Iraqi government suspends media to alleviate violence

It’s no secret that Iraq is in turmoil, as the death toll in the name of sectarian conflict has risen to more than 200 in the last week alone.  The primary issue seems to come from a split along the lines of Shiite and Sunni, with the government and radicals fighting it out in the streets, often accompanied by terrorist bomb attacks.  Now, the government is looking at another way to quell the violence.  They've just suspended the licenses of 10 television networks, preventing them from reporting on news in the country.

One of the biggest hit by the suspension is the Al-Jazeera network, a mainstay of political news in the Middle East for many years now.  Also included are a variety of smaller networks.  The reason behind the move, according to the government, is that these stations were using language that promoted further sectarianism and encouraged the ongoing conflict.

Censorship from the government is always a tricky subject.  In this case, it could be interpreted that the Shiite-led government is taking sides, trying to silence news that might give a more complete and unbiased picture of events, despite the fact that the government states otherwise.  In fact, it has already caused some outcry, as Sunni protestors point out that the majority of the television stations that were shut down were Sunni stations and that Shiite stations guilty of the same reporting practices are being ignored and allowed to carry on.

This new development may further exacerbate the current issues.  As it stands, everyone seems to be demanding that everyone else step down.  Sunni protestors have been asking for the resignation of the Shiite Prime Minister since December.  Now, the Sunni Iraqi Parliament chief is calling for the resignation of the entire cabinet.

The mainly Shiite government could be digging its own grave with this move against the media.  Censorship provides good ammunition for those who are presenting themselves as oppressed.  Whether it turns out to have more positive or negative effects remains to be seen.

Al-Jazeera logo courtesy of xahlee.org