الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
Antelias, May 8th, 2008
The International Catholic Union of the Press– Lebanon (UCIPLIBAN) condemned the attacks against reporters and photographers in the streets of the Capital during these past two days, but it also expressed its concerns about the media coverage which leads to the confessional instigations and tensions the circumstances.
The statement included the following:
1- The UCIPLIBAN condemns the attacks against lots of reporters, photographers and staffs of the Lebanese media during riots in the Capital these past two days which prevented them from achieving their mission.
2- Whoever attacks journalists fears the truth and uncovering the facts, as he aims to blur the citizens with false news. Attacking the journalists means attacking the sacred values of Lebanon, mainly the freedom and diversity of opinions.
3- Medias are one of the cultural light stands of Lebanon and they greatly serve the country and honor it in worldwide forums. Therefore, attacking them affects this role which places Lebanon culturally on the top of the Arab countries, and threats the role of all Lebanese media, disregarding their political lines.
4- The UCIPLIBAN expresses its concern about the way of news coverage in some medias which resembles more to instigations than transmitting actual facts. This propaganda leads to instigate the people, increase the hate, and enters Lebanon to war. Thus this media raises a main problem so the authorities, the civil community and political powers must resolve to avoid its bad consequences.
5- The UCIPLIBAN expresses its concerns about the course of the events in Lebanon especially on the confessional level, and they predict that once again, the Lebanese will be victims of others wars on their land. As if all the crises they witnessed during the past years and the toll of victims weren’t enough for them to know that wars don’t lead but to disasters.
Translated by: Joyce Tary
