khukuri
01-30-2005, 05:39 PM
Arab reaction to Iraq elections
(CNN) -- As the world watched Iraq's historic elections Sunday, Arab media weighed in with a mix of hope, concern, and skepticism. The following is a selection of quotes from Arabic newspapers as well as TV networks:
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, based in London, carried an editorial by Adel Drawish calling the elections "An unprecedented and historic event... An Iraqi scene unlike any other in the region... The Iraqi elections will serve as a lesson for neighboring countries to assume power through voting and not overthrowing."
The paper also carried an editorial by Jaber Habib Jaber with the headline "Under One Eye Lies Fear and Under the Other Lies Hope."
Al-Hayat newspaper, also based in London, carried an editorial by Ghassan Charbel with the headline "Elections that Go Beyond Iraq."
"Under Saddam, elections meant nothing for Iraqis... Ballot boxes were used to renew allegiance to the leader... The word 'no' didn't exist in the Iraqi vocabulary. Anyone who dared say it would be wiped out along with their cousins and the entire family tree..."
"It is not an exaggeration to say that today is a decisive day for Iraq and the Iraqis. Despite the Sunni boycott and the continued violence, today will leave its mark on Iraqi history."
Al-Ittihad newspaper in the United Arab Emirates carried the headline "The New Iraq will be Born Today."
Al-Dustur newspaper in Jordan had a political cartoon by Jalal al-Rifai that shows an Iraqi man facing a ballot boxes, but with a line of bombs preventing him from approaching the box.
Al-Sharq newspaper in Qatar had a political cartoon by Khamis al-Rashidi showing an Iraqi at a ballot box facing a masked insurgent pointing a gun at him, while a U.S. soldier pointed a gun at his back.
Al-Jazeera TV network was unable to report on the elections from inside the country because the interim Iraqi government banned it from the country. The network focused its coverage on Iraqi expatriates voting around the world. And on Sunday it offered this explanation.
"The Iraqi Interim government has forbidden Al-Jazeera from working in Iraq for the last six months," anchors said in a line repeated every hour on the hour.
Still, the network had video from news agencies inside Iraq, and pointed to some continuing challenges. "Falluja misses its residents," said one reporter as video showed empty Falluja streets, "and those who are there say they won't vote." A young Fallujan says, "No I won't vote, Falluja is completely destroyed. We have no power, no running water, no security. There is nothing. What should we vote for?"
Al-Jazeera had a reporter in Doha explaining the Iraqi election process and the elements shaping it such as the population's political, ethnic and religious diversity.
Al-Arabiya TV network, reporting from inside Iraq, called its extensive coverage "Iraq Decides" and rolled in new studios and graphics. The agency established itself as a major campaign platform leading up to election day. In the hours before polls opened Sunday, it conducted interviews with the top leaders in the interim government.
The network is also profiling what it calls "the new men of Iraq" -- prominent figures running in the election.
Throughout the campaign and on election day, Al-Arabiya peppered its coverage with public service announcements encouraging people to vote and offering updates on the polling stations' conditions and hours of operations.
interesting to read the reflections, a hint of what may be happening in the rest of middle east
(CNN) -- As the world watched Iraq's historic elections Sunday, Arab media weighed in with a mix of hope, concern, and skepticism. The following is a selection of quotes from Arabic newspapers as well as TV networks:
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, based in London, carried an editorial by Adel Drawish calling the elections "An unprecedented and historic event... An Iraqi scene unlike any other in the region... The Iraqi elections will serve as a lesson for neighboring countries to assume power through voting and not overthrowing."
The paper also carried an editorial by Jaber Habib Jaber with the headline "Under One Eye Lies Fear and Under the Other Lies Hope."
Al-Hayat newspaper, also based in London, carried an editorial by Ghassan Charbel with the headline "Elections that Go Beyond Iraq."
"Under Saddam, elections meant nothing for Iraqis... Ballot boxes were used to renew allegiance to the leader... The word 'no' didn't exist in the Iraqi vocabulary. Anyone who dared say it would be wiped out along with their cousins and the entire family tree..."
"It is not an exaggeration to say that today is a decisive day for Iraq and the Iraqis. Despite the Sunni boycott and the continued violence, today will leave its mark on Iraqi history."
Al-Ittihad newspaper in the United Arab Emirates carried the headline "The New Iraq will be Born Today."
Al-Dustur newspaper in Jordan had a political cartoon by Jalal al-Rifai that shows an Iraqi man facing a ballot boxes, but with a line of bombs preventing him from approaching the box.
Al-Sharq newspaper in Qatar had a political cartoon by Khamis al-Rashidi showing an Iraqi at a ballot box facing a masked insurgent pointing a gun at him, while a U.S. soldier pointed a gun at his back.
Al-Jazeera TV network was unable to report on the elections from inside the country because the interim Iraqi government banned it from the country. The network focused its coverage on Iraqi expatriates voting around the world. And on Sunday it offered this explanation.
"The Iraqi Interim government has forbidden Al-Jazeera from working in Iraq for the last six months," anchors said in a line repeated every hour on the hour.
Still, the network had video from news agencies inside Iraq, and pointed to some continuing challenges. "Falluja misses its residents," said one reporter as video showed empty Falluja streets, "and those who are there say they won't vote." A young Fallujan says, "No I won't vote, Falluja is completely destroyed. We have no power, no running water, no security. There is nothing. What should we vote for?"
Al-Jazeera had a reporter in Doha explaining the Iraqi election process and the elements shaping it such as the population's political, ethnic and religious diversity.
Al-Arabiya TV network, reporting from inside Iraq, called its extensive coverage "Iraq Decides" and rolled in new studios and graphics. The agency established itself as a major campaign platform leading up to election day. In the hours before polls opened Sunday, it conducted interviews with the top leaders in the interim government.
The network is also profiling what it calls "the new men of Iraq" -- prominent figures running in the election.
Throughout the campaign and on election day, Al-Arabiya peppered its coverage with public service announcements encouraging people to vote and offering updates on the polling stations' conditions and hours of operations.
interesting to read the reflections, a hint of what may be happening in the rest of middle east