MEDIA-THAILAND: Coverage of ‘War on Terrorism’ Under Scrutiny

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Chayanit Poonyarat

BANGKOK, Sep 27 2001 (IPS) - “What bothers me most is the language used in newscasts,” says 20 year-old Hafiz Salae, chairman of the Muslim Student Society at Thammasat University in Thailand’s capital.

“I wonder why they always use the term ‘Muslim terrorists’ or ‘Muslim fundamentalists’, while saying plain ‘terrorist’ when referring to other violent movements.”

Hafiz is speaking out against what he sees as a bias against Muslims, and the stereotypes being perpetuated by some Western media in the wake of the terror attacks that killed more than 6,000 people in America.

After the United States singled out Saudi exile Osama bin Laden as the chief suspect in the Sep. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, Muslims especially in the West have come under attack from ordinary people.

Though Muslims in Asia have been spared from physical abuse, they have become increasingly annoyed at how the issue of terrorism is being portrayed in media.

They point to the tendency by some media commentators to lump terrorists with all other believers of Islam, instead of making a clear distinction.

Thai Muslim students said the media has failed to make a distinction between Islam as a religion and the work of some radical groups who are being linked to the recent attacks in the United States.

Hafiz told IPS that people look at the U.S. attacks from different perspectives and the key point that needs to be raised here is that violence is not a solution.

“Though most Muslims grieve and sympathise with families of victims of the World Trade Centre attack, we disagree with American policy of violent retaliation,” said Hafiz.

He said looking at the issue of terrorism alone is not enough. “Understanding why they (terrorists) did it and what message was sent along with the attacks is equally important,” he added.

In predominantly Buddhist Thailand, Muslims comprise the largest religious minority. They are concentrated mainly in the country’s southernmost provinces.

As the world awaits the U.S. response to the attacks, television networks continue to broadcast policy statements or any announcement from Washington relating to the tragedy. This has not sat well with some.

“I remember most channels provided coverage of President George Bush’s speech to Congress, blocking off other programmes,” said Dr. Ubonrat Siriyuwasukdi, lecturer at the Mass Communications Faculty of Chulalongkorn University.

“The question is, was that necessary? Was it so important that Thai people could not afford to miss it or was it just another demonstration of our great obedience to America?” she asked.

Hafiz said he would not be surprised if other people in the region shared his frustration about media’s coverage of the recent events. He said while there “was so much news on the issue” there tended to be an imbalance.

“It inevitably brings frustration as the line of discrimination between different groups is highlighted,” said Dr. Ubonrat.

Thai media admit they are under constant scrutiny by the public so they try to present the news fairly and accurately. A television station said it was aware of the sensitivities involved and was careful not to dramatise coverage of the events.

The ‘Thai Rath’, the country’s largest circulation paper, explains its dilemma. “We have to use news from the foreign agencies” which reflect Western views, the Nation newspaper quoted ‘Thai Rath’ foreign news editor Teerapong Ekachote as saying.

“But we also gave opportunities for Muslim groups to share their opinions on the events,” he explained.

Another leading daily, ‘Matichon’ said it received criticism for giving space to different kinds of opinion. “We received many phone calls from our readers who criticised that we were not neutral in presenting news,” its assistant news editor, Pairat Pongpanit, was quoted by the Nation as saying.

“Some complained that we took America’s stand while others accused us of taking Islam’s side,” he said.

The Nation newspaper, one of two English-language dailies in Thailand, has made known its stand on the issue quite strongly. “I agree that non-American sufferings in this world have been ignored or underplayed by the media. That’s the media’s fault,” said its acting managing editor Tulsathit Taptim.

“No matter how much we respect different opinions, an editorial stand has to prevail and reflect appropriately. We consider the attacks on America as evil and we shall say so effectively in our paper,” he said in a newspaper article.