9 August 2007

Arab Media Watch commends Lebanon's Higher Relief Council for publishing a fully searchable database of those killed in last summer's Israeli invasion. Click on "Families of Martyrs Indemnified" at the following link:

http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb/english/f/Main/index.asp

This is particularly relevant to the Associated Press, with which AMW liaised for months last year, resulting in a press release criticising AP for its low Lebanese death toll of 850 (the lowest available, and around 30% less than most other sources), and for its stubborn refusal to explain how it obtained this figure.

http://www.arabmediawatch.com/amw/Articles/PressReleases/tabid/77/newsid391/3517/Associated-Press-refuses-to-explain-its-low-Lebanese-death-toll/Default.aspx

The newly published database by the HRC - which is linked to the Lebanese prime minister's office and compiled the death toll during and since the war - puts the figure at 1,166. In AMW's initial press release, the HRC explained its thorough, and by its own admission conservative, methodology. Its figures have not been called into question. Indeed, the UN, Amnesty International and Reuters told AMW they had no reason to doubt them.

At the time of AMW's investigation, AP told us (eventually) that Jack Stokes, of its corporate communications department in New York, was the best person to deal with. He insisted on seeing a published list of Lebanese dead, which was not available at the time.

Now that the HRC is providing this, AMW urges AP to finally do right by those killed in the war, as well as abide by its own code of conduct and ethics, by using the correct death toll. There is simply no reason not to, particularly as Stokes cited the HRC as a source for AP's death toll (though the Council denied this). AMW also urges other media outlets not to use underestimates of the toll.

AMW is still concerned by AP's refusal to explain its low Lebanese death toll, but notes that it has been using the figure of "more than 1,000" in its reports after our initial press release. Nevertheless, AMW will continue monitoring AP's coverage in this regard.