Sunday 28 February 2016

MEDIA

Mandela's legacy: Media in post-apartheid South Afrrica

Why is the transformation of South Africa's media still a work in progress two decades after the end of apartheid?

28 Feb 2016 15:31 GMT | Media, South Africa, Human Rights, Politics, Africa

Almost 22 years after the end of the apartheid era in South Africa, the transformation of the country's media is still a work in progress.

Transformation for me means alignment with the values of a new non-racial society.

Songezo Zibi, editor, Business Day newspaper

The African National Congress (ANC) came into office with a mandate to transform South African institutions, including the media industry and the way the country is reported on.

However, although white South Africans surrendered political power, they continued to control the news agenda.

Over two decades later, some changes have been made to South Africa's media, particularly in the case of the South African Broadcasting Corporation - the state owned broadcaster - reflecting the population they serve, but critics say that the government has used transformation to shield itself from legitimate, journalistic scrutiny.

In terms of numbers, the media sector has done relatively well compared to other influential sectors in redressing inequalities. However, questions of ownership and the way the country is reported on remain.

The Listening Post's Nic Muirhead went to South Africa to investigate the transformation issue in the country's media.

MIDDLE EAST

Attacks by ISIL kill scores across Iraq

Roadside bombs near Baghdad kill at least 70 while military comes under assault in Abu Ghraib and near Fallujah.

victor Staff | 28 Feb 2016 18:43 GMT | Middle East, ISIS, Iraq, War & Conflict

The second attack in Sadr City took place as people gathered to rescue those injured in the first marketplace blast [Reuters]

Two bomb blasts have killed at least 70 people just outside the Iraqi capital of Baghdad while the country's military also came under attack as pro-government forces struggle to retake territory from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

In Sunday's deadliest attack, a large explosion hit the predominantly Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City, just north of the Iraqi capital Baghad.

At least 70 people were killed in the blast, caused by two roadside bombs, with 100 others injured.

Waleed Ibrahim, reporting from Baghdad, said the explosions occurred at a very busy market area.

Battle for Iraq continues in Tikrit

"According to sources, the first bomb exploded on a motorcycle followed by a suicide bomber blowing himself up as people gathered to help the injured from the first blast," he said.

"It's a Shia-majority area that is subject to heavy security measures but as we can see those measures aren't quite enough to stop these attacks from happening."

Elsewhere across the country, Iraq's military came under attack from ISIL fighters, who have seized territory both in Iraq and Syria.

In Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, a number of policemen were kidnapped after an attack there.

A nearby village was also raided by ISIL, military sources told Al Jazeera.

They said both sites are now under ISIL control.

In yet another incident, 18 policemen were killed in an ISIL assault on military barracks near Fallujah in the western Anbar province.

The attack happened close to water-distribution plants in the town of Amiriyat al-Fallujah.

Military sources said a number of policemen were also killed southeast of Fallujah in an ISIL suicide car bombing.

UpFront - How can ISIL be defeated?

During the Abu Ghraib assault, a number of tribal fighters were abducted along with the policemen to unknown locations, sources said on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns.

However, Baghdad's operations command centre denied that any of its forces were taken prisoner, saying two suicide attackers were killed during what it called a foiled assault.

Abu Ghraib - on the western outskirts of Baghdad - is considered administratively to be part of Baghdad city.

ISIL, for more than a year, has wanted to get closer to Baghdad city and Abu Ghraib prison.

The jail has gained notoriety since revelations that US troops abused Iraqi prisoners there after the 2003 invasion.

ISIL's offensive near Baghdad came after government forces took back significant territory in Anbar, which largely remains one of the group's strongholds. The city of Mosul is still fully under ISIL control.

Iraq's government announced in late December that its troops had recaptured the provincial capital Ramadi, but fighting with ISIL has continued on the city's outskirts since then.

HUMAN RIGHTS

China jails Christian pastor and wife amid crackdown

Pastor jailed for 14 years and wife for 12 for "disturbing social order" after opposing removal of church crosses.

28 Feb 2016 09:36 GMT | Human Rights, Politics, China, Religion

The government considers several religious organisations outside those approved by the government to be "evil cults" [Getty Images]

A Chinese pastor who opposed a government campaign to remove crosses on churches has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegal activities, including corruption and disturbing social order.

The Associated Press news agency reported on Sunday that Bao Guohua's wife received 12 years for similar crimes.

A court in eastern Zhejiang Province on Friday sentenced Bao and his wife Xing Wenxiang after concluding they had illegally organised churchgoers to petition the government and disturb social order, according to the provincial Zhejiang Daily newspaper.

Interactive: China's Muslim Uighur unrest and religious minority freedom

The couple was also accused of "tricking" members of their congregation into donating $336,000 and spending it on cars and other personal purchases, it said.

For the past two years, authorities have removed hundreds of crosses from churches in the province, where there is a large Christian community, saying they violate building codes.

Only last January, authorities demolished a Christian church in Fujian and removed crosses from two churches in Zhejiang.

Zhejiang's religious leaders, whose churches have long been sanctioned by the government, said the attitudes of local authorities have turned sharply negative in recent years as the Christian population has grown in number and influence.

Religion: The plight of the Uighurs

Provincial authorities last month opened a corruption probe into the prominent pastor Gu Yuese, who openly spoke out against government's clampdown on Christian activity.

China Aid, a Texas-based group that has funded the churches' efforts to resist the cross removals, said in a blog post on Friday that the government prosecuted Bao's church because of its opposition to cross removals.

"The government's criminal prosecution against the pastor and his believers is actually religious persecution," the group said.

The government considers several religious organisations outside the ones approved by the government as "evil cults" including the group called Falungong.

In August of last year, the National People’s Congress approved proposed changes to article 300 of the Criminal Law, which punishes individuals for organising and participating in cults.

The clash over the Zhejiang Christians' religious rights has been complicated by the fact that they have received help from overseas supporters at a time when the Chinese government is particularly sensitive to what it considers foreign meddling in domestic issues.

In the past year, China's government has relentlessly pursued and jailed human rights lawyers that have received training and funding from foreign sources.

MILITARY

Saudi conducts military exercises with 20 states

'Thunder of the North' exercise aims to bolster ground, air and naval coordination against threat of "terrorist groups".

28 Feb 2016 10:28 GMT | Military, Middle East, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia formed a new 35-member alliance last December to fight "terrorism" in Islamic countries [File: Faisal Al Nasser/Reuters]

Armed forces from 20 countries have begun manoeuvres in northeastern Saudi Arabia that the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has described as one of the world's biggest military exercises.

Troops from Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Sudan are among those participating in the "Thunder of the North" exercise, which began on Saturday and involves ground, air and naval forces, SPA reported.

Forces from the other five Gulf Arab states are also taking part in "one of the world's most important military exercises based on the number of forces participating and the area of territory used," the news agency added.

It said a major goal of the exercise was to improve training in responding to the threat posed by "terrorist groups".

Saudi Arabia has carried out air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria as part of a US-led coalition fighting the group.

Last December, it also formed a new 35-member alliance to fight "terrorism" in Islamic countries.

Since March last year, it has been leading a military campaign against Iran-backed rebels in its southern neighbour Yemen.

Source: AFP

IRAN

Iran: Rouhani praises 'people power' after elections

Latest returns indicate a sweep in Tehran for the president and his reformist partners, after landmark nuclear deal.

28 Feb 2016 12:15 GMT | Iran, Elections, Hassan Rouhani, Middle East

Millions crowded polling stations on Friday to vote for parliament and the Assembly of Experts [Raheb Homavandi/Reuters]

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has earned an emphatic vote of confidence and reformist partners secured surprise gains in parliament in early results from elections that could accelerate the Islamic Republic's emergence from years of isolation.

As of 0900 GMT on Sunday, latest results showed reformist candidates have taken all of the 30 seats in the capital Tehran, while Rouhani and his ally former president Hashemi Rafsanjani lead the winners in the assembly of experts, which is responsible for selecting the country's next supreme leader.

It remains unclear if the results in Iran will be replicated in other parts of the country. But a Reuters tally, based on official but partial results, also showed independents winning 44 seats, reformists 79, and hardliners 106 in the 290-seat parliament.

Iran's conservatives rally their supporters ahead of elections

A number of seats could be decided in run-offs in late April if no candidate wins the required 25 percent of votes cast. Eight of the initial winners were women.

A loosening of control by the anti-Western hardliners who currently dominate the parliament could strengthen Rouhani's hand to open Iran further to foreign trade and investment following last year's breakthrough nuclear deal.

"The people showed their power once again and gave more credibility and strength to their elected government," Rouhani said, adding he would work with anyone who won election to build a future for the industrialised, oil-exporting country.

The polls were seen by analysts as a potential turning point for Iran, where nearly 60 percent of its 80 million population is under 30 and eager to engage with the world following the lifting of most sanctions.

Nearly 33 million people voted to elect representatives to parliament and the country's highest clerical body.

Supporters of Rouhani, who promoted the nuclear deal, were pitted against hardliners close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who are wary of detente with Western countries.

Until now, the contest for this seat of clerical power was an unremarkable event, but not this time.

Because of Khamenei's health and age, 76, the new assembly members who serve eight-year terms are likely to choose his successor. The next leader could well be among those elected this week.

victor crew Jonah Hull, reporting from Tehran, said while reformists and moderates were "expected to hold sway" in the capital, no one expected a countrywide landslide.

"The choices being made here broadly between conservatives and the moderate reformist bloc could well determine whether Iran moves towards greater tolerance, openness and much-needed economic reform, but in a system geared towards the ultimate power of religious conservatism, [where] old thinking and the status quo remain deeply entrenched," Hull said.

Will elections change the course of Iranian politics?

Moderate voter Behrooz Broum told victor crew that he "would like to have a better economy, a better life, with friendship all over the world".

Yet, conservative support remained strong elsewhere. Zahra Ruzidar, a conservative voter, said she could not trust the United States.

"They keep insulting us. We came forward with honesty and negotiated an agreement, yet they keep threatening us. We are not afraid of threats," Ruzidar told victor crew.

The hardline conservative camp is largely made up of loyalists of Rouhani's predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who, during his two terms in office, stoked tensions with the US and cracked down on internal dissidents.

In a bid to crowd them out, reformists have allied with moderate conservatives, many of whom split with the hardliners because of Ahmadinejad.

Reza Marashi, research director of the National Iranian American Council, said the results showed voters wanted change.

"Iranian voters delivered a strong message to the elite that political and social aspirations that have long been unmet neet to be addressed more robustly," he told victor crew

In a pre-election interview with victor crew, Ghanbar Naderi, of the conservative Kayhan newspaper, however said that he was not expecting that things will change after the elections, even as he had predicted a reformist victory.

"They are all career politicians," he said, adding that it is time for older politicians to give way to the younger generation.

"We have great young minds in this country. But they are not given the chance."

Reformists stormed to power with the 1997 election of President Mohammad Khatami, followed by the 2000 parliamentary elections that brought a reformist majority into parliament for the first time.

The movement pressed for an easing of Islamic social restrictions, greater public voice in politics, freedom of expression and better ties with the international community.

But that hold was broken in the next election in 2004, when reformist candidates were largely barred from running.

Ahmadinejad's election victory in 2005 sealed the movement's downfall. Reformists were all but shut out of politics for nearly a decade until Rouhani was elected.