{"id":30470,"date":"2011-02-12T03:02:16","date_gmt":"2011-02-12T01:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turkishforum.com.tr\/en\/content\/?p=30470"},"modified":"2023-04-06T15:26:18","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T12:26:18","slug":"bbc-the-washington-post-and-pkk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/2011\/02\/12\/bbc-the-washington-post-and-pkk\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC, the Washington Post and PKK"},"content":{"rendered":"

The national interests are pursued not only by means of tanks and guns both in the\u00a0US\u00a0and the\u00a0UK\u00a0because the power of media is regarded as a crucial tool to be utilized in the defense policy of the country. Especially in cases of military operations to be conducted against any country, the public relations constitute the most important aspect of the issue. As many as the number of soldiers operating on the field, there exist those people acting to shape <\/strong>the public opinion worldwide just like the litheness of a machine.\u00a0\u2018<\/strong>The public opinion is tried to be captured\u2019 with the help of diplomatic representatives, so called NGOs, charity organizations, environment clubs, child associations, archaeology institutes, corporations, newspapers and TV channels and many other official, semi-official and civil society organizations. <\/strong>Even though we do not approve, some photos are produced and given meaning, if necessary, as in the case of the Gulf War. Then, you watch on the TV screens the tragedies of those spurious <\/strong>victims swearing and testifying their countries in order to settle down theUSA. Whenever you happen to gather information about a country to be invaded, you realize that the required information is diffused excessively and freely by an invisible hand throughout the internet. The American info-production centers prepare such excessive and functional data that you may not even need any other sources to be informed. For instance, 80% of all the information floating in the net on the nuclear activities of\u00a0Iran\u00a0is consciously diffused by the\u00a0US\u00a0herself. If you want to reach the basic information about\u00a0Iran, the most convenient source to be found is probably either Wikipedia or CIA World Factbook. Moreover, even some diplomats, whose countries are the enemies of\u00a0America, reach some information about their country via CIA World Factbook.<\/p>\n

Shortly, the defense (offense) is not realized by tanks and guns. Those targeting the results only through hard power are the ones possessing solely that power, and always end up with disappointment. What is played is the\u00a0intelligence game <\/strong>in which the most important area of clash is the media, and generally public relations. Therefore, no state has the right to survive in this game if it is not well-advanced in terms of communication.<\/p>\n

In that regard, the seemingly independent broadcasting organizations such as\u00a0BBC, CNN and theWashington\u00a0Post<\/strong> can easily transform into a spy or a soldier within quite a short time. We have experienced the most animate examples of this issue in the fight against PKK terrorism, and we are still continuing to experience. Almost all the Western media organizations reject to call PKK as a \u2018terrorist organization\u2019. In spite of the tons of protest letters sent to\u00a0BBC<\/strong>, the so called independent British press organization, which has the full public support for its expenditures, states that they choose to use impartial language with regard to such issues.\u00a0The BBC Editorial Guideline<\/strong> states that when reporting terrorism \u201cother people’s language should not be adopted\u201d <\/em>and\u00a0\u201cthe use of the term of terrorism should be avoided, other people should be let to characterize.\u201d[1]<\/strong> <\/em>Even if it seems quite nice on paper, the organization in question (PKK) is the one labeled as \u2018terrorist\u2019 and accepted as such in the laws by almost the whole world. The British Anti-Terror Law is not immune to this general rule. Therefore, there exists no situation according to which\u00a0BBC<\/strong> would act with the fear of treating unjustly to anybody. Nevertheless, if\u00a0BBC <\/strong>has not been able to comprehend whether PKK is a terrorist organization or not, there is something strange here. What is more,\u00a0BBC<\/strong> has not demonstrated the same sensibility in the case of IRA, whose activities have been labeled as \u2018terrorist\u2019 by the same\u00a0BBC<\/strong>. It has been\u00a0BBC<\/strong> which quite easily censored the news related to IRA, and which could not stand hearing even the voices of the IRA leaders, but instead replaced them with the voices of machines. In other words, the principles of\u00a0BBC<\/strong> Editorial Guideline<\/strong> do not apply when it comes to the members of IRA. For instance, in the news of 15 April 2001, entitled as \u201cReal IRA Linked to Post Office Blast<\/em>\u201d, it was stated that the blast \u201cis thought to have been the work of dissident Irish republican terror group the Real IRA<\/em>\u201d.[2] In another case of 26 January 2006 news, the activities of IRA were presented as \u201cthe IRA terror campaign\u201d. <\/em>In line with such examples, according to\u00a0BBC<\/strong>, there is no doubt about Al-Qaeda\u2019s being a terrorist organization. Almost in each and every news, the expression of \u201cterrorist leader Osama Bin Laden\u201d <\/em>is utilized for the leader of Al-Qaeda.[3] BBC<\/strong>, with regard to ETA, utilizes the same approach and easily calls it as a \u2018terrorist organization\u2019.[4] The examples are so of a mass amount that it is impossible to cite each and every of them.<\/p>\n

In short,\u00a0BBC<\/strong> does not take it hard to label those terrorist organizations, other than PKK, as \u2018terrorist organization\u2019. With regard to those organizations, the principles of\u00a0Editorial Guideline<\/strong> do not cause any problems. However, when it comes to a terrorist organization pouring the bloods of Turks and Kurds,\u00a0BBC<\/strong> feels the necessity of being impartial. It seems the blood of 5.247 civilians murdered by PKK is not so enough that\u00a0BBC<\/strong> mentions about its being not ready to call PKK as a terrorist organization. PKK is such a terrorist organization that it can bomb in front of an education institution in the middle of a crowded city in which many Kurds live. And,\u00a0BBC<\/strong> happens to find regarding PKK as a terrorist organization as incompatible with its principles\u2026<\/p>\n

In this case, is\u00a0BBC<\/strong> the only one acting on double standards?<\/p>\n

Of course, not!<\/p>\n

Those so called respectable newspapers and channels do not use the expression of \u2018terrorist organization\u2019 for PKK while it is utilized for Al-Qaeda unhesitatingly.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Keep aside the utilized language, in the last operation (Operation Sun), some broadcasting organizations, primarily\u00a0BBC<\/strong> and the Washington Post, went well beyond this language and produced news that can be rightly regarded as being clear psychological support to PKK. While the Operation was underway, the Iraq-originated news of BBC seemed just like a PKK campaign conducted in an explicit, planned and programmed manner. To exemplify, if the news written byCrispin Thorold <\/strong>under the title of <\/strong>\u201c<\/strong>Sympathy for Rebels in Northern Iraq<\/em>\u201d[5] were penned by the PKK, there would be not much of a difference. Firstly, when you look at the photos published in the newspaper, you can think of the Iraqi town of\u00a0Ranya\u00a0as a town in the\u00a0US. In the photo, the SUVs of the newest models, a wide motorway and a peaceful town were quite successfully portrayed. The mountain covered with snow was so successfully displayed in the photo that the ordinary town of the north part of\u00a0Iraq\u00a0resembled a skiing center in\u00a0Canada. Considering all these, one tends to think that the image to be created should be the image of civilized members of PKK living peacefully among the civilized people. Moreover, no Ranyanian is troubled with the PKK. On the contrary, according to\u00a0Mr. Thorold<\/strong>, PKK is quite popular and welcomed in Ranya. \u201cIn Ranya, local people have got used to their neighbors in the PKK\u201d<\/em>, says the \u2018journalist\u2019 of BBC.One man<\/em> with whom\u00a0Mr<\/strong>.\u00a0Thorold <\/strong>talked states: \u201c<\/strong>I like the PKK. They are very good people. They look after people here. The PKK are fighters but they are not dangerous people like other people, like Islamic people. Like Osama bin Laden.\u201d <\/em>The British journalist told with\u00a0one man <\/em>in enormous\u00a0Northern Iraq\u00a0without mentioning his name, and, this\u00a0one man <\/em>praised PKK in an unbelievable manner. <\/strong>What is strange here is that this \u2018one man\u2019 used the expression of \u2018dangerous\u2019 for the Islamic people.<\/em> Then, is this \u2018one man\u2019 non-Muslim?<\/p>\n

Another person with whom the British journalist told is again unnamed\u00a0one middle-aged man<\/em>. This middle-aged man states: \u201cThe Turkish government wants to attack all the Kurdish people and not just the PKK. Turkey just wants to make things complicated here in the Kurdish region of Iraq<\/em>.\u201d The British journalist does not give the name of this middle-aged man, but does not hesitate to add: \u201cThat view is shared by many local politicians<\/em>…\u201d The third man with whom BBC told in this region again does not have any name. The person is presented as\u00a0an elderly man<\/em> in the news. This elderly man says:\u00a0\u201c<\/em>The PKK are human beings like us. They just want to stay in their country. The Turkish government is like Saddam Hussein’s regime. In the south ofTurkey\u00a0they cannot even study their own language. The situation is getting worse. We just want it to improve and for there to be peace.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

How is it possible to mention about the good will and independent journalism of\u00a0BBC<\/strong> after seeing such expressions? If we, by stating to have told with three unnamed people, publish those writings praising Al-Qaeda and make a comparison between the British government Saddam Husain, how would be the reaction of London to such condemnation? By the way, let\u2019s to remind, the article ofThorold<\/strong> was just only one example that can be regarded as\u00a0BBC<\/strong>\u2019s explicit support to PKK.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Washington\u00a0Post<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Washington Post <\/strong>was among the newspapers \u2018supporting\u2019 PKK during and after the Operation. The news entitled as\u00a0A Kurdish Society of Soldiers[6]<\/strong>, <\/em>written by\u00a0Joshua Partlow<\/strong> and photographed by\u00a0Andrea Bruce<\/strong>, constitutes on its own such an excellent example that it can serve as the basis of the book to be prepared for the course on the issue of how to support terrorism with media.\u00a0\u00a0Partlow<\/strong> portrayed PKK as \u2018a Kurdish movement and army seeking for justice\u2019. What is more, he presented PKK as a civilized movement far from the violent culture of the\u00a0Middle East, and went even to a point to state: \u201cThey relate their struggle to those of the American revolutionaries who fought the British crown.\u201d The\u00a0Andrea Bruce<\/strong>\u2019s camera tried to create an image of poor but proud people who are romantic, civilized and in a struggle for right. The journalists claim to follow the operation with PKK terrorists for 5 days. I say \u2018they claim to\u2019 because there is no sign of clashes in their photos. In the writings of\u00a0Partlow<\/strong> and the photos of\u00a0Bruce, <\/strong>instead of <\/strong>a harshly devastated Zap region, there exist the terrorists of PKK who stand to challenge Turkey and behave so calm and romantic to feed a little bear with baby bottle. Additionally,\u00a0Partlow<\/strong> noted that the \u2018guerrillas\u2019 of PKK received no salaries. It is obvious that\u00a0Partlow<\/strong> regards PKK members not as terrorists, but as laborers who should get salaries in return for their jobs.<\/p>\n

Especially\u00a0Andrea Bruce<\/strong>\u2019s photo showing a member of PKK feeding a little bear with a baby bottle should be analyzed more closely. Of course,\u00a0Bruce<\/strong> did not put the expression of \u2018terrorist\u2019 under this photo, too. This person called as \u2018A PKK rebel\u2019<\/em> smiles while feeding the baby animal with the compassion of a mother. He has a Kalashnikov put on the rocks, but\u00a0Bruce <\/strong>stated that PKK is\u00a0a self-sufficient society<\/em>, and\u00a0bears no resemblance to the rest of\u00a0Iraq.<\/em> Within such a portrayal, the one looking at the photo either feels sorry for PKK or admires it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In another photo,\u00a0Bhoz Erdal <\/strong>is displayed. The note made by\u00a0WP <\/strong>is as such:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Turkish army could not capture any of our territory, could not get one of our bases, our weapons or even a scrap of nylon.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

WP<\/strong> states that these words belong to\u00a0\u201cthe PKK commander\u201d. <\/em>Again, he mentions neither the expression of terrorism nor the sign of \u201cterrorists\u201d. <\/em>As if there existed a legitimate army in before us (!)<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0US\u00a0sometimes acts as such. When the balances are thought to have broken down, she puts some amount of weight in one side of the teeter-totter. Such amount is placed sometimes in the Turkish sides, sometimes in the side of the terrorist. It has been proven as such in the Operation Sun as well. When\u00a0Turkey\u00a0showed the signs of going out of control, the number of anti-Turkey news began to increase in the Western media. The attempts to present PKK as a pleasant-romantic people\u2019s movement increased substantially. While the Turkish general staff was distributing the press, someone was ensuring the balance with the photos of dead women, of \u2018pleasant terrorists\u2019 feeding baby bear. While\u00a0BBC<\/strong> was diffusing the news that PKK got the support of all the Kurds,Turkey\u00a0was trying to \u2018enlighten\u2019 an enormous operation by means of short statements. While even PKK was working with some associated journalists,\u00a0Turkey\u00a0fought against PKK on the one hand, and the misunderstandings on the other.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

We have not been able to comprehend, yet.<\/p>\n

We still regard the fight against terrorism as the fight against terrorist.<\/p>\n

We have stuck to the point of the number of the dead terrorists.<\/p>\n

We are still unable to realize that the most important part of the fight against terrorism is conducted in the minds<\/strong>. Therefore,\u00a0we are still running after the terrorists in the areas defined by the fairness of the others; and cannot jump into the stage of fight against terrorism.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For those wondering the attitudes of\u00a0BBC <\/strong>and\u00a0The Washington Post <\/strong>in the next operation, let me say that they will continue not to call PKK as \u2018terrorist organization\u2019. However, the question of which side to be \u2018supported\u2019 will be determined by the conditions. Nevertheless, irrespective of whichever side is supported, they will continue to rely on the Book of Editorial Guidelines.<\/p>\n

[1] \u2018Editorial Policy BBC Guidance Note\u2019 Available athttp:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/guidelines\/editorialguidelines\/assets\/advice\/reporting_terrorism.pdf<\/p>\n

[2] \u2018Real IRA Linked to Office Blast\u2019,\u00a0BBC News<\/em>, April 15, 2001. Available at: http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/2\/hi\/uk_news\/1278355.stm<\/p>\n

[3] \u2018Bin Laden Suspects Fight Extradition\u2019,\u00a0BBC News, <\/em>October 22, 2001. Available at: http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/2\/hi\/uk_news\/1613919.stm<\/p>\n

[4] \u2018Journalists in the Frontline\u2019,\u00a0BBC News<\/em>, October 1, 2001. Available at:http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/2\/hi\/uk_newas\/1567324.stm<\/p>\n

[5] \u2018Sympathy for Rebels in Northern Iraq\u2019,\u00a0BBC News<\/em>, October 26, 2007. Available at: http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/2\/hi\/middle_east\/7063402.stm<\/p>\n

[6] \u2018A Kurdish Society of Soldiers\u2019,\u00a0The Washington Post, <\/em>March 8, 2008. <\/em>Available at: https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/story\/2008\/03\/07\/ST2008030703635.html<\/p>\n

Turkish Weekly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The national interests are pursued not only by means of tanks and guns both in the\u00a0US\u00a0and the\u00a0UK\u00a0because the power of media is regarded as a crucial tool to be utilized in the defense policy of the country. Especially in cases of military operations to be conducted against any country, the public relations constitute the most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":30471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89,922],"tags":[788,1280,4634,9732],"class_list":["post-30470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-turkey","category-world","tag-bbc","tag-pkk","tag-teror","tag-uk"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30470"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30470\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}