Tuesday, February 28, 2006

EDITED FOR CLARITY

Spot the difference in these two news items.

The Reuters original in whole:
Maoists rebels set off a land mine under a truck on Tuesday in central India, killing 50 people who belonged to a government-sponsored anti-Maoist group, police said.

The incident comes on the eve of a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush.

"Maoists set off a land mine in Darmagura area in Dantewada district, killing 50 people. The details of injured persons are awaited," senior police officer S.K Paswan told Reuters.

Darmagura, 500 km (300 miles) south of the state capital, Raipur, is a stronghold of Maoists who claim to [be] fighting for the rights of peasants and landless laborers.
The ABC version:
Darmagura, 500 kilometres south of the state capital Raipur, is a stronghold of Maoists, who fight for the rights of peasants and landless labourers.
Now, are we all clear on what's going on here?

Update: The ABC edited the story to reflect its institutional bias; at least it wasn't making stuff up.

1 Comments:

Anonymous weekbyweek said...

Brilliantly spotted.

But the Moaists aren't really claiming to fight for anyone are they - except for some outdated ideology/theology! and of course their own greed for power (bless their little cotton socks)

9:44 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home