[Media-watch] IFJ Warns Coalition of "Backlash" Over Plans to Impose Controls on Journalists

[David Miller]

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Anna Rosengren [SMTP:info at brusselsreporter.org]
> Sent:	05 June 2003 15:32
> To:	info at brusselsreporter.org
> Subject:	IFJ PR Iraq
> 
> IFJ Media release
> 5 June 2003
> 
> IFJ Warns Coalition of  "Backlash" Over Plans to Impose Controls on
Iraqi
> Journalists
> 
> The International Federation of Journalists today warned coalition
forces
> in
> Baghdad not to "stifle alternative voices" in media by imposing a code
of
> conduct on reporters that has not been endorsed by Iraqi journalists.
> 
> Responding to reports from Baghdad that coalition officials plan to
impose
> a
> code of conduct on journalists, the IFJ today said attempts to
regulate
> journalism in Iraq will backfire unless they meet international
standards
> and are supported by Iraqi media professionals.
> 
> "Without meaningful consultation there may well be a backlash causing
> resentment among Iraqi journalists that will hinder efforts to build a
> democratic society," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. The IFJ
> warns
> that trying to control media will smack of censorship and confirm the
fear
> of many that this is occupation not liberation.
> 
> "Unless Iraqi colleagues are fully involved in setting the standards
for
> journalism a rush to regulate will hinder efforts to build a free and
> independent media community. The priority must be to place journalism
> firmly
> in the hands of media people themselves, not to impose rules that will
> undermine an emerging democratic process," said White.
> 
> The IFJ says that previous experience - in Bosnia, for example, where,
> like
> Iraq, there are deep community divisions based on religious and ethnic
> differences - is that journalists should be brought together to agree
> themselves the rules and standards for ethical conduct.
> 
> Earlier this week, the IFJ joined with other professional groups and
media
> experts who met in Athens under the auspices of the Greek Presidency
of
> the
> European Union and US State Department to discuss plans for developing
a
> new
> media landscape for Iraq, a country with deep divisions on religious
and
> ethnic grounds. Independently, coalition officials in Iraq have been
> drawing
> up their own plans to regulate media.
> 
> "This is the first we have heard about a plan to impose a code on
> journalists," said the IFJ. "It's clear that there is confusion, a
lack of
> coherent strategy including a failure to consult widely within the
media
> community."
> 
> In Athens, the IFJ says some useful proposals were made that involve
> empowering Iraqi media in defining a new media landscape for the
country.
> "Other meetings have been held including a ground-breaking meeting of
> journalists leaders from the Arab world and the IFJ in Rabat in April
this
> year when joint actions in support of Iraqi media were agreed," said
> White.
> 
> The IFJ says that the explosion of new titles and media in Baghdad is
a
> sign
> that journalists and independent media want to shake off the
traditions of
> press control under the regime of Saddam Hussein when media were
> controlled
> by the government and his son ran the journalists' union.
> Concerns over inflammatory journalism that may include incitement to
> violence and opposition to the Coalition's role in post-war Iraq
should
> not
> lead to imposition of inflexible controls on media says the IFJ.
"Iraqi
> journalists themselves should be empowered to take the lead in
combating
> unprofessionalism - this is not a job for generals and
administrators,"
> said
> White.
> 
> Further information: + 32 2 235 22 00, www.ifj.org
> The IFJ represents more than 500,000 journalists in more than 100
> countries
> 
> 
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