We join the global community in expressing our condolences for those killed in the terrorist attack in Paris and equally condemn such a cowardly act. However, the responses of Western nations to attacks often reveal a great deal about their worldview concerning the rest of the world.
As is typical, the BBC covered the Paris attacks extensively on November 14, 2015, but did not afford the same level of coverage to similar incidents occurring in the so-called “third world” (see the article: [Fanaticism in the Name of Freedom](https://dayanandbharati.in/fanaticism-in-the-name-of-freedom/)). To them, the ‘real world’ seems confined to Europe, Scandinavia, and North America. The rest of the globe (note: not the world) appears to be inhabited by individuals they do not fully recognize as part of their sphere of concern.
When the BBC broadcasted the condemnation from “world leaders,” it primarily highlighted the statements from the heads of state of the US, Canada, Russia, and Germany. Israel was included due to its strategic alliance with the US, and Syria was mentioned due to its association with ISIS. However, the BBC did not cover the expressions of sympathy and condemnation from leaders in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. For instance, the Indian Prime Minister, who was in London at the time, tweeted his condemnation of the attack, yet this was not acknowledged in the BBC’s coverage.
This oversight may not have been intentional, but it reflects a deep-seated bias and a tendency to undervalue perspectives from beyond their own world. While Western nations often vocally address human rights violations in other parts of the world, they fail to extend the same respect to those outside their immediate sphere of influence.
Although we empathize with the pain and suffering caused by such terrorist attacks, this disregard for other regions represents a form of racial insensitivity that persists among some Western entities. Indian media covered the Paris attacks, possibly driven by TRP concerns, while downplaying other significant incidents closer to home, such as the election results in Myanmar. For broadcasters like the BBC, the “real world” seems to be limited to those who share their skin color and worldview. I am relieved not to conform to their narrow perspective.
18-11-2018
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