Embarking on a war in search of peace.

Journalism and the “Battles for Survival”

The world witnessed much instability and fierce wars in 2023. And the press also went through many battles, arguably life-or-death ones. These included venturing into the midst of bombs and bullets to report on conflicts and disasters, fighting against misinformation to reclaim the truth, and battling for survival against the pressure of tech giants!

During wartime, the mission of journalism is not only to bring the truth to the public, but also to raise awareness about the brutality of war, thereby contributing to the search for peace for humanity.

As 2022 drew to a close, international news organizations reported it was the deadliest period for journalists, with 58 people working in journalism and media dying in the line of duty. This was the highest number in the previous four years, even a 13.7% increase compared to 2021. More broadly, the period from 2003 to the end of 2022 is considered the deadliest decade for journalism, with nearly 1,700 deaths.

However, 2023 was the most terrifying year for the world of journalism in recent years, as a series of major global upheavals, from natural disasters and catastrophes to gang violence, hatred, and especially war, directly posed threats to journalists who covered these events.

Even before 2023 had ended, a "sad record" for journalism had already been set. By the end of November 2023, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had recorded 69 journalists killed while working, either in combat or indirectly as a result of their work, such as being murdered for reporting on gang activities.

Of course, that number cannot fully capture the dangers that journalists have faced over the past 12 months. There simply aren't complete statistics on journalists who have been physically injured, let alone those who have suffered psychological trauma and been threatened by the horrific events they cover, especially in armed conflicts.

International reporters work in the southern Israeli city of Sderot as fighting with Hamas intensifies. Photo: AFP

The Israel-Gaza war was too brutal for journalists.

The entire journalistic world was saddened to learn on October 25th that journalist Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera's Gaza correspondent, had lost his entire family to Israeli bombings: his wife, son, daughter, and grandson. This event was particularly emotional, as the news of his loved ones' deaths came at a time when he was reporting live from the battlefield.

After receiving the devastating news, journalist Wael Dahdouh's live broadcast continued, but this time the camera focused on him as the main subject. The crew continued filming and followed him to the hospital, where the bodies of his dearest loved ones lay. The image of Wael Dahdouh agonizingly embracing the shrouded body of his young daughter, broadcast live on television, brought tears to the eyes of all viewers.

War correspondents are always aware and constantly advised that protecting their own lives is paramount. But for Palestinian journalists in Gaza, ensuring their own lives is impossible; they are simply playing two roles in this conflict: as citizens of the war zone and as journalists with a responsibility to report from the field. Nevertheless, Wael Dahdouh and many other journalists have not abandoned their mission of bringing information to the world, even after losing loved ones and despite understanding that they could lose their lives at any moment.

Without a doubt, the war in Gaza is more than a nightmare for Palestinian journalists; it's not an exaggeration to say it's "hell." It's worth noting that the Ukraine-Russia conflict is the largest war in Europe since World War II and far larger than the Gaza war in terms of scale, yet in the past two years, only about 17 journalists have been killed while on assignment.

Palestinian journalist Wael Dahdouh is distraught as he receives the bodies of his wife and two children at a hospital in Gaza. Photo: Al Jazeera

Threats to female journalists are increasing worldwide.

Although gender equality has improved globally over the years, threats and discrimination against female journalists are at risk of increasing due to global instability and crises. According to research by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in May 2023, 20% of female journalists worldwide are harmed by threats, abuse, hate speech, and online harassment. Furthermore, on the occasion of International Women's Day 2023, the Women in Journalism (WIJ) organization published a survey highlighting the issue of violence against female journalists. Of the 403 respondents, 25% reported experiencing sexual harassment or sexual violence related to their work. 75% of female journalists said they had experienced a threat or challenge to their safety, and nearly 20% considered leaving the profession entirely.

Female journalists are becoming victims of hate speech on social media. (Illustrative image: GI)

Yet, as of November 21st, just about a month and a half since the fighting broke out, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has seen 53 journalists killed on various fronts, from Gaza and the West Bank to clashes on the Israel-Lebanon border.

According to statistics, the dead include 46 Palestinians, 4 Israeli journalists, and 3 Lebanese. In addition, dozens of journalists were injured while covering the conflict, including members of major international news agencies such as Reuters, AFP, and Al Jazeera.

The conflict in Israel and Gaza, as well as related fronts, presents the most daunting challenge even for the most seasoned war correspondents, given the extremely thin line between attack targets and the journalists' work locations. For example, two journalists from the Pan-Arab television channel Al-Mayadeen were killed by shelling on the Lebanese-Israeli border in mid-November. Prior to that, a media center in Lebanon housing numerous international journalists was also hit by shelling, resulting in one death and six injuries.

Thus, it's not only Palestinian journalists in Gaza who face life-threatening danger in the conflict; international journalists bravely reporting on this war also face death at any moment. In this conflict, major international media outlets such as CNN, Reuters, AP, CBS, FOX, and ABC News have all sent war correspondents to report directly on the fighting between the two sides. The breathtaking footage captured by these journalists during their reporting has given the world horrific images and the extreme fear of war. This footage helps us understand how terrifying war is and how precious peace is!

Danger on the "front lines"

Of course, 2023 was not only a major risk for journalists in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also due to numerous other wars and crises. It's worth noting that the 17th journalist killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict occurred on November 23rd of this year, when Russian television correspondent Boris Maksudov of Rossiya 24 died in a Ukrainian airstrike and shelling in Zaporizhzhia.

Thus, the danger to journalists in Russia and Ukraine – who daily provide the world with firsthand information about the conflict – has not diminished over the past nearly two years, regardless of which side of the front line they are on. And at this point, as is the general situation of the war, there is no sign of when this danger will end.

Wars and disasters erupted across continents in 2023. And naturally, these were all places where journalists had to set foot to help the world know what was happening. This means that for every crisis the world faced, journalists had to confront just as many dangers, potentially losing their lives or even having to abandon their profession.

The civil war in Sudan earlier this year clearly illustrates that picture. Fighting between two military factions in the African nation has put its journalists at risk and exacerbated the challenges they face in their work. Because of this crisis, hundreds of journalists not only face risks while working, but also lose opportunities to pursue their careers, having to migrate or having their news organizations forced to dissolve due to the conflict.

In Afghanistan, most female journalists have also had to give up their jobs due to the Taliban regime's harsh policies towards women, with many even being raided, arrested, threatened, and imprisoned. These are common occurrences in many other conflicts around the world in 2023, as well as in the past.

Meanwhile, the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria brought journalists other terrifying experiences. Besides the possibility of becoming victims of aftershocks, witnessing these horrific disasters had a profound impact on their mental health. According to war correspondents, escaping the heartbreaking stories they witnessed during such horrific events as the earthquake that killed nearly 60,000 people was not easy, and could even become a lifelong trauma.

Attacks on journalists while they are working happen all over the world. Photo: WAFA

Reporters are being attacked while on assignment; it happens everywhere!

Attacks and robberies targeting journalists while on assignment are becoming increasingly common and are happening almost everywhere in the world. At the APEC 2023 conference in San Francisco in mid-November, a group of Czech journalists were robbed at gunpoint, their equipment stolen. Earlier in August in Chicago, two journalists were robbed while reporting on a robbery! Also in the US, in late February, a Florida TV reporter was shot and killed while covering a murder. In Mexico, journalists investigating gang activity are shot or attacked almost daily. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, a letter bomb was sent to a television station in late March. Most shockingly, a well-known broadcaster in the Philippines was shot and killed while live on air.

A mission to raise awareness about the brutality of war.

Besides war, conflict, and disaster, 2023 also witnessed many other instabilities that had a significant impact on journalism. For example, the ongoing political, security, and economic crisis in Pakistan has put journalists there at extreme risk while working. They are battling threats to their lives, kidnappings, attacks, violence, and more.

According to a UNESCO report, between 2002 and 2022, 90 journalists were killed in the country. This continued into 2023. In April of this year, the director of Bol Media Group was kidnapped over issues related to ethnicity. Meanwhile, Muhammad Qasim, a veteran reporter for the Ummat newspaper, shared: “The consequences came very quickly and were terrifying. I became a frequent target of threats. My life was changed forever just because of a headline.”

Muhammad Qasim's story is also frequently encountered in other countries facing problems of gang violence and corruption, such as Ecuador, Haiti, and especially Mexico – a country that was once the most dangerous place for journalists before the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The year 2023 was filled with horrific events that directly caused immense pain and loss to the world of journalism in general. However, despite all this, 2023 also highlighted the value and prominent role of genuine journalism. Journalists and war correspondents bravely ventured into conflict to help the world understand what was happening, no matter how terrible it was.

This also means that journalists are not only documenting the truth, but also contributing to world peace and sustainability through their articles, images, and films; helping the world understand that war, violence, and climate disasters are not a joke, but are incredibly devastating!

Hai Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dan-than-vao-chien-su-de-tim-kiem-hoa-binh-post278845.html