Minorities in the Iraqi Media… Absence of Definition and Focus on Calamities
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Minorities in the Iraqi Media… Absence of Definition and Focus on Calamities
Iraqi Media House
The "Iraqi Media House (IMH)" have monitored the most important media platforms of small components in Iraq (minorities). Our media coverage have broachedminority issues and how it's influenced by the Iraqi environment under the conflicts in the Middle East.
Iraq media aimed for minority's issues coverage and how it dealt with circumstances they went through and presented what media covered about Iraqi minorities. Iraqi Media Housealso noted down media experts notesfrom minorities for covering their issues.
First: Minorities' Media
1- Ishtar TV http://www.ishtartv.com/
Ishtar site publishes nearly 20 media articles per day. These media articles about Christians in general and ChaldoAssyriansespecially in the "Akhbarsha'bona" section, in addition to publishes Political and economic Iraqi news.
Examples:
- A book of Christian terrorism's victims in Iraq.
- Directorate-General of the Syriac study have celebrated Syriac Press Day.
- Patriarch Sacco have discussed the problem of "unified card" with the Iraqi President.
- Patriarch Younan have visited the parish of St. Joseph in the Mansour - Baghdad and presides over Mass.
The website have been publishing data issued by Iraqi and international's churches and Christian religious centers.
Examples:
- People's Assembly and Defending Christian organization have visited Armenian Church in New York.
- Vatican praises the government of the Kurdistan Region because the region embraced the displaced people and provide them with assistance.
- A statement from the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East for the Syriac Orthodox Church.
*The website has been publishing press materials belonging to the Christian component. These materials transferred from local and international agencies and from another websites with mention to the source.
* Why the General Iraqi Consul in the Michigan state was not one of our Christians?
*Bishop Rabban al-Qas in (Basenyoz): 8 thousands of Christian families have fled to the Kurdistan region because of ISIS.
*Iraq's Christians are fighting extinction over the ruins of their home countries.. And carrying weapons to prevent a return of ISIS.
* The website has been publishing news and press and opinion of a non-Christian views in topics of interest to Christian components.
* Iraqi President receives Cardinal Leonardo Sandri.
* Islamic scholars in Kurdistan region have advised to forbid the seizure of the territory of non-Muslims.
* Iraqi Association for Human Rights in the United States supports the Quota system for minorities in Kurdistan Parliament.
* The website had been providing service in English and Arabic, as well as providing lessons to learn the Syriac language and books to learn both Syriac and Assyrian languages.
2- Ankawa dot com website
*Entertainment has been overshadowing the Ankawa dot com website publications. As well as the website in three languages: Arabic, English and Swedish.
*The website has been published nearly 15 press materials about Christian components in the "AkhbarSha'bona" section.
Examples:
*Chairman of the parliamentary bloc is demanding IDP salaries who are out of Iraq.
*Kuwaiti consulate in Erbil provides humanitarian aid for displaced Christian families from the Nineveh Plain.
*Different programs from the (Kana) Organization to support the displaced people in Dohuk.
* The website offers visitors Opinion Survey about issues concern the Christian component, and then it announces the results of voting.
Examples:
- Are you with the idea of local self-government in the Ankawa city?
- Do you think that our parties deal with the suffering of the people of Nineveh plain after the events of Mosul rise to the level of responsibility?
- Do you think that arming our people and their contribution to liberate and protect their areas will help them to stay in Iraq?
*The website has been working like Forums sites, so any one can register in it and publish the press materials directly, but the administration approval is required. This feature allows publishing news reports or opinion articles directly on the site, as well as the investment of this feature to publish partisan and ecclesiastical data which belong to Christian organizations.
* The site offers press materials for other small components (minorities).
Examples:
* After a week of activity in Armenia and Georgia delegation of Oesidkhan Supreme Council concludes its visit.
* Abadi congratulates Mandaeans on the occasion of prosperity eid.
*Coalition aircraft targeted two locations of ISIS in Sinjar.
*The website has been publishing data and activities of churches and Christian religious centers in Iraq in the "motab'at al kaneesa(church rebounds)" section, and has a special section for "death and condolences declarations."
* Mass of Resurrection Festival of the ancient east Church (Mar Youkhana) in Kirkuk.
* Sako the patriarch appoints father Nozet Hana PutrusKhor as a bishop
3- Lalish Media Network
The network has been published material press for the Yezidi components in two languages: Arabic and Kurdish. This network broadcasts from Dohuk city in the north of Iraq.
*The network has been publishing news for the Yezidi components in "Yazidi news" section prominently on the home page of the website. In the same time the network has been publishing political, social and another technical news in "General news" section.
Examples:
- The conditions of displaced Yazidis in Chenkal mount are deteriorating.
- Yazidis children have been fleeing from the ISIS combat exercises.
- VianDakhil met high-level French delegation.
*The network republish press materials which are produces by other websites and agencies especially the materials that concerning the Yezidi component.
Examples:
- More than 1,200 smart card have been issuance for the Yazidi's survivors from ISIS.
- Yazidis activists: the effects of abduction and captivity the Kurdish Yazidis in the Arab villages homes near Chenkal.
- The Sadristapologized officially forVianDakhil.
The network is characterized by a separated section for women's news called "women's affairs", as well as another section for students.
The network provides a service to download copies of Lalish electronic newspaper and magazine. The newspaper and magazine have written in the Kurdish language for the Yazidis.
4- Bahzani Website:
It's a diversified website in two languages: Arabic and Kurdish. It has special section for Yazidis News called "The Yazidis".
Examples:
- Electricity maintenance of the north distract "Alsnoni".
- MzarieShekhhistin and Babadeen are the challenge symbols.
- Young Yazidi has been beaten in one of the Germany refugee places.
*The website have been publishing press materials about Iraq and the world in the "diversified section".
Examples:
- Pictures of the Iraqi parliament hall after the departure of the protesters from it.
- The Ihsanoglu's Arabic word to Erdogan made the Turks search millions of times in the Internet to find it.
5- Mandaee Network
This network have been publishing press materials for Sabina (Mandaean) component in the "Mandean News" section, as well as publishing the names who had died in the "funeral" section, in addition to publish the biographies of faimousMandaean.
Examples:
- The first session of the Supreme Council of the Mandaean has held, during this session the Supreme Council has elected the secretary and the secretary has taken an oath.
- Wisam Majid RibhAlduhaisy has killed in Stockholm.
- Mandaean federal Baptize babies Festival in Netherlands.
Turkmen eli channel
Turkmen Eli has publishing press materials for the Turkmen in three language: Arabic, English and Turkish.
Examples:
- The commander of brigade crowd Turkmen has been assassinated in the south of Kirkuk.
- Dr. QasimQzhangy / the breaches of security in Kirkuk, mostly in the Turkmen aris.
The website has been published a general news about Kirkuk city because it has a large number of Turkmen.
Examples:
- The security attendant of a Kurdish member in the Kirkuk council was assassinated.
- The brigadier general Khattan Omar was appointed a commander of the Kirkuk police.
- 61 member in ISIS was killed, as well as ISIS’s attention was frustrated in the northwest of Kirkuk.
*It has been republishing press materials about Turkmens from other websites and agencies.
Examples:
*Alsalihi has demanded the ministry of education to fairness the Turkmens in the government’s appointments.
* Iraqi Turkmen Front: welcomes Turkish troops.
* Abadi meets the Turkmens in Baghdad and sought with them the region crisis
*The website has beenpublishing the announcements and statements of the Iraqi Turkmen Front one of the Turkmen nationalist parties. In the same time the website didn’t publish the statements of other Turkmens parities.
Examples:
- Iraqi Turkmen Front MP Arshad al-Salihi is inaugurating the new headquarters of the Mosul branch of the Front in Dohuk and meeting with Mr. FarhadAlaterci the governor of the city.
- Al Salhi: receives a delegation of Kirkuk officers.
- Dr. QasimQzhangy congratulates the Iraqi army in the 95 anniversary of the founding.
* The website has a special section of Iraqi news, and other section of Turkish news.
6- The Turkmen Tribune
* It’s a daily newspaper from Kirkuk. This newspaper has been publishing general, variety and political news.
Examples:
* The political history of the Iraqi Turkmen.
* The date of political marginalization of the Turkmen in Iraq.
* The Turkmen presence in Iraq.
*The website has a special section of “Kirkuk Issue”.
Examples:
* Objective look to the national reality of the Kirkuk area.
* Kirkuk, the role of schools and scientists in the science development: from the 1918 to 2003.
*the website has a special section of “human rights”.
7- Alkishla News
General news agency, most of its posts are about Turkmens and Kirkuk city in two languages: Arabic and Turkmen.
Examples:
- Criminal of Kirkuk sentenced 15 years on two elements of ISIS.
- In the cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent Society, The Rahaf charity society has distributes humanitarian aid to displaced people in the Kirkuk province.
8- Shafaq News
General news agency, it has special sections of Faili Kurds (news and articles about Faili Kurds) and two magazines: The Faili magazine and the small Faili magazine. This website in three languages: Arabic, English and Kurdish.
Examples:
- The night visitor...Is a poems in southern Kurdish language by Kamiljameel big Alsora Miri.
- Faili Party has founded a shortcoming in the representatives of Kurdish political parties: Where is the Loyalty to the sacrificing.
- Faili Kurd in Iran have commemorated Ashura and recall Kobani and Sinjar.
*In the "faili articles" section the agency has published articles and research about the Faili Kurd.
Examples:
- Unjust decision of the Revolutionary Command Council No. (666) for the year 1980.
- Documents and images... Details are publishing for the first time about the role of one of the Faili Kurd in the establishment of the Kurdistan Region.
- Faili Kurds and their suffering in Iraq, their home land.
*The agency has published press materials about minorities’ situation.
Examples:
*"Holocaust Museum": ISIS committed massacres against Yazidis and war crimes against other minorities.
* "Bozana" says he feared "deterioration" in the relationship between Yazidis and Christians".
*As well as the website has been offering learning Faili Kurdish language.
Second: Iraqi media coverage:
Minority's issues are vanished from newspapers and social media news. It is only confined to their suffering from ISIS or government attitudes towards minority's issues.
1- alzaman:
On June 22, 2015, the newspaper reported a story about a survivor Yezidi woman who gave her testimony in Geneva asking for her rights. The testimony entitled: "I lost 5 members of my family and I have been tortured for 90 days".
- On January 11, 2016, the newspaper published an article entitled "IsIs's awful crimes", in which the writer cited the story of a Yazidi girl who ran away from Isis.
- There was only one report with few lines about Mandaeans. It included a statement given by HammamHamoudi about the importance of the minorities' representation, epically Mandaeans, in Iraq. The report entitled "Hamoudi and Alhelou discuss the Mandaeans's quota".
2- Iraqi media network's Alsabah:
It published many articles about Isis's victims, and stories about the tragedy suffered by people from all components in Sinjar district, in Nineveh. The newspaper focused in particular on government data and the achievements of security forces.
Examples:
* After Christians ….. Isis sell the Shabak's properties.
* Dakheel: Our happiness because of Sinjar's retrieving is incomplete without freeing Yazidi women.
* UN: Isis has committed genocide in Sinjar.
The newspaper publishes statements and releases given by government officials about the issues of minorities.
Examples:
* Aloubaidi: Battle for Mousel will begin in Sinjar.
* Maasoum congratulates Christians on Christmas.
* Alnoujaifi condemn bombing one of Alshabak's villages.
3- Almada newspaper:
Yazidis and Mandaeans were mentioned in one article entitled "Referring the Implementation of the Female Survivors and Displaced Yazidis and Christians Sheltering Centers Project in Lalish and Bakhitma to the Company that uses the Postpaid Method"
- It published exclusive press material included interview with NdiaMorad, a Yazidi activist from Malmö, Sweden. Morad states that there are about 3000 kidnapped women waiting for salvation.
- It also published other materials about politicians calling for the activation of minorities' role, because of the absence of research and investigation about their role.
4- Adawaa and Aladala:
They didn’t discuss the issues of minorities.
B- Websites:
1- alghadpress: It published exclusive translated files from foreign media about the situations of migrants.
It published a translated report about the current situations of Iraqi Jewish in Israel. The report was originally published in New York Times, and has an important position on its website. It was entitled: "In Israel, Iraqi Jews Reflect on Baghdad Heritage".
It also translated material from an American newspaper called Miami Herald. The article entitled "An archive reveals the personal and political realities of Iraqi Jews, but mysteries remain".
It translated a material from The Independent, an article entitled " Refugee crisis: Desperate Iraqi Yazidis join exodus to Europe".
- The website was interested in publishing materials about minorities.
Examples:
- Yazidi Nadia Morad compete with 376 candidates to won Noble peace prize.
- Leader of Mandaeans: 30000 Mandaeans were forced to emigrate because of clergymen's silence.
- Minorities Deputies suspend their memberships in parliament as a protest against section no26 in national identity law.
2- Aliraqnews Network and Kitabat Fi al Mizan:
They published few materials that did not give any important information about minorities.
Examples:
- Aliraq news website published a press material entitled "Before building Sinjar, free Yazidi women from Isis", in which Baba Sheikh, a Yazidi religious man, called for freeing Yazidi women kidnapped by Isis.
- Kitabat Fi al Mizan published an article entitled "Genocide against Phellin Kurds". The author believes that what happens today to Phellin Kurds is a genocide crime, which must be raised in international circles in order to save them.
Kitabat Fi al Mizan published a material entitled "Jilan, a martyr of honor", which talk about Yazidi girl who preferred suicide rather than being kidnapped by Isis.
3- aynaliraqnews:
Many components like (Shabak, Alkakaiah, Baha'I and black people) were clearly absent in its media coverage.
It published materials about minorities, for example:
-It published a material about Mandaeans included official statement by Prime MinisterHaideralabaadi, in which he declared his total support for Mandaeans and considered them an important component in Iraq.
It published an article entitled "Kurdish deputy demands international campaign to rehabilitate Yazidi women who were psychologically raped.
- It published a press material about Kubis, Special Representative of the Secretary-General. It was entitled "Kubis: We are working to bring more attention to the plight of Yazidis".
Media expert's notes from minority's.
. In a special meeting with the Iraqi media house. Pope Na'oum said that 'Media in Iraq view minorities as,an original part, yet as being afraid from future and consequently thinking of leaving their home. Also through dealing with their security situation from church bombing to displacement. Media described Christians as fearful as well as decreasing in number in recent years, and they are ready always to leave their home and immigrate.
. Adding that when media only show this part from Christian life, and without any mention of their livelihood and their active role in society, then it is encouraging, though unintentionally, them to immigrate using the disastrous image that is painted. That image doesn't only affect who read about them, but also would affect Christians themselves. This makes them expect the worse to come, so they
Decided to immigrate and this is a great loss of an important part of the Iraqi people
. Naghoum hopes that Iraqi media would deliver a positive image of the variety of Iraqi not only focusing on the conflicts triggered among them
. He also considered that it is media role to be searching for incidents that enhance living in peace and promote the importance of minorities in the society. And also to shed light on their necessary role in the society, and not to ignore oppression, marginalization, and isolationism that minorities are going through in iraq.
Stressing that the message of media is peace. And peace cannot be available if one group because of being a minority. And on the importance of not ignoring this fact. Otherwise it will be taking a part in minorities' immigration which is a great loss
2- KhudorAlDomalie: a researcher at the Minority Affairs:
Very little coverage for minority's issues.
During an interview with the Iraqi Media House, AlDomalie said: "After reviewing the contents of the Iraqi media methods and programs, it appears that the quality of the articles cover the minority's issues are "quite little". The space, programs, hours, and even the times are broadcasted comparing to the minority population in Iraq which is more than one million. He called for nominating a broadcasting ratio that meets the population of the minority in the community.
Domalie believes that the quantities content Iraq media covers for minority's issues, is nominal, traditional. It is away from giving a better image about minority and broadcasting their occupational and functional suffers. He also draws attention to the point that media "did not produce" a clear message to force authorities to cover minority's issues.
He explains that minority's are targeted by terrorist groups; However media coverage is more focused on victims and damages of such attacks rather on more crucial issues. Issues like why this attack happened? Why government isn't responding to such attacks? Why......
Domalie concluded his announcement by stating that there is a fair group of journalists who is now aware of dealing with minority's issues. This group does that without involving religious and sartorial tends. He believes that this group can do their job with complete professionalism and objectivity. If they were given the chance or if media adopts a clear policy regarding minorities.
Fourth: Attention
Iraq Media House has mentioned that this report is the second of its kind, which aims to Iraqi media coverage for minority's issues. The first report was titled as "Majority Groups Media overtook the Minority's". This report can be read through the following links:
Fifth: Notes
1- Iraqi media focuse on minorities' issues only when they are subject to genocide crimes or murders or when their rights are violated.
2- Among Iraqi media, there is a lack of awareness or identification of the components of Iraqi society and their rights.
3- Many components like (Shabak, Alkakaiah, Baha'I and Jewish) were almost completely absent in Iraqi media coverage. And the focus on Yazidis was after being attacked by Isis.
4- Iraqi median did not focus on minorities' problems and did not give any solutions. They only mentioned little news about them, in addition to report statements given by deputies and officials in the government.
5- The absence of Questioning approach when they report news.
6- The ignoring of minorities in Iraqi media reflect how much (Margining) the suffer in political life, and also show how weak is their role in government and parliament.
Sixth:Recommendations
1- There is a need to increase the awareness of Iraqi journalists about minorities' issues. Both professional authorities and civil social organizations must take the responsibility to achieve that.
2- Methods used in media colleges must contain vocabularies that define minorities' issues through the diversity of society, and its history and heritage.
3- Media must be urged to show larger interest in minorities affairs, because they are original components in Iraqi society. Media must focus on their role in building Iraq, and their right to exist there, like the rest of Iraqi people, as partners in Iraq. Also, media should not ignore that they suffer from marginalization, exclusion and persecution especially by terrorism.
4- Encouraging the Iraqi media to be more interested in minorities through giving annual awards for the best coverage of minorities' issues.
