escalation in the attacks on journalists and media institutions was witnessed since the beginning of this month, as serious reflection of what is going on in the Palestinian arena of conflicts and disagreement which reached to the extent of fighting in firearms, several journalists injured during the clashes, were attacked personally or on their property, were threatened as (Jamal Abu nahl -al-Arabia channel cameraman, Murad Abu Shabab -Sawt al-Shabab radio correspondent in Khanions, Hassan Alteti- al-Jazeera correspondent in Nablus city , Islam Khreis- correspondent of Sawt al-Amel in Rafah city), freelance photojournalist Osama Silwadi who was seriously injured as he stands on the balcony of his office in Ramallah city by a stray bullet joined the list. an attempt to storm the headquarters of manbar al-Eslah newspaper in Ramallah city where its entrance glass was broken, and most recent attack was the burning of Sawt al-Amel radio station in Gaza city.
We are at mada center call on all factions especially Fatah and Hamas to resolve their differences through dialogue and not resort to weapons under any circumstances, we call on them and all other political forces to not involve journalists and media institutions in conflicts and to work to strengthen the independence and professionalism of the media and to circulate to its members and supporters not to harass journalists. We also call on our colleagues journalists to maintain professional standards, get over factional interests and refuse the pressures exerted on them to sympathy with one of the parties at the expense of another party, , which will reflect negatively on the performance of the media, independence and limits their ability to work on the strengthening of the democratic process ,the defense of human rights , and the consolidation of the values of tolerance and dialogue instead of the use of violence to solve problems and differences.
we call on the leadership of the Palestinian National Authority and the government to put an end to the phenomenon of security chaos, and to ensure the necessary protection for journalists and media institutions, and to prosecute all those who attacks journalists and media institutions and to bring them to trial.
Ramallah
Oct.16.2006