 75 members of his staff have been killed since he took over the channel in 2005 and another 68 wounded. The BRussells Tribunal list of killed media professionals has less than 1/3rd of this number in its database. So by extrapolation we could conclude that we have listed only about 1/3rd of the real casualties of media professionals in the Iraq war. Why is this claim not being further investigated? Habib al-Sadr’s words are meant for sceptic people who think that the BRussells Tribunal figures have been artificially inflated.
Do I sound too harsh for the Western media organisations? I don’t think so. I’ve written to CPJ and received a meaningless answer. I wrote to RSF and received no answer. I’ve written to many media outlets and received no reaction. I’ve also sent them a previous article:
“At least 78 media professionals killed in Iraq in 2006.”, dated 21 February 2007. No reactions, no comment.
By the way: after further research, I discovered that at least 90 media professionals have been killed in 2006, not 78. Here is the number of killed media professionals by year, according to different press accounts.
Iraq war deadliest conflict for media professionals. (List: 29 September 2007)
Year Iraqi media workers killed Non Iraqi Total
2003 6 19 25
2004 51 6 57
2005 55 1 56
2006 88 2 90
2007 71 1 72
Total: 271 29 300
Of which 6 have died of “non-violent” causes.
Let’s have a closer look at the figures for 2007. Let’s have a look – as an example - at the media professionals that CPJ doesn’t include in its list. Conclude for yourself if these deaths would have to be included or not. And think about why they have not been included. There is a link to the media that have reported these killings.
Khoudr Younes al-Obaidi Freelance journalist 12/01/2007
Armed men opened fire on Khoudr Younes al-Obaidi in the evening of 12 January as he returned to his home in Mosul, police said. The journalist, who was as a stringer for several titles, worked mostly for Al-Diwan, the press organ of local tribes. No motiv
Yassin Aid Assef Al Sabah’s correspondent 14/01/2007
killed by a bomb while out covering a story in Baghdad
Falah Khalaf Al Diyali journalist of the daily Al Saha 15/01/2007
shot dead by unidentified gunmen on 15 January in the city of Ramadi
Unknown
employee of the governmental daily Al Sabah 16/01/2007
Four employees of the governmental daily Al Sabah were killed in an especially horrifying manner from 12 to 16 January. Two, whose names have not been revealed, were kidnapped from the newspaper’s offices in Baghdad on 12 January and were found with their throats cut the next day near Al Nouman hospital.
Unknown
employee of the governmental daily Al Sabah 16/01/2007
Four employees of the governmental daily Al Sabah were killed in an especially horrifying manner from 12 to 16 January. Two, whose names have not been revealed, were kidnapped from the newspaper’s offices in Baghdad on 12 January and were found with their throats cut the next day near Al Nouman hospital.
Unknown
security guard Al Sabah 16/01/2007
A security guard’s body was found on the newspaper’s roof on 16 January. The newspaper, which did not want to give out his name, said he was probably shot from a distance with a hunting rifle while patrolling the building’s roof.
Salih Mehdi Mustaqbal radio station 17/01/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Mohammed Nuri Reporter Iraqi Media Network,
assassinated in the Ninewa governorate 20/01/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Baha' Hussein Khalaf
Reporter Iraqi Media Network, assassinated in the Ninewa governorate
20/01/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Dhiaa' Mugotar
editor in chief of the Protection of Consumers business magazine, is assassinated in Adhamiya
24/01/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Munjid Al-Tumaimi Freelance photographer 28/01/2007
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=20929
Sabir Amid Mahdi reporter, killed in a car bombing in the Babel governate 2/02/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Suhad Al-Khalidi Reporter for Iraqi Media Network, killed by US troops when their patrol passes by her car in Hilla 4/02/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Unknown security guard 7/02/2007
Three guards working for the government funded al-Iraqiya TV were killed by fire of foreign security guards in central Baghdad, a media source said. Foreign security guards accompanying a delegation shot and killed three guards working for al-Iraqiya TV.
Unknown security guard 7/02/2007
Three guards working for the government funded al-Iraqiya TV were killed by fire of foreign security guards in central Baghdad, a media source said. Foreign security guards accompanying a delegation shot and killed three guards working for al-Iraqiya TV.
Unknown security guard 7/02/2007
Three guards working for the government funded al-Iraqiya TV were killed by fire of foreign security guards in central Baghdad, a media source said. Foreign security guards accompanying a delegation shot and killed three guards working for al-Iraqiya TV
Hussein Al Zubaydi journalist with the weekly al-Ahali 19/02/2007
killed by gunmen in unclear circumstances in Baghdad
Rasoul Abdul Hussein reporter, killed together with his wife in Diwaniya 21/02/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Youssef Sabri Iraqi TV journalist for Biladi TV, a privately-owned station affiliated with al-Dawa 14/03/2007
was among the 22 killed from a car bombing at a Baghdad checkpoint in the al Dawra district in the south of Baghdad. He was reportedly at the checkpoint to film Shia pilgrims leaving the capital for the holy city of Karbala.
Hussein al Jaburi editor of the daily al-Safir 16/03/2007
He died from his injuries in a hospital in Amman, Jordan on 16 March where he was taken for treatment after being ambushed outside his Baghdad home on 11 February.
Hamid al-Duleimi producer on the TV channel al-Nahrain 19/03/2007
His body was found dead in the Baghdad morgue. He had been abducted two days previously as he left the channel’s studios.
Hamid Mohammed Salih program director for the Dijlah radio station, is assassinated in the Jami'a district 19/03/2007
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Mohammed Jassim Yousif reporter for the Iraqi Media Network, assassinated west of Baghdad
31/03/2007 http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2215/18_Iraqi_Journalists_Killed_in_2007
Khamel Mohsin well-known to Iraqis as a TV and radio presenter during the Saddam Hussein era. 3/04/2007
kidnapped by gunmen as she left her office in the university district on 3 April. Her body was found the next day. She had worked for Radio Sawa since Saddam’s removal.
Husain Nizaer journalist trainee - Baghdad TV 5/04/2007
killed and at least 12 people were wounded in an attack on the satellite TV station yesterday in which a truck laden with explosives was driven at the building and then gunmen opened fire.
Iman Yussef Abdallah radio mouthpiece of the Mosul workers' union 12/04/2007
Gunmen shot dead Iman Yussef Abdallah and her husband in an eastern area of the city, the Iraqi Association for the Defence of Journalists' Rights said. Their bodies were later set alight in their vehicle, Unknown
Staff employee of Radio Dijla 3/05/2007
Aqeel Abdul-Qader writer working for al-Raad. 9/05/2007
A police source told Reuters that the men were targeted because of their work, and that they were actually dragged from the car first and tortured before being shot.
Nibras Razzaq Driver 9/05/2007
The killed journalists were Raad Mutashar, chairman of Kirkuk writers' union and owner of al-Raad media institution, which publishes a number of papers, and Imad Abdul-Razzaq al-Obeidi and Aqeel Abdul-Qader, both writers working for al-Raad.
Aidan Abdullah al-Jamiji in charge of Kirkuk television's Turkoman language section
26/05/2007
the body of Aidan Abdullah al-Jamiji, who was in charge of Kirkuk television's Turkoman language section and was a well-known local musician, was found on 26 May in the boot of his car. The car had been torched and dumped near a cemetery in the northern c
Mohammed Hilal Karji Journalist for Baghdad TV 7/06/2007
kidnapped June 7 outside his home while on his way to work in the Yousifiyah region south of Baghdad, and his bullet-ridden body was found in a morgue the following day, an official at the station said.
Unknown
correspondent for the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram
19/06/2007
At least 78 people were killed and 224 wounded, including a correspondent for the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, in a car bomb explosion targeting the Shi’ite Khillani mosque in a crowded area of central Baghdad on Tuesday afternoon
Zeena Shakir Mahmoud former radio broadcaster, was writing about women's affairs for the Al-Haqiqa newspaper
24/06/2007
Zeena Shakir Mahmoud was shot to death on her way home from work in Mosul. Although she worked for a Kurdish paper, she was a Sunni Arab.
Rahim Al-Maliki Reporter Al-Iraqiya and poet
25/06/2007
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22723
Sarmad Hamdi al-Hassani Journalist for Baghdad TV 27/06/2007
Hassani, 43, was seized from his home in Baghdad's Jamia neighborhood on June 27, his body found the next day, the official said.
Hamed Abd Farhan veteran journalist who had worked for the Iraqi News Agency for over 30 years, as well as several local newspapers and magazines 27/06/2007
Gunmen assassinated an Iraqi journalist near his house in the Turath disrict of southern Baghdad, a source from the Iraqi Journalists Union said.Most recently he worked in the media bureau of the Baghdad Municipality.
Louaï Souleimane Reporter Nineveh 28/06/2007
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22809
Ali Watan Journalist for Samawa local TV 7/07/2007
killed in the clashes that erupted between security forces and fighters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army in the southern Iraqi city of Samawa during the last two days
Unknown
translator for Reuters 14/07/2007
Adnan Al-Safi correspondent for the Al-Anwar satellite channel 25/07/2007
shot by a sniper’s bullet in the Utaifiya district of Baghdad
Abdul Khaliq al-Habir al-Anbaki caricaturist in al-Mutamar newspaper 26/07/2007
killed along with his 11-member-family in the car bombing attack that took place on Thursday in Karrada, central Baghdad
Anwar Abbas Lafta CBS translator 26/08/2007
killed by gunmen who stole him from his home. His body was found in the morgue last night
Amir al Rashidi cameraman who works for Al-Iraqiya 3/09/2007
Unidentified gunmen killed Amir al Rashidi, a cameraman who works for Al-Iraqiya, in the centre of Mosul on Monday night
Muhannad Ghanim Al Ubeidi Journalist Radio Dar al-Salam Mosul 20/09/2007
Unidentified gunmen have killed Muhannad Ghanim Ahmed, who worked for the privately owned Radio Dar al-Salam, in the eastern Al-Muharibeen district of the city.
Jawad al-Daami, Iraqi television presenter working with the private Al-Baghdadiyah channel
23/09/2007
He was ambushed in the western Baghdad neighbourhood of Al-Qadisiyah as he was driving through the area on Sunday. Gunmen opened fire on his car and Daami was killed instantly.
These 45 Iraqi media professionals deserve to be remembered, especially by organisations that claim to defend their interests. Looking at these figures is a good reason for journalists not to use CPJ's tallies anymore in an article about the killing of a journalist.
Once more I would like to plead for a serious count of killed media professionals who died in this bloody war. Or is the life of an Iraqi media worker less worth than that of his colleagues in the West, where killed journalist are meticulously counted?
I would also like to plead for the creation of an independent journalists organisation that can really defend the interests of journalists in Iraq, and is not linked in one way or another to the mainstream media that are owned by the very same people who have advocated for this war to take place, who keep on defending the occupation and remain silent about the catastrophic situation that is being rightfully defined by ever more people as a genocide.
Dirk Adriaensens, 29 September 2007.
