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Tag Archives: media

Between a rock and a hard place

12 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by nubiaNomad in thoughts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

conflicts, media, South Sudan, Sudan

Sitting by the sidelines and watching the escalating exchange of fire between Northern and Southern Sudanese forces….and the international community’s response has been appalling in the days leading to S. Sudan’s independence. The selective reporting that pitted the “evil”, genocide-inducing National Congress Party of the north against the perpetual victims and valiant rebels-turned politicians of S. Sudan was at times too much to handle.  In no way am I making excuses for the governing northern regime, they have dug their grave so they must lie in it, but the uneven and blatantly bias rhetoric was splattered across most major international news outlets and echoed by foreign representatives across “Western” nations, made me seriously question their agendas and intentions. Sudanese Allied Forces’ (SAF) re-entry into the disputed area of Abyie a few weeks back created a media outcry, with UN agencies citing “war crimes”. These same sources failed to mention that this entry into Abyie was a direct retaliation to an attack on SAF by SPLA as they were withdrawing from the region with UN escorts. For news outlets, trying to capture an audience, even for a few seconds in digital world where we are constantly bombarded with blaring headlines from famine-stricken babies to the rampage of drug addicted superstars, the narrative of good vs evil set against the backdrop of war-torn nation is an a quick, eye grabbing fix. A fix that completely over-simplifies the context and reduces the struggles of either sides to good and bad, omitting key elements in between.

Let’s be very clear here in pointing out both sides north-(NCP) and South (SPLM) have blood on their hands and are far from innocent bystanders. Both have actively and systematically used deceitful tactics that have put their own citizens in harm’s way for the sake of their self-interest.  As the international media went on and on to highlight the atrocities of the governing northern, regime, they painted a very rosy picture of the new media darling and the president-elect of S. Sudan, Silva Kirr. At times I found myself feeling some sort of sympathy for the way the North was being portrayed. Its people were simply lumped under the actions of the government (NCP). In wide-sweeping assumptions across news feeds, the people of the North were portrayed as supporters and perpetrators along with the governing regime.  Silva Kirr was using some lessons he picked up and has begun systematically disfranchise the people of the South. There are several armed struggles that are waging war against Silva Kirr/SPLM. In the past S. Sudanese untied against a common enemy; an enemy that  fine-tuned the British mentality of divide and conquer to consolidate wealth and power and leave the vast majority of the population in the dust; now the S. Sudanese government is doing just that.  I can’t blame the British or any colonial power but ourselves. At the hands of autocratic leaders, the diversity and beauty of Sudan’s peoples, cultures and religions was lost in a war that sought to highlight their differences rather their centuries of co-habitation and integration.

Now it seems that history may repeat itself in this newly formed nation.

Although the plight of S. Sudan was always at the forefront, many regions of Sudan suffer from the same treatments. I cannot deny that there wasn’t a strong element of racism propagated by the northern regime that added to the complexity of S. Sudan’s problems. But looking to the east, west or even far north of Sudan, there are many who are fighting for development and improved access to basic services (schools, health,etc). In some parts of the country, where relatively high numbers of individuals immigrated early on, mainly to Gulf countries; they have provided the life-link that supported families and communities back home–not the government. So as some outsiders might see development in some regions and attribute it to government support, in reality it is the collective effort of communities and the remittances received from brethren abroad that has helped in providing schools, health clinics, electricity, etc.

As the both Bashir and Kirr gave speeches that struck conciliatory tones of peace and harmony, both have failed to hone the diversity of their land and peoples constructively. Sadly it is the people of Sudan and South Sudan who are left between a rock and a hard place. Struggling to cope while their leaders, seek to maintain their strong grip on power and wealth.

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Eurovision?

29 Thursday May 2008

Posted by nubiaNomad in thoughts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Eurovision, media

A few days ago (I will admit) I sat down and watched part of the finale of the Eurovision competition. The song contest where European nations enter a song into the competition. Several rounds of eliminations take place. Then the rest of the European community votes on their favorite song. That’s the gist of it. To be honest I didn’t know much about the contest. I began to get a vague idea last year when the winning Serbian song (Numa Numa) made its way to international parties the world over in ridiculous number of remixes. It just seemed to never die out.

So this year I got a bit more insight to this interesting spectacle and yes it really is a spectacle. Apparently, the contest was started by France and for many years traditional Western European nations were the victors. In recent years that has not been the case. Despite the absurdity of some of the acts, I couldn’t stop watching. It was like seeing a two cars about to crash and you can’t take your eyes away. Additionally the horror or amusement (whichever u prefer) was satirically commented on by British broadcaster Terry Wogan.

First off, although it’s a European contest for some weird reason Russia, Israel, Turkey (debatable depending on who you talk to) and Azerbaijan participated. Last I checked all these countries were in Asia ( again with Turkey and Russia depends on who you talk to). It was evident that some took the contest far too seriously while others used it as a tool to mock and parade about on stage.

When voting time rolled along it was clear that this contest wasn’t about the music but had clear political roots. I quickly found out why it’s a lost cause for many of the Western European countries to think about winning. Those countries eliminated early on, root for their neighbours. Well that depends if that neighbour took part in their ethnic cleansing. Regardless it seems that the Baltic block as Terry Wogan put it ” know who brings home the bread and butter” and voted overwhelmingly for RUSSIA?!

Another point of interest, most countries opted to present a song in English; Even FRANCE!. I was definitely taken back by that one.

From the portion of the finale that I did watch there seemed to be several Britney Spears-esqe admissions presented by: Greece, Ukraine and Armenia.

Others were off the wall in an amusing way: France, and my favorite Spain. Others, took it way too far and I have no idea what they were thinking Azerbaijan, Latvia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Overall it was interesting. And if your interested here’s a recap video of the finalists.

don’t know if it is worth calling it eurovision any longer, or pretending to care about the music.

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