In Iraq, death tolls often in dispute
Disparities between official and eyewitness tallies lead some Iraqis to charge the government with downplaying attacks.
from the August 3, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
In fact, it is the station itself that has decided to play down the toll of daily violence.
"We want people to forget reality," says Haidar al-Shaaban, an executive at the station, which was founded by the former US-led Occupation Authority but maintains editorial independence.
Mr. Shaaban says the station is now committed to spreading good news and broadcasting programs to unite Iraqis. For instance, after the Iraqi soccer team beat Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup, it broadcast nonstop coverage of Iraqis celebrating the win.
Yassin Majid, the government's media relations chief, says that while he may disagree with the way Iraqiya prioritizes its news, there's nothing the government can do. "Do not imagine that the government has ever called the station and said put this item or that item first."
As for tolls, Mr. Majid says the government reports and updates all acts of violence as part of the current security offensives in Baghdad and the surrounding provinces. This is in addition to monthly reports released by the Ministries of Interior and Health.
The government has nonetheless taken several steps in recent months to control how acts of violence are reported.
In May, it barred photojournalists and TV crews from bomb scenes. Earlier, it prohibited hospitals and the Ministry of Health from sharing any toll figures with the media. The government has, on several occasions, publicly chastised the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq and nongovernmental organizations for using tolls compiled by media in their reports.
The Associated Press said Wednesday that at least 2,024 Iraqis died violently in July, based on its own tally of police reports nationwide. This was 23 percent higher than the June figure of 1,640, making July the second-deadliest month for Iraqis this year. The government has yet to release its figures for the period.
"The Iraqi government obviously does not want to give much credit to the adversary in disrupting daily life," says Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group.
But, Mr. Hiltermann, contacted in Amman, Jordan, says, he does not have much faith in data coming out of Iraq. He says the Iraqi government is too "disorganized and dysfunctional" while the security situation limits the media and other independent bodies from compiling accurate data.
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