My roommate and I were sat in our living room shocked, bewildered, and preponderantly distraught as we watched a Netflix documentary regarding the Ukrainian Euromaidan protests. Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom depicted two strands of recent Ukrainian history through the lens of activists, local journalists, artists, and religious leaders via visual storytelling.
The first being the portrayal of the citizens of Ukraine taking to the streets to protect, promote, and preserve their fundamental rights in a three-month-long struggle from November 2013 to February 2014, the second being a tale of state terrorism and violence committed against demonstrators by a pro-Russian puppet government headed by erstwhile President Viktor Yanukovych.
With recent Russian aggression against Ukraine creating ample international concerns, it is crucial to be cautiously reminded of the key role being played by journalists and the broader media community, in framing the basis for narrating the struggles of Ukrainians to the world -- a world which overwhelmingly remains in disbelief at the hostile actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The effects of globalization and the accentuation of the digital ecosystem means that war correspondence is naturally not limited to mainstream media platforms. Social media has acted as a vehicle to provide first-hand accounts of the situation in Ukraine, similar to what was witnessed during the Arab Spring -- the prime example of such being a series of defiant public messages by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in asking the world to support Ukraine and calling his citizens to stand tall against those violating the territorial integrity of their country.
Zelenskyy is one of countless Ukrainians who have taken to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to share their stories and reflect on the impending dangers they face -- furthermore, random acts of defiance and strength expressed through civic action by Ukrainians have rightly been disseminated across social media as a means to inspire more people into action.
The responsibility of independent and mass media journalists is to connect and consolidate these first-hand stories, and provide an unbiased and authentic depiction of the realities of conflict. And that is how we can, at the very least, try and comprehend the crisis from our perspectives. More importantly, using this narrative as evidence to catalyze a global call in condemning President Putin and his blatant violation of Ukrainian sovereignty.
As Bangladeshis, we take immense pride in our collective struggle for self-emancipation and freedom. 50 years ago, the Pakistani military junta went on a mission of genocide, murder, and looting in erstwhile East Pakistan. During the course of our nine-month struggle for independence, local journalists and media personalities took it upon themselves to inspire the nation in its darkest days through regular programs on Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra -- this was aided by the global mobilization of war correspondence, which inspired people across the planet to undertake the cause of Bengalis as their own.
From humanitarian events spearheaded by artists such as Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, to encouraging fundraisers for tangible aid, the media became a focal point in rallying the world to back Bangladesh. Notably, Pakistani journalist Anthony Mascarenhas made it a point to publish the atrocities committed by Yahya Khan’s army on international media outlets -- the BBC famously wrote: “Mascarenhas’ reportage played its part in ending the war. It helped turn public opinion against Pakistan and encouraged India to play a decisive role.” So much so, that then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi stated that Mascarenhas’ article steered her “to prepare the ground for India’s armed intervention.”
And the rest as they say, is history.
Therefore, the relevance of the fourth estate (which refers to the press, news media, and, more recently, social media) -- in policy advocacy, the shaping of public opinion, and the framing of socio-political issues -- is critical as a means of conflict-resolution. Given that we live in an era of misinformation, one cannot underscore how important authentic reporting and media engagements are in enhancing public knowledge and creating space for effective civic action.
Those in Ukraine reporting on the crisis, while being fully aware of the risks associated with their professional duties, deserve not simply our commendation but our unwavering support. They are heroes for standing by the people of Ukraine and for taking it upon themselves to showcase the pain and suffering being inflicted upon a brave nation by an autocratic, dictatorial, and precarious Russian regime.
Media activism can be used as a tool for grassroots activists and oppressed populations to disseminate information via net-based campaigns and, as such, nudge global populations to be made educated about the effects of war. With global civic momentum developing against the Russian state, one hopes that the work of journalists and media activists across Ukraine continues to act as a vessel for the transmission of facts and helps in enhancing a tide of public opinion against the draconian Putin regime.
There remains a trend across media circles and in the analysis expressed by political commentators, particularly across non-Western platforms, to analyze the Ukrainian conflict in comparison to the war-mongering nature of the US and its allies in the post-Cold War context. That perhaps is warranted. On the other end, there is one set of norms expressed regarding conflict and forced migration with respect to people of colour and another for Caucasians. This continues to be a challenge that traditional Western media outlets must overcome.
Media attention towards crises in the Middle East and Africa comparatively receive lesser traction, this has been established quite clearly. Nevertheless, the hypocrisy of the Western media in addition to the double standards posited by Western powers when it comes to conflict resolution, cannot dissuade the world from focusing on what is truly important in the context of the here and now.
Categorically, Vladimir Putin is an autocratic dictator and the antithesis to the notion of a democracy. It is difficult to compare and contrast humanitarian catastrophes, but in the end, the media must act as a medium to represent the facts through an unbiased and pro-people lens.
And with the Russian president showing little to no signs of backing off, it is integral for the global community, irrespective of how the West treated the East, to stand for humanity and call for an end to this indefensible war. And to this end, the role of the collective media industry remains fundamental in shaping pertinent responses to a growing and cataclysmic crisis of deepening magnitude.
Mir Aftabuddin Ahmed is a Toronto-based Banking Professional and a Regular Columnist for Bangladeshi Media Outlets. He can be reached at aftab.ahmed@mail.utoronto.ca.