Russia-Ukraine: Double standards at wartime
The recent double standard in Ukraine media coverage confirms that unfortunately, racism and discrimination are still alive in the 21st century.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the situation understandably became the center of the news around the world. However, the shocking point arising here was the racist statements by some media journalists.
D’Agata of US network CBS News said that, “This isn’t a place — with all due respect, you know — like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European — I have to choose those words carefully too – a city where you wouldn’t expect that or hope it is going to happen.”
After realizing that his remarks angered the Middle Easternaudience, D’Agata apologized for his “poor choice of words” a day later. The shock of distinctions between Ukraine and other Middle Eastern countries like Iraq or Afghanistan stunned the world.
Like Ukraine, Syria was devastated and invaded by Russia. Syria became a laboratory for testing Russia’s weapons. Along with that, many Middle Eastern countries like Iraq went through years of conflict and war where many civilians, includingwomen and children, were killed, and yet the disaster was not given enough attention.
After unleashing Operation Desert Storm by the United States, a memorandum of understanding was finally reached in 1996, resulting in the Oil For Food Program (OFFP) which allowed Iraq to resume oil exports in controlled quantities. However, the funds were held in escrow and the majority of Iraq’s purchases had to be individually approved by the “Iraq Sanctions Committee,” composed of the fifteen members of the UNSC. On May 12, 1996, Madeleine Albright (then U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations) appeared on 60 Minutes (An American T.V. show program) in which Lesley Stahl, the host of the show, asked her,”We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that’s more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?” Albright replied, “I think this is a very hard choice, but the price, we think the price is worth it.” When it comes to analyzing these kinds of statements it can clearly be observed that there is still discrimination by the global north against the Middle East. Looking at Albright’s answer and the recent journalist’s comments on Ukraine, it seems like one’s life’s worth depends on where one is located. It is worthless if one is from the Middle East and worth saving if one is from the global north. Statements like “they look like us”, reveal that discrimination and racism still structure the way many Europeans think of Middle Eastern people’s life. This is why Ukraine’s refugees must be saved and cared for, unlike Middle Eastern people. For example, the Kurds, who have lived in decades of war, and suffered genocide and systemic oppression that cost them millions of lives including children and the elderly, yet, their lives are being played with as if they are a chess pawns.
Many think that countries in the Middle East, like Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan are used to living in conflicts. Kelly Cobiella from NBC News said that, “these are not refugees from Syria, these are refugees from Ukraine. They are Christians. They are white.” It is unfortunate to say how these statements tell the severity of the degree of distinction made between Middle Eastern and European people.
In addition to the dichotomy of ‘civilized’ and ‘uncivilized’, the class background was also mentioned. Al Jazeera English anchor Peter Dobbie said that “the way they’re dressed, these are prosperous middle-class people, these are not obviously trying to get away from areas in the Middle East that are still in a big state of war.” David Sakvarelizde, former deputy prosecutor general of Ukraine, said that “It is really emotional for me because European people with blue eyes and blonde hair are being killed.” Let us recall that this statement erases Black people’s plight during this crisis.
- Saya Omar Abdulrahman