Internal refugees in western Colombia receive food aid from the World Food Program.
As the violence continues in the Middle East between the Israeli military and Palestinian militant factions, there is one place in the world which undoubtedly has seen more violence and civilian tragedy on an unimaginable scale. The longest running conflict in the western hemisphere, Colombia continues to be plagued with violence. Yet the international media seem to have little interest in the plight of this nation.
Each time there is violence in Israel/Palestine, the international media covers it as headline news. Just take a moment and think about the last time you read a front page headline about Colombia or saw it as the first story on the evening news. Can’t remember? Taking a look at statistics in 2007 from both conflicts shows a dramatic contrast in the numbers of deaths and displacement.
Colombia 2007
1,400 civilians killed
500+ soldiers killed
305,000 more internal refugees in addition to the already estimated 3,000,000+
*data on deaths of insurgents/para-militaries in dispute
Palestine/Israel 2007
373 Palestinians killed - civilians and militants
7 Israeli civilians killed
6 Israeli soldiers killed
250,000+ internal refugees
As a simple analysis of numbers it should be evident which humanitarian crisis is more dire. So then why is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more important in international news? Shouldn’t US and Canadian media outlets spend more time on their own back yard than give so much attention to a conflict which is half way around the world? Send in your ideas to this important question, because I still don’t understand why.
Chris Stubbert
Editor
QuestionTheNews.org
Canadian soldiers patrol through an Afghan poppy field - Photo MCpl Robert Bottrill
‘Nato to engage Afghan tribes in Taliban fight’ read Monday’s report from the Reuters news agency. Written by Golnar Motevalli, the article summarizes a push by NATO forces to work with tribes to ‘promote traditional methods of local rule and undercut the lawlessness that feeds in the strengthening Taliban insurgency.’ The Interdependent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) of the Afghan government says that this type of involvement is key in securing local communities across the nation.
Yet unbelievably the article never mentions two key facts about the insurgency: the Pakistani border region and narcotics. That the the insurgency led by the Taliban has unfettered access from Pakistan through the border region of the Khyber Pass does not bode well for this nation at war.
It doesn’t matter in Afghanistan how involved the government becomes in towns and villages, as long as there is a continued presence of Taliban and foreign guerrillas entering the country to intimidate, extort, corrupt, and ideologically pressure the local population, the problem will not end. NATO’s mission in the country will be an endless struggle fighting a hit and run enemy. Border security is one of the most important short and long term goals of the whole NATO project in Afghanistan. For the Reuters news agency to leave out this key fact disregards its very importance and misleads readers who think tribal interaction will solve the conflict in Afghanistan.
Secondly, the prime contributor to the financing of the Taliban’s efforts to harass and destabilize Afghanistan is heroin. At least 80% of Europe’s heroin supply comes from Afghanistan and this lucrative trade, like in Colombia, is the engine that funds the weapons, logistics, and support for continued resistance against the NATO and Afghan National armed forces.
Reports on Afghanistan’s security must always include the two above mentioned key facts in order to keep the general public, and more importantly the citizens of NATO countries informed. For over 7 years the war in Afghanistan has seen many highs and lows for the NATO allies, but the media must now ask what is the endgame? Will Afghanistan become an unstable yet stable nation? As the US gears up to send another 30,000 troops into the theatre these important issues must be continually addressed in order that the military and defence establishments take them more seriously.
Reuters can edit ‘problems’ out of their articles, but unfortunatly realities on the ground can’t be managed that easily.
Chris Stubbert
Editor
QuestionTheNews.org
Illinois Governor Milorad “Rod” Blagojevich’s corruption scandal is currently dominating the US and even international English media. Chicago newspapers have covered the story from all angles yet one area is remarkably absent. The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times had no analysis of why Illinois is such a lightning rod (no pun intended) for corruption.
While it is in the interest of the people of Illinois to know what happened with the governor’s dealings, isn’t it about time that the media, principally of Illinois, ask themselves why is corruption so common in this state? The only reference was from the Sun Times giving a link to the excellent Politico’s report. Yet this was only a web link. Why won’t the media in Chicago or Springfield, the state capitol, address their own culture of corruption?
It should also be the responsibility of the national media to question this lack of self reflection of the Illinois media. If the media is an organ of citizen protection from public abuse, should it not also ask why, rather than merely reporting the news or following Gov. Blagojevich on his morning jog?
Chris Stubbert
Editor
QuestionTheNews.org
