By Habib Toumi
MANAMA: Journalists, writers, and intellectuals should refrain from engaging in futile debates that could undermine the cohesion and unity of the Gulf community, the chairman of the Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) has stressed.
Isa Al Shaiji warned that there were active attempts to incite discord and strife among the peoples of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) amid the dangerous and unprecedented circumstances unfolding in our region.
The GCC, formed in 1981, is made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“It is the duty of journalists, writers, and intellectuals to raise public awareness regarding the true intentions of these groups and the objectives they seek to achieve,” Al Shaiji said.
People should act responsibly when they use social media platforms avoid disseminating news that lacks are detached from truth and facts, and use information from reliable sources and credible media outlets, he added in his statement.
Al Shaiji stressed the importance of strengthening the bonds of kinship, brotherhood, and shared history that unite the peoples of the Gulf, and urged the preservation the close ties from any attempts to sow division.
The BJA Chairman called for the exercise of restraint and responsibility in media discourse on social media, urging an avoidance of anything that incites hatred, malice, or discord.
Journalists, writers, and intellectuals bear a significant responsibility today to confront discordant voices and to purge the Gulf’s media landscape of “electronic trolls”, he said.
“Our destiny is one, our goal is one, and any act targeting one Gulf state is, in effect, an act targeting all of our nations,” Al Shaiji said.
“We are one family and we shall remain one family, sharing both our pain and our hopes. We have all, without exception, been subjected to a malicious and unprecedented aggression aimed at undermining our collective achievements. Therefore, our media discourse across all platforms, including social media, must reflect our shared values, traditions, and common ground, while fostering a culture of mutual respect.”
He pointed to the consistent emphasis placed by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the principle that a unified purpose and a shared destiny among the peoples of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states must serve as the cornerstone of all media discourse.
