Two years ago, I wrote and published
these coming lines regarding journalism in Egypt, however, a lot of incidents
took place… so here I am republishing what I wrote before hoping to find
someone in our syndicate and the recently established official councils who might
read and care:
“It happened that I have been and still
am managing a branch office of one of the biggest Arab newspapers of a Gulf
country here in Egypt for more than thirty years… it also happened that I have
seen the bad handwritings of many big writers and was able to decipher them… I also
revised the articles of tens of journalists whom some of them became stars in
media… I also used to reformulate the writings of some of those and almost go
mad of the poor Arabic grammar and wrong spellings at some and absence of
journalistic integrity at some others!
That’s why I have been and still am
calling upon the syndicate of journalists to stand against such illiteracy of
all kinds in the field… either journalistic, cultural, political or morale…
such thing that went viral in the journalism field and even some are boasting
about it considering that since they made it to the chair of editor-in-chief or
TV screens – despite their complete ignorance – then that means they are genius
and one of a kind!
It also happened many times that I knew
many colleagues who were interested in union work of the syndicate, practiced
it and even became experts in this… I also met people of the same kind; those
who were hosted during the preparations for the elections of the syndicate
council or head… here, there is a lot of details I may later write about and
publish… from my point of view, of course!
In such regard, I remember when I disagreed
to the unanimity of the Nasserist journalists to elect a certain person as head
of the syndicate… and the punishment I received was depriving me from writing
my periodical article in the Nasserist newspaper of Garidat Al-Arabi…
not to mention the insults and defamation that nailed me.
My colleagues in the syndicate of the top
leaders and symbols of fighting for the freedom of journalism and public
freedoms know what I know about some other figures in the syndicates who enjoy
this pre-described illiteracy… they also know about others who have made
illegal profits from Hajj and Umra trips, consumer durables,
lands, real estates, advertisements, Sheikh al-Fasi, normalization with the
Zionist enemy and illegal practices of enlisting secretaries and cronies as
members in our prominent syndicate… despite all this and despite recurrence of
such cases and bragging in public about such violations of the syndicate’s
ethics and morals, the syndicate did not adopt a decisive action against any of
those who committed such awful deeds.
I write all this and am ready to give
more details while the journalists’ community is going through what can be regarded
as real struggle for the freedom of journalism and for maintaining the texts
and spirit of the Egyptian constitution in this field since I have always
believed that the best and nearest way to defend the freedom of journalism and
rights of the journalists’ community is that this community – through the
syndicate and by the efforts of its leaders – shall do its fundamental duties…
atop of these is retraining hundreds of journalists inflicted with the pre-described
illiteracy; proper pronunciation, spelling, grammar, profession rules, cultural,
political and even morale illiteracy.
Also above the list of those duties is maintaining
discipline of the profession practices in order to prevent journalism from
being the open door to stab our country in its security, cohesion, strength,
balance and role either on the regional or international domain… we cannot let
it be that the journalist be like that surgeon who went declaring that he had
to sacrifice the lives of mother and baby for the operation to succeed!
I here wonder with others: when will the
syndicate of journalists question those members who consider themselves stars
in the media and political work arenas over suspicions that may reach into real
facts concerning their fortunes, projects and their connections to media and
political capitals either domestically or abroad… also over suspicions of the
same level confirming that they combine between working in journalism and
working to other entities with opposite interests?
We all are against any deviation from
the executive authority over the constitution, even if done by law… we also
stand against any tyranny of any kind or degree practiced by any entity that
may turn us back to times that yielded all what we witness today of
fragmentation, dismantle, destruction and terrorism… so you can imagine the
case when such deviation and tyranny is practiced against journalism and
freedom of speech… we all have to stand against all what I mentioned about the
journalists’ community.
I know that some of those dear to me
will get angry because of what I am writing right now… and I can almost hear
some of them angrily blaming me: “this is always you… choosing the worst timing
to express your opinion as if you want to look different… all what you said is
right by the timing is not right at all… you should not have mentioned these
faults while the journalists’ community is fighting a decisive battle like this”.
I here say that the battle time is the
best time to achieve all this… it provides the best environment to correct
faults, to make things right and to get rid of all those not belonging to our
profession… moreover, it’s not only about journalists… it’s about the whole
country… since our country is going through a battle that is fiercer and more
dangerous than any of the ones it had before starting from the invasions of Hyksos,
Persians, Greeks and Romans… to the British and Israeli occupations.
According to the same standards, it is
not possible that the army, police and the whole people are going through such
battle then we find some journalists stabbing our country in the back with
false information that discourage those fighters, undermine the will of those
resisting, let the public masses question and even lose trust in those in
charge of defending our country, its independence, civilization, culture and
future… it is also not possible to have such confusing mix between the right to
think, express freely, the right to possess information and other rights
directly connected to the profession of journalism and between misleading and
undermining the security of our country… therefore, the necessary duty of
defending the rights of journalism is absolutely connected to the necessary
duty of defending our country, its security, civilization, culture and future.
These were words in my mouth that I long
refrained from saying… but compared to the enormous challenges Egypt is facing,
I had to spit them out.
I believe the real battle journalists
and their syndicate should fight is the radical change to amend the journalists’
community into order to eliminate any professional dysfunctionality… and to
those who will get angry because of the “timing”, I ask: when was that right
time that never occurred during more than half a century of the syndicate life?...
why has no one started reforming and correcting in times when the syndicate was
not going through any sacred battle?”.
Translated into English by: Dalia
Elnaggar
This article was
published in Al Ahram newspaper on April 27, 2017.
To see the
original article, go to:
#alahram
#ahmed_elgammal #Egypt #journalism #journalists #syndicate_of_journalists_in_Egypt
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