The session in Rome focuses specifically on the role and responsibilities of the 'Media' with respect 'truth-telling'. The context of the war and subsequent follow-ons in Iraq raises many issues which have been much in the public debate about media disinformation and 'propaganda'.

The WTI is an international citizen's initiative to examine and establish the truth in relation to the war and occupation of Iraq, in order that it may contribute to the empowerment of civil society movements for peace, human rights and justice. It is comprised of various sessions held around the world (sessions already held include Brussels, New York, Hiroshima-Tokyo, Copenhagen) culminating in a Final Session in Istanbul, March 2005.
This is a call to individuals, social movements, associations and organisations to endorse the Rome Session of the WTI on Media Wrongs Against Truth and Humanity.

The session in Rome focuses specifically on the role and responsibilities of the 'Media' with respect 'truth-telling'. The context of the war and subsequent follow-ons in Iraq raises many issues which have been much in the public debate about media disinformation and 'propaganda'. However, little of the discussion thus far has involved recognition of peoples wronged! The aim of the session is return the focus on Media responsibilities to the social context of human lives and to provide an empowered, peoples’ language to demand accountability.

In contrast to notions of ‘professional inadequacies’ that have dominated most considerations of the Media’s role in relation to the war in Iraq, the Session will examine the issues from the point of view of ‘wrongs’ committed against 3 constituencies of the affected: the peoples of Iraq; the citizens of the ‘Coalition’; and ‘Humanity’ - the global human population in general, with particular emphasis on the South. The Session will consider the following charges:

1. Against the Peoples of Iraq:
 A Wrong of Aggression – complicity in the waging of an aggressive war and perpetuating a regime of occupation that is widely regarded as guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
 A Wrong of Silence – neglect of the duty to give privilege and dignity to voices of suffering.

2. Against the Peoples of the ‘Coalition’: (in addition to the above)
 A Wrong of Deception – complicity, through the validation and dissemination of disinformation, in enabling the fraudulent misappropriation of human and financial resources for war, from social development.
 A Wrong of Incitement – culpability for inciting an ideological climate of fear, racism, xenophobia and violence.

3. Against Humanity: (in addition to the above)
 A Wrong of Exclusion – complicity in the exclusion of the voices and visions of the social majorities for people’s security and well-being by privileging instead the priorities of the minority corporate-military elite.
 A Wrong of Usurpation – complicity in enabling the usurpation of human aspirations - for peace and justice - for political and economic profit.

Underpinning the motivation of the WTI in general, and the Rome session in particular is the conviction that people as concerned social actors retain the right and the duty to establish the truths upon which social judgement on matters relating to peace, justice and human wellbeing may be reached, and to demand that the institutions of power so act. The unprecedented peoples’ uprisings against the violations committed in the name of ‘liberation’ and ‘global security’ against the peoples of Iraq have demonstrated that the deceptions of Power no longer hold sway with much of the global population. That we as peoples of the world must act to reclaim for humanity the values of solidarity and justice is clear. The beginnings of a Peoples’ Law movement is upon us. The Rome Session of the WTI is intended as a contribution towards this movement.

We hope that you will be with us in this endeavour. We seek your endorsement and support. For Truth, Peace and Justice.

WTI Italy

Statement of Endorsement

I / We endorse the initiative of the WTI-Rome Session

Name:
Country:
email:

I sign in my personal name O
I sign on behalf of my organisation O

Organisation:

For further information, or if you would like to provide additional support, please contact WTI Italy at the following address:

Contact: Jayan Nayar – Walter Musco
Peoples’ Law Programme
Lelio Basso International Foundation
Via della Dogana Vecchia, 5 - 00186 Rome Italy
Tel. 0039.06.68.65.352 - Fax 0039.06.68.77.774
wti-...@libero.it

If you would like to make a financial contribution to WTI-Italia, below is provided the account details (please state purpose as WTI-Italia)

Account Name: Fondazione Internazionale Lelio Basso
Bank: San Paolo IMI
Account: 1000/184
ABI: 01025
CAB: 03310
IBAM: IT63 E010 2503 3101 0000 0000 184