Moroccan press says coalition trying to gag press to free field for propaganda
Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/10/2003

The Moroccan press on Wednesday largely condemned the military actions of the US-led forces against journalists in Baghdad seeing in these actions an attempt to muzzle the press freedom and leave the field free for its own propaganda.

In describing the new "intentional mistake" of the American army, headlines varied between "witness hunt," "Silence, they kill," "the aggressor wants massacres with no witnesses," "Journalists in the coalition's line of sight," "Journalists bombed" and "American army attacks journalists."

The newspapers unanimously considered that the aggression's goal was to silence all the voices likely to inform the world on what is really going on in Iraq, in particular journalists of Arab news channels (especially Al Jazira and Abou Dabi) who have become military targets.

For L'Opinion daily, there is no doubt that these "coward operations were calculated and planned in advance," based on a footage by the French channel FR3 that clearly shows the tank's turret turn in the direction of Palestine hotel, the machine-gun mounting, then waiting at least two minutes before shooting."

Aujourd'hui le Maroc says attacking journalists has only one explanation: "witnesses are unwanted."

Similarly, Liberation noted that this last but not least attempt to silence discordant voices is another evidence that freedom is a swear word for the promoters of this war.

The coalition did not only destroy one of the most prestigious civilizations and committed genocide against civilians, but it also massacred journalists, deplored Assahara Al Maghribia.

To sum up the situation, Al Bayane said "obviously, masks have fallen down." For the daily the message of George W. Bush and his administration is crystal clear: today law will no longer make power, it is power that will make law.

Previous Stories:
  Invasion of Iraq augurs US hegemony on the world, Moroccan papers write   (4/9/2003)
  Moroccan press union: killing machine now targets journalists   (4/9/2003)
  Moroccan humanitarian aid to Iraqi people handed to ICRC in jordan   (4/8/2003)

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