With a stroke of his brush a cartoonist can depict in his work, though in a humorous way, as serious an issue as corruption or a sensitive social issue that is a taboo.
But columnists do not usually take such liberties and are more reserved and cautious in their writings and discuss an issue they think is sensitive in a roundabout manner.
“I think, as far as the written word is concerned, one of the main reasons is self-censorship by newspaper editors-in-chief,” says famous columnist Faisal Al Marzouqi.
“They do the balancing act in order to toe the official line. Most of the time they give the justification that there is a foreign conspiracy (targeting Qatar) so we should not give them a chance to take undue advantage.”
“But how long can we continue to use such excuses and justifications? This must end at some point because at the end of the day the editor and the columnist are working towards the same goal.”
Cartoonists enjoy much more freedom. They poke fun at people and situations and make people laugh with their satire, said Al Marzouqi.
“Sometimes they are more critical than a columnist. They poke fun and the way they criticise is humorous but it has a powerful message.”
The way they present their work makes even top officials laugh. “Their work is accepted. They address even serious issues in a satirical yet entertaining and lovely way. People enjoy it,” the columnist said.
According to prominent caricaturist Salman Al Malek, Qatari cartoonists enjoyed official patronage and freedom through the 1980s and 1990s, so local talent has boomed.
In caricaturist Abdulaziz Al Sadiq’s view Qatari cartoonists have played a prominent role in the Qatari press. Both Al Sadiq and Al Malek believe that cartoonists have played a bigger role in the local press because of the freedom they enjoy.
“The way they caricature ministers and senior government officials has over the years come to be accepted by the people and officialdom,” says Al Malek.
But celebrated cartoonist Ghanem Al Sulaiti differs, and says he doesn’t see newspaper cartoonists adding anything new to what has already been done.
“What we see today is just an artistic variation and nothing new and creative,” says Al Sulaiti.
See also page 2
