25 years of killing, 2297 journalists slain
MEAA CEO Paul Murphy, IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger and Australian freelance journalist Mark Davis
The IFJ has released its 25th anniversary list of journalists killed in targeted murders, bombings and cross-fire incidents. The IFJ report tallies up the organisation's annual killed list for the past 25 years and the total of 2297 journalists killed, reveals some frightening statistics on the threats facing journalists in the Asia-Pacific. By Alex Hearne (Front page photo credit ANWAR AMRO/AFP/Getty Images)
On February 11, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Australian affiliate the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), launched the IFJ’s 25th Killed List report: Journalists and Media Staff Killed 1990-2015: 25 years of contribution towards Safer Journalism.
The launch, in Sydney, was attended by IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger, MEAA CEO Paul Murphy, and Australian freelance journalist Mark Davis (see the release here).
The report charts the trajectory of the safety crisis in journalism globally, including a regional report card for the Asia-Pacific on the state of journalism safety over that period.
The Asia-Pacific region remains the deadliest region in the world for journalists.
As Paul Murphy noted: “In many areas of the world, journalism remains a deadly profession, a profession where you put your life on the line in the pursuit of truth.”
Among the top 25 deadliest countries, the Asia-Pacific is home to 6. The Philippines is the second deadliest country to be a journalist with 146 killings. Indeed, the Philippines is the single deadliest peacetime country for journalists. The country’s poor record reached a peak with the November 2009 Ampatuan Massacre, which saw 32 journalists among the 58 killed in a single atrocity. Sadly, the killings continue and the culture of impunity that reigns in the country continues to protect the murderers while serving as an reminder of the perilous environment Filipino journalists work in daily.
Pakistan is the fourth deadliest country worldwide with 115 killings since 1990. In recent years the Pakistan government has made attempts to improve the safety situation for journalists however, already in 2016, two journalists have been killed for simply reporting the truth.
India is ranked the seventh deadliest country for journalists, with 95 killings since 1990.
While the killed list report highlights the challenging and difficult environment that journalists and media workers face across the Asia-Pacific, there are areas of hope. MEAA’s Media, Safety and Solidarity Fund is working to help those effected by these devastating numbers. According to IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, the MSSF is the only fund of its kind, besides the IFJ safety fund, in the IFJ.
MEAA CEO Paul Murphy, explained the role of the fund: “To support journalists in the region, to educate the children of our colleagues who have lost their lives in the course of their work, and to provide safety assistance and support wherever we can.”
Freelance journalist Mark Davis, who has reported in some of the most hazardous trouble spots in the nations where journalists are in particular danger, also acknowledged the importance of the fund in working to support the children of slain journalists, with many of their colleagues often fretful about what will happen to their families if they are killed for simply doing their job.
