The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA) slammed controversial statements made by television presenters and periodicals, mostly from the West, while covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “orientalist” and “racist.”
The AMEJA “condemns and absolutely rejects orientalist and racist assumptions that any population or country is ‘uncivilized’ or carries economic reasons that make it worthy of conflict,” according to a statement released Monday. This type of criticism represents a widespread attitude in Western journalism that normalizes disaster in places like the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. It dehumanizes them and makes their war experience seem regular and expected.”
The organization also cited examples of Racist press coverage
The organization also listed examples of “racist” press coverage that “prioritizes some combat victims over others.” “This isn’t a location, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, where conflict has raged for decades,” CBS News anchor Charlie D’Agata remarked in a segment that aired on Saturday.
This is a reasonably sophisticated, relatively European — I have to pick my words carefully — city, where you wouldn’t anticipate or wish for such to happen.” D’Agata apologized on the broadcast the next day, stating he “regrets” speaking in that manner. “You should never compare battles anyway, each one is unique,” the presenter said, adding that he was trying to communicate that Ukraine has not witnessed this kind of violence in recent years. I made a bad choice of words, and I apologize if I offended anyone.”
“These are not definitely refugees seeking to get away from the Middle East…or North Africa,” AlJazeera presenter Peter Dobbie said, which was condemned on social media and reported by AMEJA. They appear to be any European family you’d expect to live next door to.” Over Twitter, AlJazeera’s public relations team apologized for his comments.
“They seem so like to us,” said journalist Daniel Hannan in The Telegraph, a renowned British daily, in another instance. It’s because of this that it’s so startling. War is no longer a thing that happens to poor and isolated people. Anyone can be affected.”
Not only news outlets, but also the BBC called out Ukrainian Deputy Chief Prosecutor David Sakvarelidze for his obviously racist remarks. “It makes me really sad because I watch Europeans with blue eyes and golden hair being murdered… “(They) shouldn’t have to be slaughtered by Putin’s rockets every day,” he stated.
“Newsrooms must not make comparisons that assess the relevance or imply justification of one conflict over another,” AMEJA said in a statement. “Civilian casualties and displacement in other countries are equally as repulsive as they are in Ukraine.”
“AMEJA stands in complete sympathy with all civilians who are subjected to military assault everywhere in the world, and we lament the disparity in press coverage of people in different countries.” Not only does such coverage decontextualize wars, but it also adds to the erasure of populations around the world who are still subjected to violent occupation and assault,” the statement continued.