On February 24th, 2021, Lady Gaga’s French Bulldogs were stolen at gunpoint in Los Angeles. Media outlets went crazy, covering the story for days while civilians were horrified, thinking about how these innocent animals were stolen. Thankfully, both dogs were unharmed and rightfully returned to Lady Gaga after only a few days. If the media is able to cause a frenzy over two dogs being stolen, why is it that issues regarding massive humanitarian crises and corruption are overlooked in third world countries? This is not to say that we should not be upset over the immoral act taken against Lady Gaga and her assistant, however the prominent issues affecting millions of people are not addressed by the large media outlets of developed countries. Countries across Middle Eastern regions have been subjected to corruption, illegitimate leaders and power, external influence, violence, and poverty. For a moment, consider your knowledge concerning the ongoing conflicts occurring in Lebanon, Sudan, Egypt, Palestine/Israel and neighbouring countries. It is time for awareness to be raised in westernized society in support of Middle Eastern countries. Here are three of many pertinent conflicts pertaining to the Middle East to better educate yourself and others.
Yemen: The Largest Humanitarian Crisis
After years of suffering, events in Yemen remain the largest humanitarian crisis, affecting over 24 million individuals, roughly 12 million of them being children. This country has faced hardships since internal conflict escalated in March 2015, and with the spread of COVID-19, the situation has only worsened. The civil war began when Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, took over the capital city, Sana’a. Over 100,000 civilians have been killed since 2015 with an estimated four million individuals displaced. Two million children are severely malnourished and their lack of access to education continues to rise, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The health care system has been negatively impacted, making it challenging for adequate measures to be taken in response to COVID-19,. Lack of funding and media awareness for this crisis has made it challenging for the UN Human Rights Organization to continue to offer support. Human rights and international humanitarian laws continue to be violated.
Syrian War
The Syrian War has been an ongoing conflict since 2011; it consists of pro-democratic insurgents fighting against President Bashar al-Assad’s corrupt regime. What started out as peaceful protests quickly shifted to violent ones as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed. Syria is known as the world’s largest refugee crisis, with an estimated 6.6 million individuals having fled the country and 6.7 million remaining internally displaced. Poverty and unemployment are the largest issues that many refugees have faced. In addition to this, civilians are faced with higher rates of contracting COVID-19 as it is difficult to practice public safety measures. Over the years, many were able to find refuge in neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Canada alone has resettled over 62,000 Syrian refugees since 2015, according to the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Iraq Protests
Coming from an Iraqi background, the years-long conflicts that my country has been subjected to hits me the hardest. The recent revolution gained traction in October 2019 when civilians began to fight back against state corruption, unemployment and insufficient public services. Protesters have taken extensive measures to fight against the government, such as through demonstrations, riots, and online activism. This in turn has caused the government to be violent towards their people, going as far as inciting death and injuries through their torturous methods. When this revolution first took off, many people gathered in Toronto in attempts to raise awareness and donations, however media outlets hardly covered this story or showcased any form of support.
As mentioned earlier, these are only a few conflicts pertaining to the Middle East that are not always brought to light in westernized media. While it is important to acknowledge all of the work that NGO’s and westernized countries have done to alleviate various situations, not enough is being done considering the extent of these situations. A starting point is to raise awareness in the media, not only for the Middle East, but countries around the world that are faced with their own hardships. To media outlets and individuals with large platforms, if we are able to cover issues surrounding the latest celebrity drama, I am pleading that we use our platforms to inform the masses and incite global change.