Journalists: "US authorities control and intimidate media in Iraq"

[Judi Lynn]

Journalists: "US authorities control and intimidate media in Iraq"
Report, IFJ, 15 March 2004

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 Korean 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.
(snip/...)

http://electroniciraq.net/news/1398.shtml

[Malva Zebrina]

1. Invade a country that is relatively defenseless and of no threat to anyone

on lies, this is the paranoia that accompanies it. Everyone is suspect, because of the egregious criminal activities of the US by invading Iraq and seizing all it's assets as spoils.

You lie and you forever have to watch your back.

[teryang]

2. Absolute power

There is absolutely no control over the Central Command or the Viceroy of Iraq.

[Ernesto]

3. you gotta be shittin me!

There's no way that our government would ever allow such a thing to happen. Heck, our own lie-house resident even said as much. He said that his administration is all about transparency & accountablity.... You can look it up!

[tlcandie]

4. Watch out now ... soon you will get those wanting more proof

than EI stating that they are not objective nor professional! And want other proof rather than individuals from throughout the world going there of their own free will to capture the truth rather than being whored out like US main stream media!!

Be ready! :hi:

I love EI myself and find it fascinating that people have the courage and ability to stand there in the face of this nightmare to report the truth and talk to REAL people!

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. Censorship by the Military in Iraq - who woulda thought ? ?

.
.
.

Hardly what one would call "freedom"? Heck, now all the journalists have to REGISTER with the military and get "pass" cards just to be in the country ?

Thought this was the Iraqi's country, not the US Miltary's . .

Anyhoo

from the Article:

"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 apologize 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 license, 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 US 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."

............................................................

Not only has the USA NOT won the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqi people, they are INCREASING their enemies all over the world, and scaring away allies that they may need in the future ..

You can't win EVERYTHING with guns and bombs . .

But that seems to be the BFEE's attitude . . .

Do it our way or else . .

(sigh)