Media and the Coverage of Terrorism

By Syed Atiq ul Hassan, Sydney

The journey of modern terrorism started with the race of building weapon of mass destruction by Europe, UK, Germany, Japan and United States of America during World War II. The biggest destruction of mankind since the introduction of modern technology was the bombardment of atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima (in Japan) by the United States on August 6 and August 9 in 1945. The gigantic event was so much devastating that the world has not seen that much annihilation of mankind since then. Today, the so-called free media don’t give that much space to the commemoration of the victims of the atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima and other great destructions occurred in the last 50 years as much is given every year to those killed in 9/11 attacks in New York. Half told or untold facts sabotage our history and make ignorant to the current generation.

In the last few days, I have been through many print and electronic reports and documentaries on the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the City of New York. I have hardly seen that much coverage in the commemoration of any incident occurred in current times than the coverage on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001. Particularly, I found Pakistani media less remembered about the death anniversary of the founder of the Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah on 11th of September than the terrorist attacks in the United States.

Historical facts are not the selling products that the media can grade them according to the current market situation. It looks like for the media current fiasco of terrorism where United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East are the only incidents of terrorism occurred in the last 50 years or so and the story of the 9/11 is the top marketable item, today, than the anniversary of the founder of Pakistan.

The world has now become the recipient of far more deaths, violence and terrorism since September, 11, 2001 than the losses in result of terrorism on 9/11/2001 in the United States. According to many western reports more than 6 hundred thousand people died in Iraq, God knows how many died and permanently retarded in Afghanistan. Entire Pakistan has been suffering with all kinds of terrorism, violence, killings and tortures since the post 9/11 attacks on Afghanistan by the United States and her allies.

It is true that the incident of 9/11 was unique and horrified act of terrorism which the world had not seen before. The loss of lives of Americans was huge. About 3 thousand dead and the symbol of US economic power - twin towers – brought down to debris in minutes. However, responsively, the entire world particularly the Muslim World shown total solidarity with the United States and shared the pain and sufferings of the people of United States despite of the fact that the link of 9/11 attacks and the attackers as claimed by US goes back to the formation of Al-Quaeda and Taliban by CIA and ISI in the battle against Russian army in Afghanistan in late 1970s. United States unilaterally planned to attack on Afghanistan and forced her friends and allies, like Pakistan, to be with the United States in hunting down the culprits as identified by the United States. Then the world has seen what happened in Iraq, Afghanistan and what has been happening, since then, in Pakistan. The world has seen new shapes and sizes of terrorist attacks which never heard before. According to the western media, the drone attacks by the US forces in the northern areas of Pakistan have killed more innocent civilians than terrorists. Even those claimed as terrorists and killed in drone attacks by the United States were never evidently charged before as terrorists by the local authorities except declared them as terrorists by the United States.

I think the world has accepted that the definition of terrorism and identification of terrorists must be dictated by the United States. Otherwise, since the World War II and the begin of developing weapon of mass by the Super Powers there have been many acts of terrorism occurred around the world where secret agencies of the United States has been involved directly or indirectly.

I believe the biggest act of terrorism in the living memories was the use of atomic bomb on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima of Japan on August 6 and 9 in 1945. Two great historical cities were transformed into rubbles in minutes. Hundreds and thousands killed instantly and people of these two cities, even after 70 years, could not forget the brutal images of hideous crime against humanity. How much coverage is done by our so-called free media on the anniversary of the destruction of Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Why the world and the United States don’t observe August 6 and August 9 every year in the commemoration of the use of atomic bomb on Japan in 1945 by the United States?

I could not find any other reason except that unfortunately, the atomic bombs were dropped by the United States and the victims were Japanese. Had the situation reverse, would the world media still remember every year with that extent for those millions of people killed by the United States through the bombardment of atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima?

My point is that I don’t have any problem in remembering and unveiling the incident of 9/11/2001 every year by the media especially by the media of those countries like Pakistan who have directly suffered by the post 9/11 actions of the United States but so-called free media then must do justice in remembering to those millions of people killed from World War II to the on-going deaths on the name of war on terror. And it is not only the issue of remembering the victims of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, since world war II, the world has seen many wars, attacks and unilateral actions either directly by the United States or by her allies on the name of brining peace, democracy and freedom.

The media must present unbiased reports and documentaries on the international incidents and remember the victims indiscriminately, doesn’t matter which countries or faith they belong to. As the terrorist is a terrorist doesn’t matter which faith or nation belongs to, the victim is a victim doesn’t matter which faith or nation belongs to.

When the media shows historical reports and documentaries on the victims of 9/11/2001 then the contents should also include the victims of the post 9/11/2001 wars and military operations launched by the United States.

The 9/11/2001 incident was not an isolated incident by itself. It had links, history and background. Media should show all the facts, findings and figures and show the total losses the world has received from the formation of Al-Quaeda and Taliban to the war against Al-Qaeda and Taliban.

Thousands of innocent people including women and children have been killed in Afghanistan and Pakistan in result of the direct action by United States and her allies in the search and killing of the members of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban which were formed by the United States to fight against Russia in late 1970s in Afghanistan. I have not seen any reports or documentaries which were presented by Pakistani and other international media in the remembrance of the 9/11 that would cover the background of Al-Qaeda and Taliban exposing all the parties involved in the making and demolishing of Al-Quaeda and Taliban networks.

One of the prime responsibilities of the media while presenting reports and documentaries on any historical event is to educate people on the subject by providing complete facts. For instance, it is very importance for the young generation to know the long history behind the 9/11 where at one stage all these terrorists as identified by United States were trained and armed by CIA and its allies. The story contains 30 years old tale of wars, terrorism, fight and destruction on the name of first for Islam then against Islam. A young generation of today may be very well aware what happened on the day of 9/11/2001 in the United States through the media but how many of them know how, when and from where Osama Bin Laden came from, how he could not capture in the last 10 years and when he was announced as captured and killed why his body was not shown to the free media. Half told facts are always dangerous and sabotage the history.

Syed Atiq ul Hassan,
M.Sc (Comp Tech), B.Sc (Hons), M.A (Eco), LLB, Dip Journalism
Sydney-based Journalist, Foreign Correspondent & Educationist,
Homepage: www.sauhassan.com

ENDS

© Scoop Media