West Africa Network for Peace, WANEP, a civil society organization has cautioned journalists not to compromise their own security when reporting on conflict or sensitive issues such as religion or chieftaincy.
The National Network Coordinator of the WANEP Albert Yelyang said journalists need to make sure that their safety is secured when reporting from conflict zones to prevent mishap.
Mr. Yelyang gave this advice during a day’s training workshop on conflict sensitive reporting in Kumasi in the Ashanti Religion.
The training forms part of UNDP’s project dubbed: “Ghana Peace and Governance Joint Assessment”. Under the project a multi-stakeholder Platform has been established through which some activities will be carried out to prevent electoral violence ahead of the 2020 general election.
Membership of the Platform included Centre for Democratic Development CDD, National Peace Council, Ghana Journalists Association GJA, National Development Planning Commission, Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Office of the Senior Minister and YES Ghana among others.
The training sought to build the capacity of the 30 journalists selected across the country to enable them to report effectively on conflict sensitive issues as well as elections without inciting people.
The National Network Coordinator of WANEP Albert Yelyang said most often conflicts arise as a result of disagreement, misunderstanding, superiorityof one group over the other or through acquisition of power.
He said conflict by itself is not necessarily a problem because it is bound to occur in life. It however becomes a problem when it is violent. He explained that violence does not refer to only physical attack.
But also it includes emotional, verbal and Psychological.
He advised journalists to be culturally sensitive when reporting on conflict in an area.
Mr. Yelyang said journalists need to understand the process of peace and be balanced in their stories. “You should avoid bias, sensationalism and emotions when reporting about conflicts.
Similarly, avoid tribalizing conflictswhen reporting because you may pitch one tribe against the other which will end up escalating the problem”, Mr. Yelyang added.
He said to ensure that journalists are well protectedduring reporting on conflict, they should move in two or more if possible.
They should also always alert their colleagues and offices of their whereabouts as often as possible.
They should also introduce themselves to the security in conflict zones for protection when the need arises.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalist Association Kingsley Hope described the training as apt because election 2020 in drawing near and nearer.
He said journalists cannot practice when there is no social peace.
Ghana, the GJA Chairman noted has experienced pockets of violence in the last decade. The violence ranged from political vigilantism, chieftaincy, land disputes toarmed robbery among others.
Mr Hope said this has displaced many people and denied several others of their livelihoods.
He cited the recent electoral violence at Ayawaso Worgon constituency in Accra where some people were shot and others beaten.
He said these are enough signals that Ghana needs to do more to bring those incidents to an end.
Story filed by GBC’s Sualah Abdul-wahab
