"I am an Iraqi journalist"

“Alia Amer defends her calling as a service to the Iraqi people – and asks herself every day if the sacrifices they are being asked to make are worth it” in a compelling article for Open Democracy. Is she correct in her criticism of media coverage?

And: “Iraqi Blogger Criticizes Western Media For Excluding Iraqi Voice”: “In the States I met staff for the Senators, different staff. And I talk with them about Iraq and what is happening in Iraq these two years, and I discovered that they knew nothing about Iraq.”

– From an interview with Faiza Jarrar on Democracy Now!‘s June 29 show. Jarrar’s blog is afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com. Her son Raed’s blog is RaedInTheMiddle. More below:

… [E]very day when you see on the media all over the world and inside the state or outside the state, it is always the bombing cars and the occupation force standing away and President Bush giving a speech or justification for staying in Iraq. And nobody cares about Iraqi people. Where’s the Iraqi people? There are more than 25 million population. Who will go to ask them: What is your attitude about this war? What is your future? What is your plan to live? What is your plan for the future of your kids? Nobody will take care about Iraqis or come to ask one of us. The media is working outside of Iraq, and this is a very dangerous situation …

Interview with Faiza Jarrar on June 29, 2005, Democracy Now!.

3 Comments

Syniel on July 1, 2005 at 12:18 am

She is obviously wrestling with many ethical issues but just reading this (I’m sadly not very familiar with her work 🙁 ) It seems that she’s making the best decisions she can.

Susan, did you mean this line?

In present-day Iraq, sensationalism is synonymous with poisoning the entire nation. when you said ‘criticism of the Media?’

I would agree with that but I would also add that it holds truth in places besides Iraq.

Hal C on July 1, 2005 at 1:53 am

This seems the most appropriate place to mention that more tributes to Yasser Salihee, the Knight-Ridder reporter murdered by an American sniper, are appearing. Hannah Allam the K-R Baghdad bureau chief has a moving tribute. Trudy Rubin mentions Yasser in very kind terms and promises further details of his murder in her next column.

Teaser from Hannah follows:

I was once so ill that Yasser decided I needed an injection. I stuck out my arm for the needle and he laughed: “Uh, no. It has to be in the, um, backside.” He couldn’t help chuckling at my embarrassment.

His medical work extended beyond the office. Yasser broke off an interview with a famous Iraqi politician to take the man’s blood pressure. After one particularly bloody bombing, Yasser returned to the bureau late and exhausted. We found out he’d not only covered the story, he’d also helped the overwhelmed doctors at the scene treat the wounded. As he put it to me later, “I was doing sutures, taking notes, doing sutures, taking notes.”

Hal C.

Dean Pajevic on July 1, 2005 at 9:36 am

This is tragic, Hal. Is there an outcry for the U.S. to punish those responsible?

Syniel on July 1, 2005 at 12:18 am

She is obviously wrestling with many ethical issues but just reading this (I’m sadly not very familiar with her work 🙁 ) It seems that she’s making the best decisions she can.

Susan, did you mean this line?

In present-day Iraq, sensationalism is synonymous with poisoning the entire nation. when you said ‘criticism of the Media?’

I would agree with that but I would also add that it holds truth in places besides Iraq.
Hal C on July 1, 2005 at 1:53 am

This seems the most appropriate place to mention that more tributes to Yasser Salihee, the Knight-Ridder reporter murdered by an American sniper, are appearing. Hannah Allam the K-R Baghdad bureau chief has a moving tribute. Trudy Rubin mentions Yasser in very kind terms and promises further details of his murder in her next column.

Teaser from Hannah follows:

I was once so ill that Yasser decided I needed an injection. I stuck out my arm for the needle and he laughed: “Uh, no. It has to be in the, um, backside.” He couldn’t help chuckling at my embarrassment.

His medical work extended beyond the office. Yasser broke off an interview with a famous Iraqi politician to take the man’s blood pressure. After one particularly bloody bombing, Yasser returned to the bureau late and exhausted. We found out he’d not only covered the story, he’d also helped the overwhelmed doctors at the scene treat the wounded. As he put it to me later, “I was doing sutures, taking notes, doing sutures, taking notes.”

Hal C.
- Dean Pajevic on July 1, 2005 at 9:36 am
  
  This is tragic, Hal. Is there an outcry for the U.S. to punish those responsible?

“I am an Iraqi journalist”

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