Rabin Man Shakya
In a blatant attack on freedom of expression, two Islamofascists assaulted Charlie Hebdo's Paris office last week killing scores of people including eight journalists. Thus, Charlie Hebdo was drawn into the maelstrom of terrorist assault. It was the deadliest single attack against a news and cartoon magazine in the history of the world journalism. Why should journalists suffer fatal and ferocious terrorist assaults merely because of what they write or because of certain cartoons they print?
And, meanwhile, according to news reports, a leader of Yemen's al-Qaeda branch has officially claimed responsibility for the attacks by two gunmen that left 12 dead at the weekly publication, saying in a video posted online that the slayings came in 'vengeance for the prophet.' It is to be noted that the newspaper had received repeated threats for lampooning Muhammad. Paris has been subjected to repeated Islamofascist attacks. Charlie Hebdo's office was firebombed in 2011 as well causing damages to its building and its computers.
Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical weekly magazine which does not care about the religious emotions and blasphemy. Going by the history of French journalism, Charlie Hebdo was launched in 1970 as a successor to the Hara-Kiri magazine that was banned for making mockery of President Charles de Gaulle's death. Well, in satires and mocking, Charlie Hebdo does not spare anybody, any political party and any religion. But the beleaguered magazine had to cease its publication in 1981 and was relaunched only in 1992.
Despite fatal terrorist assaults, Charlie Hebdo continues to express its views more freely than ever, undaunted by the ferocious attacks. The terrorist rampage that killed eight journalists of Charlie Hebdo did not, however, deter the publication to go ahead with more journalistic works: Three million copies of Charlie Hebdo were printed and sold out after the terrorist assault. Given the overwhelming sympathy of the people, the circulation of the Hebdo, it is believed, could reach as many as five million copies.
Terrorist rampage by the Islamofascists at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris can not be justified in any words. Assaults on the media outlets should not be condoned and tolerated under any circumstances or pretexts. The international community should be serious about the terrorist attacks and culture of impunity in relation to catastrophies of fatal assaults on the Fourth Estate. The most important thing is to create self-awareness about self-security. The journalists are vulnerable to all kinds of assaults and intimidation especially when they do reporting or cartooning which are not liked by the Islamofascists and terrorists. No cartooning on Muhammad justifies a terrorist assault on a media outlet. No words excuse brutal assassination of innocent journalists.
The al-Qaeda and ISIS activities had posed and are still posing a serious threat not only to the French and Western journalists but also to the entire human civilization. There is no doubt that beheading of journalists, ferocious terrorist assaults and threats against journalists have increased in recent times.
In a blatant attack on freedom of expression, two Islamofascists assaulted Charlie Hebdo's Paris office last week killing scores of people including eight journalists. Thus, Charlie Hebdo was drawn into the maelstrom of terrorist assault. It was the deadliest single attack against a news and cartoon magazine in the history of the world journalism. Why should journalists suffer fatal and ferocious terrorist assaults merely because of what they write or because of certain cartoons they print?
And, meanwhile, according to news reports, a leader of Yemen's al-Qaeda branch has officially claimed responsibility for the attacks by two gunmen that left 12 dead at the weekly publication, saying in a video posted online that the slayings came in 'vengeance for the prophet.' It is to be noted that the newspaper had received repeated threats for lampooning Muhammad. Paris has been subjected to repeated Islamofascist attacks. Charlie Hebdo's office was firebombed in 2011 as well causing damages to its building and its computers.
Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical weekly magazine which does not care about the religious emotions and blasphemy. Going by the history of French journalism, Charlie Hebdo was launched in 1970 as a successor to the Hara-Kiri magazine that was banned for making mockery of President Charles de Gaulle's death. Well, in satires and mocking, Charlie Hebdo does not spare anybody, any political party and any religion. But the beleaguered magazine had to cease its publication in 1981 and was relaunched only in 1992.
Despite fatal terrorist assaults, Charlie Hebdo continues to express its views more freely than ever, undaunted by the ferocious attacks. The terrorist rampage that killed eight journalists of Charlie Hebdo did not, however, deter the publication to go ahead with more journalistic works: Three million copies of Charlie Hebdo were printed and sold out after the terrorist assault. Given the overwhelming sympathy of the people, the circulation of the Hebdo, it is believed, could reach as many as five million copies.
Terrorist rampage by the Islamofascists at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris can not be justified in any words. Assaults on the media outlets should not be condoned and tolerated under any circumstances or pretexts. The international community should be serious about the terrorist attacks and culture of impunity in relation to catastrophies of fatal assaults on the Fourth Estate. The most important thing is to create self-awareness about self-security. The journalists are vulnerable to all kinds of assaults and intimidation especially when they do reporting or cartooning which are not liked by the Islamofascists and terrorists. No cartooning on Muhammad justifies a terrorist assault on a media outlet. No words excuse brutal assassination of innocent journalists.
The al-Qaeda and ISIS activities had posed and are still posing a serious threat not only to the French and Western journalists but also to the entire human civilization. There is no doubt that beheading of journalists, ferocious terrorist assaults and threats against journalists have increased in recent times.
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