The entire guild of foreign journalists were led to a hospital in Libya in a government organised tour, after the Sunday missile attack. In the first few frames, the journalists, all restless, pushing elbowing each other for better camera angles, were visible.
Slowly, the long shot reveals a small baby girl, unconscious on one of the ICU beds in Tripoli. The journalists mushroom around her, clicking pictures. Few Libyans standing next to the bed shout ‘mother’, ‘mother’, as a lady covered in veil enters the room.
Suddenly, a man comes in, stating himself to be the uncle of the small girl Hanin. He says she had been injured by the NATO strike. He complains against the coalition forces and the bombing caused, in his native language.
As soon as this news is about to spread, a hospital employee writes a note to one of the journalists, secretly letting him know that the small girl Hanin was not injured by a missile attack but in a road accident.
‘What will journalists do?’
Caught in ‘parachute journalism’ and sea of manipulated evidences, its very difficult for journalists positioned in Libya, against all odds, to get to the crux of the reality which exists.
Its one of the most repulsive incidents executed by the Libyan government to delude the international audience. No doubt, the NATo air strikes are causing harm, indeed, they would. But the entire point of using an innocent child as a mere means to gain empathy/sympathy is completely shameful.
But my entire question is, what should journalists do in this case? They can be easily led to places/situations to provide information which might be entirely wrong.
This incident reminds me what my dissertation professor Anthony said ‘The more you will hear about Libya, the more you will feel you do not know about Libya.’
‘NATO’s limitations’
Meanwhile, NATO has started with the helicopter attacks in Libya from last Saturday. William Hague has clealy stated that the the mission in Libya might continue till December.
At the same time, media is literally filled up with incidents of ships trying to rescue the migrants but not being able to reach the destination. Indeed, its a matter of grave concern.
Credit: Photo from AP Photos
shubhdachaudhary 