Controversial statements made by news anchors and papers, primarily from the West, while covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine was called out by the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA) as “orientalist” and “racist”.
In a statement Monday, the AMEJA wrote that it “condemns and categorically rejects orientalist and racist implications that any population or country is ‘uncivilized’ or bears economic factors that make it worthy of conflict. This type of commentary reflects the pervasive mentality in Western journalism of normalizing tragedy in parts of the world such as the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. It dehumanizes and renders their experience with war as somehow normal and expected.”
The body also cited examples of “racist” news coverage that “ascribes more importance to some war victims over others”.
One such example was of CBS News’ anchor Charlie D’Agata, who in a segment aired on Saturday said, “This isn’t a place, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, that has seen conflict raging for decades…This is a relatively civilized, relatively European — I have to choose those words carefully, too — city, where you wouldn’t expect that or hope that it’s going to happen.”
“Civilized”
pic.twitter.com/AiU7uVmjMr— Imraan Siddiqi (@imraansiddiqi) February 26, 2022
A day later, D’Agata issued an apology on air, saying that he “regrets” speaking in that way. Stating that he was trying to convey that Ukraine has not seen this kind of war in recent years, the anchor added, “You should never compare conflicts anyway, each one is unique…I used a poor choice of words and I apologize for any offense I may have caused.”
AlJazeera anchor Peter Dobbie, too, has been criticised on social media and cited by AMEJA for his remarks saying, “These are not obviously refugees trying to get away from the Middle East…or North Africa. They look like any European family that you’d live next door to.” AlJazeera’s PR team apologised for his remarks over Twitter.
3. Al-Jazeera
“What’s compelling is looking at them, the way they are dressed. These are prosperous, middle-class people. These are not obviously refugees trying to get away from the Middle East…or North Africa. They look like any European family that you’d live next door to.” pic.twitter.com/LnopOTaDrA
— Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) February 27, 2022
In another instance, journalist Daniel Hannan wrote in The Telegraph, a leading British daily, “They seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking. War is no longer something visited upon impoverished and remote populations. It can happen to anyone.”
🗣️ “They seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking. War is no longer something visited upon impoverished and remote populations. It can happen to anyone” | Writes Daniel Hannan https://t.co/FwHREn1xzR
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) February 26, 2022
Not just news channels, Ukrainian Deputy Chief Prosecutor, David Sakvarelidze, who appeared on the BBC, was also called out for his overtly racist remarks. “It’s very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed…(they) shouldn’t have to be killed everyday with Putin’s missiles,” he said.
[Thread] The most racist Ukraine coverage on TV News.
1. The BBC – “It’s very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed” – Ukraine’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor, David Sakvarelidze pic.twitter.com/m0LB0m00Wg
— Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) February 27, 2022
AMEJA in its statement asserted, “Newsrooms must not make comparisons that weigh the significance or imply justification of one conflict over another-civilian casualties and displacement in other countries are equally as abhorrent as they are in Ukraine.’
“AMEJA stands in full solidarity with all civilians under military assault in any part of the world, and we deplore the difference in news coverage of people in one country versus another. Not only can (such) coverage decontextualize conflicts, but it contributes to the erasure of populations around the world who continue to experience violent occupation and aggression,” the statement further read.