- BAGHDAD (IslamOnline.net)
- The editor of an American-funded Iraqi newspaper, who resigned last week
protesting censorship, launched a new independent publication, this time
away from occupation grip.
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- "I wanted to help build a good, democratic and free
media in Iraq. I wanted to create a paper that was 100% independent, with
no conditions, no censorship, and one which we are the bosses of,"
Ismail Zayer told IslamOnline.net in his newly-furnished office in Baghdad.
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- Zaher made headlines after he and most of his colleagues
in Al-Sabah daily, seen by many Iraqis as the mouthpiece of the occupation
authority, quit protesting intervention .
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- Speaking after the launch of his Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed (The
New Morning) paper, he denied getting funds from the U.S. or suffering
any constraints on his editorial policy.
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- Zaher boasted his newly-born paper sold 20,000 editions
only six hours after circulation, hoping it would draw as many 100,000
readers.
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- This, he added, is attainable because, along with increasing
public support and donations, more journalists are showing interest to
joint his editorial team.
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- "Before, a lot of Iraqis thought we were pro-American,
but not now. Everyone is coming to talk to us now."
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- 'Pentagon Control'
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- Al-Sabah, along with Al-Iraqiya television and a number
of radio stations, are run by Harris Corp., a Florida-based firm, through
a 96-million-dollar Pentagon contract.
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- "A U.S. company called SAIC, which had funding from
the Pentagon, was in charge of the oversight of this [Al-Sabah] newspaper,"
he said.
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- "But then SAIC was replaced by Harris Corporation,
who had no experience with the media to oversee us," Zaher complained.
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- "Harris Corporation told us we could not be independent,
due to [Coalition Provisional Authority] CPA Order 66, which stated that
Al-Sabah had to be included in a new media group. They did this without
our knowing about it, and we refused".
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- He said this action would have linked the newspaper to
Harris Corporation and the Pentagon for the next two years and allow Pentagon
to run it.
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- They did not want the paper to publish the names of U.S.
soldiers who had been killed in Iraq, Zayer recalled, adding that a U.S.
general came to their offices to talk to his staff and pressure them.
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- The Iraqi journalist accused Harris of interfering in
the paper's workings, including trying to stop some of its advertising
and speaking to reporters about articles.
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- Among the ads Harris tried to prevent was one from a
new political organization, the Iraqi Republican Group, criticizing the
"grieves of occupation" and appealed to Iraqi elite to rally
"to preserve our nation from destruction."
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- They were told the ad was "too political".
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- "I have to be independent. I told them I would leave,
and most of the journalists would leave with me," Zayer stated.
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- As he prepared to quit, Harris Corporation raised the
salaries of his employees by 40% in an attempt to attract them to stay
with Al-Sabah.
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- "It did not work. When I left to begin my own independent
paper, Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed, nearly 100% of the staff came with me".
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- Before he left Al-Sabah, the paper had a circulation
of 75,000 which later dropped to 41,000.
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- 'Thankful'
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- The senior Iraqi editor thanked the American people for
toppling the dictator Saddam Hussein.
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- However, he said, "everything following this has
been different. I will not give them the right to confiscate my right!"
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- Perhaps a model of hope for Iraqi businesses who wish
to be independent, Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed is off to a running start in its
new office completely free of the U.S. administration and Pentagon control.
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- "We are on our land, our country-and this contractor
will tell me how to be independent? No!" he continued, with resilience.
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- "We left. We got out. They can keep their money.
We'll be independent in our own way".
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- http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-05/12/article07.shtml
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