Specifically, one journalist who was considered Algeria’s best, Chawki Amari, soon began to fear for his life after the war. Unfortunately, the war had led to more sparring between militant groups and the government. It is pointed out that Amari was held in check with “Islamic militants who threatened to take his life and a military-backed government that threatened to take his freedom.” Meanwhile, there have been no reports of journalists being killed since the 1990s, during the civil war. Then, the Algerian chapter of the International Federation of Journalists reported that over 70 journalists lost their lives. Mostly nowadays, Algeria closely monitors what journalists within the country speculate, often throwing reporters in jail for defamation. The hard at work journalists still however continue to watch their backs after Al Qaeda and other militant groups threaten their lives based on their jobs. All aside, Algeria is still a country that is very plagued by with narrow press freedom.
Source:
BENNHOLD, KATRIN. The New York Times. N.p., 28 Dec. 2007. Web. 24 July 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/world/africa/28algeria.html>.
"Khilafah – An overview of recent events in Algeria". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 7 August 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
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[ Post 2 ] - Morocco
Morocco is yet another country in North Africa that is plagued by widespread censorship. While we have seen countries that have many driving factors in keeping journalists from press freedom, Morocco only has one, its government. Today in Morocco, many of the thriving newspapers of its past decade seize to exist. Local authorities and government security officials have not only gone after the newspapers in general but also the journalists who contribute to them.
Source:
MOHAMAD, LABID. Menassat. N.p., 29 May 2008. Web. 24 July 2011. <http://www.menassat.com /?q=en/news-articles/3826-defending-moroccos-frail-press-freedom>.
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[ Post 3 ] - Stagnation in North Africa
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[ Post 4 ] - Press Freedom Gone Too Far
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[ Post 2 ] - Morocco
Morocco is yet another country in North Africa that is plagued by widespread censorship. While we have seen countries that have many driving factors in keeping journalists from press freedom, Morocco only has one, its government. Today in Morocco, many of the thriving newspapers of its past decade seize to exist. Local authorities and government security officials have not only gone after the newspapers in general but also the journalists who contribute to them.
The question was posed: “"The Moroccan judiciary system is for the time being unable to guarantee protection for journalists. What does it mean to even have a judiciary system if it's banning journalists from writing?"
Ultimately, when journalists in their own country are not entitled to state their opinions or even report the news, they fear for their jobs as well as their rights. While it is to be seem that most of the attacks against Moroccan journalists have resulted in heavy fines, jail sentences, and defamation suits, death or bodily injury has yet become a primary result, like other North African countries. Unfortunately though, the constitutional monarchy that is run by the King of Morocco has the ultimate power in this situation. Sadly, press freedom has fallen hard within the country and has since reached lows similar to the 1990s, before political reform.
Source:
MOHAMAD, LABID. Menassat. N.p., 29 May 2008. Web. 24 July 2011. <http://www.menassat.com /?q=en/news-articles/3826-defending-moroccos-frail-press-freedom>.
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[ Post 3 ] - Stagnation in North Africa
This Freedom House video is very important for anybody who has done research on Asian, European or African countries and their freedom of the press. While the growing problems in freedom of press are involved in countries that are more widespread than just those in the North African region, it is still important to look at their increasing impact and influence. With Libya skyrocketing to become one of the biggest countries to disallow men, women and journalists the freedom of press, we can see where other countries within the region, Egypt and Tunisia, sparked Libyan rebels to invoke a revolution of some kind.
Furthermore, the report by the Freedom House video explores the combined effort in the world to help those countries who are plagued by press freedom. Like mentioned before, this video does not divulge specifically on the matters involved with the North African countries. While it points out how Libya is undergoing severe press freedom, it still is important to mention how this report culminates much of the information regarding freedom of press. The Freedom House video undeniably delves into the pertinent issues with the decline and stagnation in press freedoms that have haunted so many countries around the world.
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[ Post 4 ] - Press Freedom Gone Too Far
One of the local stories in the Baltimore region that I have heard over the last several months is about a local journalist believed to be captured in Libya. As many of you are aware, the ongoing rebel fight between Libya’s people and their tyrant leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has been ongoing since early March. In that time, a Maryland journalist by the name of Matthew VanDyke has been reportedly thought to have been captured behind enemy lines.
I’ve often stepped back and thought about this many time, as I am a print journalism major. I understand that it is important to find a story and do what you have to for reporting purposes; I support and know that completely. But when do we, as human beings, cross the line? Was it necessary for this man to risk his own life? What about for him to go deep within the heart of the enemy and embed himself where he is presumably captured? Or possibly even worst, killed?
Unfortunately, I feel that this journalist should have abided by his duty to leave the country when he could no longer be protected. On the other hand, I understand that he has a job to do. But in this case, the cost of death does not outweigh the potential news story. While Matthew is simply trying to continue the freedom of press that he is so graciously given in the United States of America, he should not be trying to recreate such liberties in a war-zone or dictated country.
Source:
Hare, Mary Gail. The Baltimore Sun. N.p., 21 July 2011. Web. 24 July 2011. <http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-07-21/news/bs-md-ci-missing-man-found-20110722_1_libya-in-early-march-middle-east-traveler-degree-in-security-studies>.
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[ Post 5 ] - Government Owned?
In the North African region, the primary culprit of state-run media is that of Libya. Tunisia and Egypt, the other recent offenders, have since fallen by ways of revolutions. On the other hand, Libya is in the middle of a civil war against government and Libyan rebels. Other countries, like Tunisia and Egypt, paved the way for Libyan rebels to try to topple and revolutionize their government from their ruthless Head of State, Muammar Gaddafi.
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[ Post 6 ] - Sudan
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[ Post 7 ] - Western Sahara
Western Sahara officials reason that they are worried about cooperation within their country and the surrounding countries. Much of the fighting and wrongful filled journalist reports are fueled by other political parties trying to gain an edge. It has not helped that with the terrorist group Al Qaeda within the area, that many are more worried about security. Security being one of the main reasons why Western Sahara officials are more worried about trying to protect their people, including journalists, during fighting and attacks. The main threats, aside from terrorists, are foreign journalists who are coming to Western Sahara in order to report falsely.
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[ Post 8 ] - Libya Freedom
Pertaining to our research on many of the issues facing Libya right now, I was able to find a video that in more depth talks about the freedoms of the press. First of all, the press’s freedom since this video has declined even more. But when this video was taken, in June of 2011, the journalist from CNN was followed along as he reported in through the streets of Libya. Even when he went to the store or went elsewhere throughout the country, he was followed by a government assigned representative. This government agent’s job was to see that the journalist was following guidelines and oversee exactly what the journalist was reporting.
Amazingly, journalists here in the United States are looked upon differently. We follow different rules. Those rules, basically non-existent, only bar unethical treatment when in the field and reporting. While we would look upon the government following us and restricting our freedom or press as a violation of our freedom of speech, many countries in the African region and all over the world are not allowed to have this right. Therefore, when we see war footage of the occurrences going on in Libya and other countries who normally don’t even allow their own country to have media freedoms, we must fear for our own media reporting there.
Video Link (Unable to Embed): http://youtu.be/_euWZ_hE7s8
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[ Post 9 ] - Women in Tunisia
Not so long ago in Tunisia, the world was a different place. A country that used to have no right, no freedoms, now simply has been revolutionized and sparked outcry over their neighboring North African countries. While these rights have already succeeded in the revolution in Tunisia, there still are worries of falling back into rule where rights are banned or not allowed. While this hasn’t materialized recently, the greater push has been towards women’s rights.
Tunisia may now have revolutionized its country for the better, but it is not stopping there. For weeks, and relatively for years, there has been an outcry for women’s rights in the region. While the country itself as at a point that is far more ahead of its Middle Eastern counterparts, there is still work to be done. Women are now fighting for a larger role in Tunisia. They believe that they’re voice must be heard, similar to the already done revolution for rights and freedoms. Politically charge females are taking action to ensure that one day, preferably in the near future, they are able to have just as many vocal rights as their male counterparts. This, hopefully, is set to aim and disallow those who are of different sex superiority.
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[ Post 10 ] - My Egypt
For this post I wanted to do something a little special, so here goes.
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[ Post 5 ] - Government Owned?
Primarily, the North African region has undergone dramatic democratic changes and revolutions of the past decades. Therefore, there is more press freedom within each individual country. While some of the freedom of press in the North African countries, such as Algeria and Morocco, are remaining the same rather than becoming more prevalent. This growing fear by many journalists and cultural experts has not only indicated the stagnant increase in government power, but also increased the fear for many journalists’ lives. While current action in Libya suggests that no journalist or enabler of press freedom is safe, we can do nothing but reserve the right to commend the Libyan rebels for fighting for their rights.
Libya may soon be the last country in the North African region to become revolutionized and allow, among other things, press freedom.
[The countries that are highlighted in red in the above image are those that are have media controlled by state, dictators, or extremest groups.]
Source:
http://en.rsf.org/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ Post 6 ] - Sudan
Much like many of the other countries that we have seen in the North African region, Sudan is no different. Journalists in Southern Sudan have been plagued by arrests for their periodical reports, whether it has been on television, print or radio. Not to mention, some political parties in Sudan, such as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, has forced journalists to broadcast information over the past year.
Right now, the state-owned South Sudan Radio is a prime example of how a country’s control can dictate what will air and reach their people. In southern Sudan, Betty Tidio, once a journalist at the radio station, left her job because of the demand from the government. Since Tidio’s departure, the south region of Sudan has begun to work on a declaration of independence. Given the declaration, the government has taken steps to insure that the rights of journalists aren’t violated. The country has even gone as far to allow journalists the power to report officials of Sudan’s Ministry of Information who do not comply in-regards with interviews. Furthermore, the South Sudan Union of Journalists is yet another grouped union that will help journalists prevail in the region. Press freedom, will in the midst of change, seems to have a light at the end of the tunnel for Sudan.
Source:
"Press freedom still struggles in Southern Sudan." Deutsche Welle. N.p., 7 June 2011. Web. 24 July 2011. <http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15216457,00.html>.
[ Post 7 ] - Western Sahara
Western Sahara is much like its fellow Northern African countries, plagued by government and terrorist groups. The Western Sahara government implements that it is trying to protect journalists within its country and help the flow of information. They argue that they have only disallowed certain journalists to report because they are not properly allowing themselves to be objective to the news that pass through the country. Because of the many militant groups in the region, more importantly Al Qaeda, it is neither safe for the people of the area nor journalists. With that said, many journalists who decide to report have gone missing because of their occupation.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXg2sTmpawg [Video Above]
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[ Post 8 ] - Libya Freedom
Amazingly, journalists here in the United States are looked upon differently. We follow different rules. Those rules, basically non-existent, only bar unethical treatment when in the field and reporting. While we would look upon the government following us and restricting our freedom or press as a violation of our freedom of speech, many countries in the African region and all over the world are not allowed to have this right. Therefore, when we see war footage of the occurrences going on in Libya and other countries who normally don’t even allow their own country to have media freedoms, we must fear for our own media reporting there.
Video Link (Unable to Embed): http://youtu.be/_euWZ_hE7s8
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[ Post 9 ] - Women in Tunisia
Not so long ago in Tunisia, the world was a different place. A country that used to have no right, no freedoms, now simply has been revolutionized and sparked outcry over their neighboring North African countries. While these rights have already succeeded in the revolution in Tunisia, there still are worries of falling back into rule where rights are banned or not allowed. While this hasn’t materialized recently, the greater push has been towards women’s rights.
Tunisia may now have revolutionized its country for the better, but it is not stopping there. For weeks, and relatively for years, there has been an outcry for women’s rights in the region. While the country itself as at a point that is far more ahead of its Middle Eastern counterparts, there is still work to be done. Women are now fighting for a larger role in Tunisia. They believe that they’re voice must be heard, similar to the already done revolution for rights and freedoms. Politically charge females are taking action to ensure that one day, preferably in the near future, they are able to have just as many vocal rights as their male counterparts. This, hopefully, is set to aim and disallow those who are of different sex superiority.
The Botswana Gazette. N.p., 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 3 Aug. 2011. <http://gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10781:north-african-women-press-for-freedom-rights-and-dignity&catid=17:world-news&Itemid=2>.
[ Post 10 ] - My Egypt
In January of 2011, I was able to witness history. I sat and I watched in amazement while Al-Jazeera online showed footage from downtown Egypt. I watched as media forces were driven outside of the country and reporters took their own lives in their hands. Seeing a government, over time, topple was a heavy image that played in my mind, over and over again. More importantly, I was able to see the power of social media to overthrow this government. It was a way for organizers to speak and to get their voices heard. It was a way of reporting by embedded journalists. And it was a way of aid from countries, nations, media corporations and people stood by and watched. Twitter became a weapon to me. Just another weapon, like my voice, that I was able to use to share my opinions. Something that I use every day to make little quips and humorous remarks was being used to help a country and its people gain freedom.
This ultimately helped me realize a higher self-worth. It made me realize the power that I hold and that not everyone in this world is given that power. I was lucky and I needed to use that power for the greater good of mankind, like the people in Egypt.
