On the evening of Wednesday, October 17, local time, the Washington Post published the last column previously submitted to the media by Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In this article, Khashoggi called for the creation of a new Arabic-language news platform so that local citizens can understand global current affairs and make their voices heard.
Two weeks ago, the journalist, a frequent critic of the Saudi government, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and disappeared, dragging Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States into the center of public opinion. Turkish officials claim that at least 15 Saudi agents infiltrated Istanbul to kill Khashoggi, dismembering him alive. But the Saudi king and crown prince said they were unaware, and the Saudi side has not issued an official statement on the matter.
In Khashoggi's final column, Karen Attiah, editor of the Washington Post's Global Review, wrote: "I got this column from his translator and assistant the day after Jamal Khashoggi disappeared in Istanbul. But the Washington Post decided not to publish it because we still want Jamal to come back to us and we can edit this article together. ”
Now I have to accept that this is no longer going to happen. That was the last article I edited for him in The Washington Post. This column fully reflects his dedication and enthusiasm for freedom in the Arab world. Apparently, he also gave his life for this freedom. A year ago, he chose The Washington Post as his last home in journalism, giving us the opportunity to work together, for which I will never be grateful.
In the column, Khashoggi first criticized Arab countries for poor ratings on press freedom:
As a result, Arabs living in these countries either do not have access to information or can only receive misinformation. They are unable to adequately address the problem, and rarely discuss openly the events affecting the region and its daily lives.
At the same time, Khashoggi recalled the grand occasion of the Arab Spring in 2011, saying that journalists, scholars and people in various countries were full of hope for a bright and free Arab society. But hopes were quickly dashed: his own Saudi writer friend was serving a prison sentence for making statements contrary to the views of the Saudi authorities; the Egyptian government had shut down a newspaper; and some governments had coerced advertisers to reduce revenues for specific publications. And these status quos can only now quickly attract condemnation and then silence.
Although Khashoggi mentioned that there are still several "oases" that are practicing the spirit of the "Arab Spring", such as the Qatari government's support for international news reports, the situation is no longer optimistic. In Tunisia and Kuwait, where the press environment is relatively free, the media will focus only on domestic issues, not on the Arab world as a whole. They will not provide a platform for journalists in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Yemen. Even Lebanon, the "crown jewel" in the field of press freedom in the Arab world, is now under the influence of the pro-Iranian Allah Party as a victim of radicalization.
In response, Khashoggi called for the Arab world to need institutions like Radio Free Europe during the Cold War to promote and sustain the hope of freedom.
Arabs need to read in their own language so that they can understand and discuss various aspects and complex issues of American and Western democracy. If an Egyptian reads an article that exposes the actual cost of a construction project in Washington, he or she will be able to better understand what similar projects mean in their own communities.
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so that citizens can understand global events. More importantly, we need to provide a platform for Arab voices. We are suffering from poverty, mismanagement and poor education. By freeing itself from the influence of nationalist government hate propaganda and establishing an independent international forum, ordinary people in the Arab world can begin to address the structural problems facing society.