2009: Year newsmen made news for the wrong reasons

The figure for 2009 more than doubles that of last year. This can be attributed to a singular event in the western Pacific island republic of Philippines. Prior to November 23, not many journalists have heard of an obscure region called Ampatuan in the Philippines. Today, that name is synonymous with the massacre of fifty-seven […]

The figure for 2009 more than doubles that of last year. This can be attributed to a singular event in the western Pacific island republic of Philippines. Prior to November 23, not many journalists have heard of an obscure region called Ampatuan in the Philippines. Today, that name is synonymous with the massacre of fifty-seven civilians, thirty of them journalists. It was a sad day for journalists worldwide and confirmed the Philippines as the most dangerous country for journalists to work in, far ahead of war ravaged Somalia, Afghanistan and insurgency shackled Iraq. Before the massacre, two journalists have been killed already in that country and many more received death threats as a result of their works. The total number of thirty-two killed in the Philippines alone this year doubles the total number killed globally in 1998.

Nigeria, with the brutal killing of Bayo Ohu, the political editor of the Guardian Newspaper, is ranked the eleventh most dangerous country for journalists in the world, second in Africa behind Somalia. That killing, coupled with the culture of impunity of security agents against media practitioners connived to put Nigeria in that unenviable position. This impunity was amply demonstrated when Channels Television, a private broadcast outfit was shut down, September 17, and its top officials arrested for reporting that Nigeria’s ailing president, Umaru Yar’adua might step down. This, under a democratically elected government that claims to be guided by the rule of law, was not only questionable but demonstrates the scorn top government officials have for the media and its practitioners.

Globally, 2009, started on a sad note with the killing of Russian journalist Shafig Amrakhov of RIA, January 5. Since then, several other journalists have succumbed to assassins’ bullets, confirming journalisms as a high risk trade particularly  in countries  where security is very low.

 It is worthy of note, however, that most of the journalists killed this year cover a variety of beats according to the CPJ statistics. Journalists covering politics and war suffered most. 69% of those killed covered politics while 25% covered war. Other areas covered by the slain newsmen were human rights, 10%, corruption and culture 9% each and crime 7%. The least most dangerous beat is sports, which contributed 1% to the number killed.

76% of those killed this year were out rightly murdered and only 10% lost their lives in the cause of dangerous assignments while 16% were caught in cross fires, most of these in Somalia, where nine journalists were killed in the cause of the year.

What is disturbing in these killings is the fact that in 85% of these cases, no one is brought to trial. The Nigerian case of Bayo Ohu is a typical pointer. To date, no one has been questioned on his murder and indications are that his killing will go the way of other unresolved cases. But as the year comes to a close, it is hoped that the murder of Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir, a freelancer in Somalia will be the last in a long time.

Deadliest Countries for journalists in 2009 and number of journalists killed

1.    Philippines: 32

2.    Somalia: 9

3.    Iraq: 4

4.    Pakistan: 4

5.    Russia: 3

6.    Sri Lanka: 2

7.    Mexico: 2

8.    Venezuela: 1

9.    Nepal: 1

10.    Madagascar: 1

11.    Nigeria: 1

12.    Azerbaijan: 1

13.    Indonesia: 1

14.    El Salvador: 1

15.    Colombia: 1

16.    Israel and the Occupied

    Palestinian Territory: 1

17.    Iran: 1

18.    Afghanistan: 1

19.    Kenya: 1