MEDIA IN THE KOSOVO CRISIS
AIM Pristina, June 3, 1998
What was once called the "Kosovo events" and until a month ago the "Kosovo crisis" is now known as the "Kosovo armed conflicts" or the "first stage of war". Sporadic euphemistic descriptive names are still used in connection with this situation, but there is an impression that there are fewer reasons for it. Victims, sufferings and destruction have finally made it impossible to maintain the long-known political and diplomatic practice of keeping secret and ignoring even obvious facts, which the political and state factors resort to when certain events are not to their liking or not among their priorities.
However, war is always horrible, each in its own way and it does not leave indifferent even the most neutral observers, least of all direct participants and other interested parties. Still, they all have a choice or can find relatively reasonable models or forms of behaviour. War and similar circumstances bring the media into the most embarrassing situation. Because of the nature of their work they cannot but inform about such "attractive events". On the other hand, wars are waged so that one side could win. There is no middle ground and no matter how they report and even when they do not report, the media cannot avoid being, to say the least, viewed critically by one or the other side.
It goes without saying that everyone, including the media, behaves in accordance with his interests. But, on the other hand, when it comes to those who have a public responsibility it should be borne in mind that some of their interests are interlinked, both by visible and invisible connections. In all this, journalists should be in the best position as they are, in principle, "the least interested side". However, in war situations it is hard to avoid the trap of the war propaganda, sympathies, aversions, lesser or greater prejudices, impressions, feelings and emotions which is why journalists, even despite their best intentions, frequently fail in their task of being only neutral conveyors of events to the public which, yearning for information and "news" pays their work in a specific way. Naturally, there is also a problem of the inaccessibility of the sources of information and inevitable restrictions of movement in the war-affected regions.
Most of the journalists are well aware of these traps, but very few manage to cut them down to a reasonable, "acceptable" level. Thence such diversity of information on Kosovo armed conflicts. Based on experiences from and information on previous wars in former Yugoslavia the majority of foreign journalists come with a motto: "Trust only your own eyes and ears". However, all armed conflict, including this one in Kosovo, have some secrets which are invisible by their nature or one of the warring sides does everything to hide them from others, especially journalists. Also, there are things which one of the sides in conflict is particularly interested in making evident, again for journalists in particular. Foreign journalists who are generally uninformed of the true causes and things that are not easily seen, even when coming with the best of intentions, tend to generalize such situations, are cautious when analyzing delicate situations or even inclined to simplify them. No matter how clear, interesting, or even exotic simplified presentation of events may be it always, more or less, distorts the integrity of events and finally, makes the truth about them incomplete.
Leaving aside the so called war reporters of both sides, it is usually thought that local journalists are least capable of avoiding the trap of being partial. Until the recent wars in the western republics of former Yugoslavia, this was a kind of axiom in these parts. However, as of late it has become evident that local journalists are more biased than the foreign ones inasmuch as their partiality is more obvious, i.e. less refined. Essentially, foreign journalists, i.e. their editorial offices are equally biased. But their partiality is less obvious. It comes to full expression when they ignore and select events to write about. They are actually adjusting information to current priorities of their governments in trouble areas, in this case, in Kosovo conflicts. The only difference in this comparison is the quantity which is understandable considering the spectrum of problems local journalists have to cover and consider important for most comprehensive possible presentation of events.
Naturally, the greatest differences in journalistic approach and reporting are those between Albanian and Serbian (primarily state) media. This is evident even without going into any special analysis. It could be said that their approach to conflicts in Kosovo is totally opposite not only as regards the angle from which they present their contents to the public, but also regarding their denial or confirmation of individual events. Namely, there is a noticeable tendency among the Serbian media, including the official television which can be considered the extreme case, to limit the extent of conflicts and reduce them to incidents, cover them up or even deny they ever happened. Even things which in armed conflict are most obvious and perceptible for everyone are denied. This naturally, concerns the use of fire arms.
No matter how hard they try there is no way to cover up this feature of war situations. But, it is possible, for a short while and partially, to hide the true proportions of armed clashes. To that end, even before they launched the latest attack operations all over conflict affected Kosovo, apart from the fact that their media totally ignored the events, the militarily superior Serbian authorities have disconnected telephone communications. As it is known, even before these areas were closed and isolated from all direct contacts. Several weeks ago public transportation was discontinued, journalists were denied access to these parts, supplies of essential foodstuffs and medicines were cut short. Even humanitarian organizations could no longer carry on their work.
But, under present conditions total isolation is impossible. Informational blockade imposed with the disconnection of telephone lines and the relay for mobile phone communications lasted only two days, on Friday (May 29) and Saturday, and was broken through on Sunday. On Tuesday (June 2) telephone communications with Djakovica were re-established in the afternoon, but not with the communes of Pec, Decani and Klina. It is not necessary to explain what the Serbian authorities aimed to achieve with this move. These parts, each in its own way, live under war conditions and psychosis of waiting for further conflagration of armed conflicts. Some Albanian sources claim that Decani is on fire, according to others Klina is at war as well as the entire region of Djakovica, except for the city itself. The city of Pec is cut-off or totally isolated and all food supplies have been stopped several weeks ago. There are rumours that as of recent is has no electricity and water either, that it is swarming with men in various Serbian uniforms Pec is on the verge of hunger, as well as all other regions affected by armed conflicts. There is almost no mention of this in the Serbian media which are quite naturally, very sympathetic for the ordeals of the Serbian enclaves and their places of worship, in the war-torn areas.
It is a well known fact that everyone takes care of his own. That is the the essence of all Kosovo divisions and conflicts. It was not through the fault of the media that such unbearable situation was created. But, on the other hand, the media did nothing to reduce these divisions, at least for humanitarian if not professional reasons, but rather remained entrenched behind their states, i.e. nations. The Serbian media do not notice or mention only in passing the sufferings of scores of thousands of mostly Albanian women and children who are fleeing their homes in search of shelter running before armed operations. When there is no food and medicines, it is superfluous to speak about other forms of suffering. On Tuesday, five children died from exhaustion on their way to Albania. According to the Albanian official sources, by Tuesday evening 2,5 thousand Kosovo refugees have been registered in Albania and the influx continues.
In contrast to the Serbian media, the Albanian report everything they get hold of through their correspondents and from other sources. With maximum publicity in present situation they achieve two basic objectives. The first is homogenization and mobilization of the Albanian population to endure and the second is solidarity with and assistance to the population in trouble areas. The Albanian media speak openly and barely hide their support to the defence activities, i.e. the resistance of the Albanian armed movement. Actually, the position of both the Serbian and the Albanian media is the same concerning this question. The only difference is how direct this support is. The Serbian media do not have to directly support operations of the military and the police. They whole-heartedly support or show understanding for the reasoning of their state authorities, which is the same thing.
Who is more mistaken - those which publish nothing else but official statements or those which give maximum publicity to the Kosovo conflicts is the question on which no snap decision can be taken. The Albanian - Serbian divisions are deeply rooted and stir strong emotions. Under war conditions these emotions are twice as intensive. They are expressed in the media too because of which such comparisons should be made with the greatest care.
Political assessments and stands aside, i.e. disregarding the interests which create a dilemma when it comes to deciding whether and how much something should be written, i.e. spoken about, in other words, observed only through what they publish, the media leave an interesting impression. First, the Albanian media are at least trying to fulfill their task. Second, although they are all permeated with the Albanian political ideas, they have a rather versatile approach in their treatment of the Kosovo events. Third, they are open for analysis and assessments of others, even Serbian experts which express opposing and even contrary opinions. Most of them record Serbian official statements on current events. And last, but not the least, when the usual propaganda decorations are set aside, the contents of the Albanian media leave an impression that they are impartially recording, communicating and presenting basic facts on current events in Kosovo.
AIM Pristina
Fehim REXHEPI