IRAQ: DEMOCRACY

Guardian: A Fear Of Free Speech

A few years back, a major Arab government took "mild" action against al-Jazeera: the then information minister issued a decree preventing our correspondent from attending official functions.

When we contacted that government for an explanation, the minister cited a report we had aired, which had looked critically at a huge irrigation project that had flopped.

We pointed out to the minister that the report was not of our own production and that it had been aired by a major foreign news channel a couple of weeks beforehand.

We also noted that his government had not complained to the foreign channel. The minister replied that the other channel was broadcasting in English and many of his countrymen did not watch it.

But al-Jazeera "spoke" the same language and had a wide audience. As such the report was seen as an embarrassment.

...There is also possibly the more sinister motive of imposing a blockade on news reports while al-Sadr and the city of Najaf are "dealt with".

...The wording of the justification of such action may differ from one country to another, but the gist is always the same: undermining state security (normally code for criticising the leadership); providing a platform for terrorists (usually means political opposition); and insulting the people of the country (normally means criticising a failed policy).




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