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AWMC
MEDIA WATCH NETWORK
Media watch members details please go
here
Media watch job and brief work descriptions in Arabic,
please click
here
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MEDIA WATCH
REPORTS |
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OXFAM
Oxfam International is a confederation
of 12 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in
more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty,
suffering and injustice.
With many of the causes of poverty global in nature, the 12
affiliate members of Oxfam International believe they can achieve
greater impact through their collective efforts.
For more please click
here |
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INSI
The International News Safety Institute
is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the safety of
journalists and media staff and committed to fighting the
persecution of journalists everywhere. The Institute is a coalition
of media organisations, press freedom groups, unions and
humanitarian campaigners working to create a culture of safety in
media in all corners of the world. For more just click
here
Latest news please click
here |
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Palestine
What is going on in the
Gaza Strip
By Rashid A. Shahin
Apr-25-2008
I am a Palestinian writer
and usually write in Arabic. I rarely write in English or address
foreigners, but since things are worsening in the Palestinian
Territories especially in the Gaza Strip, I thought it would be a
good idea to write an article in which I highlight on what is going
on in this part of the world and that should be directed to the non
Arabic speaking readers.
I could present so many photos which reflect the brutality of the
Israelis and their practices against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank, but since these photos are so painful I prefer
not to show them. If anyone is interested in seeing them, they can
contact me on my e-mail address below and ask for them, and I will
be glad to send them through.
What was behind the idea of this article is that I have received so
many e-mails, photos and statistics about the miserable situation
the Palestinian people are living in the Occupied Territories.
I will reproduce some of the statistics which a Swiss friend sent to
me through which you people out there can imagine how the Israelis
are making the Palestinian lives beyond imagination.
Actually I don’t know if you out there know that the Gaza borders
are controlled by Israel and have been mostly closed since January
2006. This means nothing goes in or out unless the Israelis say so,
including human beings, food, fuel, medical supplies, press
coverage, educational materials etc.
According to a December 2007 report by Medical Aid for Palestinians
(MAP), a British charity based in London, 1.5 million People live in
the Gaza Strip and over a million of these are refugees. Over 80%
live below the poverty line, with 1.2 million people in Gaza
dependent on food handouts.
Only 41% of Gaza's food import needs are currently being met.
Just these few facts are enough to show how bad and tragic the
situation is in the Strip.
Moreover, the Palestinian Health Ministry says there are no stocks
left of 85 essential medicines, including chemotherapy drugs, strong
antibiotics and several psychiatric drugs. For a further 138 drugs
there are only stocks for three months at most. Supplies of nitrous
oxide for surgical anesthesia will run out in two weeks.
The Map statistics also revealed that 17.5% of patients who have
requested access to East Jerusalem, Israel or abroad for emergency
or chronic medical treatment have been denied permits since June
2007.
In October 2007, the public provider of water and sanitation
services received 50% of the amount of fuel it needs to operate its
wells, pumping stations and treatment plants. As a result, 210,000
people are able to access drinking water supplies for only one to
two hours a day.
But how were things during the month of April 2008?
As if it couldn't get any worse…
Israel has slowly been decreasing the amount of fuel being let into
Gaza over the past few months to critical levels. At this moment in
time NO FUEL has been allowed in to Gaza for the last 8 days, this
includes cooking gas.
Not only does this affect cars, so there is no transport but more
importantly the electricity plant needs fuel to provide electricity
to civilian homes in Gaza as well as the hospitals. Frequent power
cuts occur and can last up to 12 hours. The hospitals are in
constant crisis and only have a limited supply of emergency fuel.
Approximately 70% of ambulances are grounded due to a lack of fuel.
The head of Gaza's main power plant has warned it will have to halt
electricity supplies to some 500,000 people unless Israel resumes
fuel shipments there.
Even the fishermen have not been able to take their boats out
fishing for two months due to the shortage of fuel. Fishing is one
of the only sustainable food sources within Gaza. There is also a
lack of fuel to power the sewage plant that cleans the raw sewage,
so it is being dumped right into the sea. Israel has given Gaza
seven nautical miles to fish in, but due to the raw sewage being
dumped, they can no longer fish there.
If we add to this frequent and random air strikes by the Israeli
military, Palestinians in Gaza are living in chronic emergency
conditions. In fact Israel has created something similar to an open
prison.
Israel controls the borders and therefore has to supply basic human
rights for the people within those borders. And since Israel is
responsible for supplying the Strip with all the needed items and
supplies – as an occupying force- "it is useless to speak about the
disengagement since Israel is closing the area from land and sea"
they should do so and should facilitate the Palestinians life in
that area. From a legal point of view they should do so.
Palestinians basic human rights are being violated. The Palestinian
people rely heavily on aid from charity organizations. The
international community must put pressure on Israel to come into
line with UN regulations on human rights.
I believe the Palestinians have either been forgotten or the
international community is turning a blind eye. Most of the press
coverage of Gaza is about militant activity and not about the
average person who is living there. It seems that people around the
world have forgotten that this conflict involves innocent people's
lives. I don’t want to talk here about where the Palestinian
refugees came from and who caused their problem in the first place
as this is another issue and is something that can be discussed in
another story or article.
The people in Gaza don't want to
rely on aid or charity. They want to work, to build an economy and
to have opportunities, but Israel is ensuring none of this can
happen. The world must remember that not everyone in the Gaza Strip
is a militant, just as not every football supporter is a hooligan.
We should remember that not all Irish people were part of the IRA.
The people of Gaza are just like you out there, men, women and
children with hopes and aspirations.
***Rashid
A. Shahin-
a Palestinian writer and journalist based in Bethlehem and can be
contacted at
sadapril2003@hotmail.com
International journalists' Association accuses the
army of "brutality and deliberate targeting"
Saturday July 07, 2007 12:06
by Ameen Abu Wardeh -
The International journalists Association condemned Israeli for
attacking journalists, and demanded a full investigation of the case
of severely injuring a Palestinian camera man in the Thursday
invasion into Gaza.
To view on line please go
here |
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Iraq
CHRISTIANS PEACE TEAM [CPT] IRAQ
RESPONSE TO NEWEST VIDEO
FROM THE CAPTORS OF OUR FRIEND SCPT
Iraq has seen the newest
video released on Al Jazeera showing three of our four colleagues
held captive since November 26, 2005.
We are glad to see Norman Kember, James Loney and Harmeet Sooden.
We are unhappy that Tom Fox
is absent from the video. We are concerned for the families of all
our colleagues, but today we are especially concerned for Tom’s
family and call on those who are holding our friends to reassure his
family that he is well. Our other colleagues came to Iraq to oppose
the occupation of Iraq and to work for peace for all Iraqis. We
continue to hope and believe that all four of our friends are well
and will be returned safely to their families and friends.
Harmeet, Tom, Norman and Jim, along with all of CPT, continues to
stand with the people of Iraq, many of whom suffer the loss and
captivity of the ones they love. CPT reaffirms its commitment to
continue its work for all humanity around the world.
We means AWMC [Arab women media center ]
and CPT Iraq wait for the day when Tom, Jim, Harmeet and Norman can
continue their work for peace in the world. |
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EGYPT
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Egyptian
journalists…Fettered pens, continued
prosecution and sexual assault
EOHR’s report on the situation of
journalists in Egypt
23/6/2005
“Officer Nabil Salim grabbed
my arm. There was another officer with him wearing civilian clothes
who grabbed Abeer. She said that’s a state security officer. Nabil
Salim kept hold of my arm until the women came and he threw me
against them and he told them ‘take her.’ They went and pulled me by
the hair and hit me with shoes, on my head, shoulders and back. They
pushed me to the ground and tried to take my trousers off but
weren’t able to.”
“ There was someone pulling my hair, someone sitting on my back and
someone else pushing me and suddenly I found myself surrounded by a
group of youths and all of them were trying to grab parts of my
body. All my clothes were ripped and I tried to escape but wasn’t
able to.”
This is the testimony of two female journalists who attended the
Kifaya movement’s demonstration against the article 76 amendment
referendum held on Wednesday 25th May 2005 in front of the
Journalists’ and Lawyers’ Syndicates and the Saad Zaghloul
mausoleum. These journalists were sexually assaulted by National
Democratic Party (NDP) thugs and women specifically hired for this
purpose. These assaults occurred within sight and hearing of state
security forces. When these journalists sent complaints about the
assaults to the attorney general they their families were
subsequently threatened that cases would be fabricated against them,
or that their relatives would be taken into detention or that the
journalists themselves would lose their jobs.
Journalists in Egypt suffer numerous forms of discrimination
including unfairness in the legislation governing press freedom and
journalism, judicial prosecution of journalists for their writings
and opinions, assault and death threats and sexual assault of female
journalists.
FOR MORE
DETAILS PLEASE CLICK HERE |
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Say Yes Now (SYN)!
Democracy Not Without Women
AWMC support
AWMC saying YES LOUD AND STRONG,
As journalist and director of a unique NGO media center named Arab
women media center, www.ayamm.org
in which our media org found to support such gender issues
especially IN POLITICAL AND MANAGEMENTS POSITIONS.
We're believing in our org, that women in our area are capable to take
over not because we are females, but of a simple reason our males
never have done a single step to upgrade and update our freedom
status in Arab world on the opposite they were dictators and selfish
when taking over, so that is why we all females + males living is
such a miserable life of it's all aspects.
Time now is coming for change, again WE ARE SAYING LOUD AND CLEAR
LET WOMEN TAKING OVER IN ARAB REGION.
THANKS
MAHASEN AL EMAM
AWMC DIRECTOR
TOP URGENT
Press Release July 17, 2005
Dr. Nawal El Saadawi withdraws in protest from presidential race in
upcoming elections in Egypt
On
Saturday July 17, in an urgently called joint meeting of various
committees of Gender Concerns International the withdrawal decision
was discussed thoroughly and the need to broaden and intensify the
world wide scope of Say Yes Now
campaign was emphasized strongly. The meeting has issued
the following statement:
Though we are saddened with the decision of Nawal El Saadawi to
withdraw her candidacy from presidential race in upcoming elections
in Egypt but we completely endorse the reasons given by Nawal El
Saadawi as justification for her decision. In the context where
women in many parts of the world and especially in her own region
were very motivated by her decision to participate in upcoming
elections, her withdrawal challenges world’s attention to voice
against such un-favorable circumstances under which participation in
democratic process becomes a suffocating experience.
Nawal's Withdrawal is
followed up by Ibrahim
Egypt dissident to
boycott vote
By Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Cairo
A prominent Egyptian human rights activist has said he will be
boycotting September's presidential elections.
For more please click
here
We need more than ever before to come together and be loud and clear
and Say Yes Now! Democracy NOT without women.
We must act now, collectively and fast.
PLEASE
GO AND SAY YES NOW
To
sign in and support please do now click here |
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LEBANON
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Obstacles & Prospects for Women & Youth in the
MENA
Media Landscape
Lecture prepared for Seminar/Workshop on
“Media, Women & Youth in the Middle East & North Africa”
organized by the Olof Palme International Center at the Swedish
Institute
in Alexandria, Egypt, February 20-22, 2005
to view the lecture please click
here
Journalists from the
Maghreb region, the Middle East and Europe met in Rabat to discuss the
merits of public broadcasting and its eventual adoption in Morocco and
the Arab World, where most countries’ broadcast media are still
state-run.
The conference,
entitled “Towards Public Broadcasting in Morocco and in the Region” and
organized by the Brussels-based
International Federation of
Journalists and Syndicat National de la Presse Marocaine, adopted a
declaration on the creation of an independent public broadcasting system
in the region, including an action plan for journalists’ organizations.
Online
Journalism and Development of the Arab Media
BY Magda Abu-Fadil - Lebanon LAU
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BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's opposition accused
Syria on Thursday of continuing to interfere in its politics,
blaming Damascus for the killing of a prominent anti-Syrian
journalist who died when a bomb exploded under his car.
Opposition leaders called for a general strike Friday to protest the
killing of Samir Kassir, who died as an international team was
investigating the February assassination of former premier Rafiq
Hariri. Anti-Syrian leaders were quick to make a link between the
two killings.
Hariri's son and political heir, Saad Hariri, said the same people
were behind both assassinations, "and God knows what's coming."
Syria denied involvement in Thursday morning's bombing of Kassir's
car in the Christian Beirut neighbourhood of Ashrafieh, where he
lived. The explosion, which shattered windows in nearby buildings,
came amid Lebanese parliamentary elections that the opposition hopes
to win, ending Syria's control of the legislature. Details please
click here |
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YEMEN
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MS. Rehmeh, AWMC active member from
Yemen
Under Attack
Arab women media center firmly
backing our good member and Yemen media watch MS. Rehmeh also
protesting against Yemeni W.N.P of Al Billad,
appealing a judicial trial to MR.
chief editor
Our court chart appeal head points as
follows:
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Violating all Arabs' moral and international media
ethics when countering and responding to a published story.
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It is not the way to deal with courageous Arab
women journalist when she practised her right of media freedom.
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The act of MR. chief editor reminding us of old
days using direct immoral attack to dictating and
suppressing freedom of expressions, they are taking us back ward
to autocrats era in which international and regional new order
rejecting and fighting for.
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As an Arab media center, we are
asking the Yemeni authorities to act firmly and immediately,
otherwise they will be in charge too.

AWMC member our media watch in Yemen MS.
Rehmeh
please click here for Rehmeh
details contacts
World Journalists Back Leading Trade
Union Activist Under Attack in
Yemen
27 May 2005
The
International Federation of Journalists today expressed its
solidarity with Hafez Al-Bukari, Secretary General of the Yemen
Journalists Syndicate (YJS) and his wife Rahma Hujaira, Chairperson
of the Yemen Female Media Forum, following the publication of an
article in a newspaper called Al-Bilad, which makes
“unfounded, untrue and shocking” allegations against the two
journalists.
The attack sparked a
spontaneous demonstration by journalists who denounced the
“dirty, baseless and evil accusations” directed by the paper against
the journalists. The publication of the article followed an
editorial by Rahma Hujaira published in Al-Thawri newspaper,
which made a hard-hitting critique of the ruling party in its
handling of recent elections.
The
IFJ is calling on the authorities to respect freedom of expression
and to ensure a constructive environment for the development of
quality journalism in
Yemen. Hafez
Al-Bukari is also the IFJ Coordinator on a project aiming to
strengthen the capacities of the Syndicate and which aims to improve
the working conditions of journalists in the country.
For
further information please contact +32 2 235 22 06
The IFJ represents over
500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries
For
more details please click
here.
For AWMC
Arabic backing and protesting please click
here.
For more about Rahmeh
activities please brows down in this page;
Also for more on Arab Press freedom watch
releases please click
here
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APPEALS TO RELEASE FREEDOM ACTIVISTS
FWD by our activist
MS Rahmeh Hugera Director of Yemeni women journalists Forum -
Yemen
E-mail:
yfmf-yemen@yemen.net.ye
www.yfmf.org
Report from Al-Shoura newspaper
About the case of Mr. Alkhaiwany
As everybody are waiting for the verdict issuing
session concerning Alshoura journal case and its editor-in-chief Mr.
Ablulkareem Alkhaiwany whom has been taking illegally into prison
six moths ago, and while the judicial system should ensure its
dependency from any outsider pressure from powerful individuals or
institutions, the political field was extremely shocked by the
tensed security action accompanied the trial and led to attacking
and insulting the attorneys Mr. Jamal Alj'obi, Mr. Muhammad Naji
Alaw and Mr.Hafed Albokary the gneral secertary of Association of
Yemeni Journalists. As a result of that, the defense body left the
session.
Even worse, the ultimate surprise was that the judge
did not say the verdict as it has been agreed upon and he opened the
door for new pleadings and postponed the verdict to the 22 of March
2005 which present to the world a new judicial scandal as they
deprive the prisoner Abdulkareem Alkhaiwany the least of the
constitutional and legal right of free speech.
Therefore, Alshoura journal editing body renews its
condemnation of this kind of aggressive and arbitrariness behavior
against the journal and its editor-in-chief and again demand a
quick release for their colleague Alkhaiwany. This demand is based
on the outlooks of the case that prove the shifting process of the
case to a political issue without the least respect for justice,
freedom, democracy and human rights. The editing body is also
calling the local and international organization to continue with
their effort and put more pressure upon the authorities and to try
to draw their attention to the international commitment concerning
the press liberty and not to imprison journalists, let alone
attacking and insulting them by addressing them using taboo language
in court…! The court which is suppose to be the shelter for those
who are tyrannized and seeks justice.
What happened today leaves any talks about the
judicial system independency worthless and yet can not fool anybody.
editing
body of Alshoura
March,1,2005 |
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SYRIA
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Women
in the Media Past - Present - & Future
By Dr Sonia Dabous - Egypt Assistant
Editor Akhbar El Yom
And
Affiliate Professor of Journalism
American University in Cairo.
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BACK TO MEDIA WATCH MAIN |
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