The Media Discourse of Al-Thawra Newspaper Towards the Anfal Campaigns and Kurds Genocide in 1988

Abstract

The research topic lies in the dominance of the media in presenting a media discourse that lacks truthfulness about the Kurds. The problem revolves around the formulation of the discourse to distort reality and mislead public opinion in order to achieve specific goals to manipulate minds and legitimize the violation of their natural rights, including the right to life. These facts emerged as a result of the systematic genocide campaigns during the 1980s.

The study aims to monitor the content of the media discourse published in Al-Thawra newspaper regarding the genocide of the Kurds, to identify the methods used in disseminating news to gain the support of local and international public opinion. The research is a descriptive type of research that relies on the media survey method using the content analysis tool. A purposive sample was selected consisting of Al-Thawra newspaper, as it is the official newspaper of the Ba'ath Party. The content was analyzed for a period of three months, including the headlines of the media articles published in the newspaper during the campaigns of genocide against the Kurds during the period (March - April - September 1988). The journalistic arts in the newspaper during the period (research) numbered (96) media articles.

The research results showed that the newspaper presented an epic image, as a result of distorting facts, concealing and covering up crimes in its authoritarian discourse at the time, by controlling information, its formulation and the way it was presented. Al-Thawra employed the journalistic image by displaying images of regime loyalists to influence Kurdish public opinion, display their strength and gain support from the Kurdish street, making them feel weak. Al-Thawra newspaper also used the front page for headlines about the Anfal campaigns and the Ba'ath Party's victories, with the news about the Anfal campaigns taking first place on the front page, while the interviews took second place. Al-Thawra newspaper focused on press interviews continuously, through journalistic interviews with advisers (National Defense Regiments) loyal to the Ba'ath Party who participated in implementing the genocide campaigns. Al-Thawra newspaper tended to present the glory achieved by the Ba'ath Party as a result of the killing and genocide of the Kurds, with the aim of spreading fear and terror among the Kurds in order to suppress them and relinquish their rights. The revolution adopted a denial approach, and the newspaper exploited the weakness of Kurdish citizens by interviewing them and displaying their photos in the newspaper. It also followed a media blackout approach regarding the crimes it committed against the Kurdish people and concealed the facts.