Wednesday 18 April 2007

"Freedom of the press" takes on a whole new meaning

StatCounter is showing four visitors to the site today (since the last update), one of whom I definitely don't know (nor am I sure why the Google search string "eleven precepts of interpersonal relationships" should lead here, but there you go). This makes me think that I may be reaching rather more people with this than I thought; as such, maybe it's worth adding something else that may have escaped your notice.

Alan Johnston is a BBC reporter, kidnapped in Gaza on the 12th of March this year. No-one's seen or heard anything of him since. Although the BBC has (understandably) been keeping this in the news as much as possible, a lot of interest in the story has died down. If Johnston is to be released, this can't be allowed to happen - pressure needs to be kept on his kidnappers to release him, and maybe they'll be more likely to do so if they know their motivations will be seen on the world stage.

As such, I've added a banner at the top of the sidebar - it'll stay there until the issue is resolved, one way or another. Click it to find out more about the story, and please do whatever you can to keep it in the public and political consciousness as much as possible. Letters to MPs - or maybe you even know MPs or other public figures personally - would be a good start. Maybe this won't do much, I don't know. Something has to be done about the continuing trend of violence by those who don't want journalists telling the truth, though, and here is as good a place to start as any.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I came across this story while watching BBC World while I was in Phuket, then was astonished to find out that he was still missing when I next had a chance to look through the news a couple of weeks later (yes, this happens occasionally...) What makes it all the more astonishing is he was the last western reporter to be based in the Gaza Strip, and as a result was in the favour of the vast majority of Palestinians. Here's to prayers for his safe return.