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Sensitive reporting: Panacea to disaster Management

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In a society where insecurity has permeated every sphere of human endeavor, the need for sensitive reporting by professionals of the pen profession who inform or tell the stories; cannot be over-emphasized. Cases abound where an unprofessional journalist who disregards the ethics of this profession by becoming subjective and or bias, escalates a conflict instead of dousing the tension. The Rwandans conflict was said to have had its root in unprofessional media reports which sparked off a war that cost the Rwandan colossal loss of lives and property. YVONNE ISHOLA enlightens us.

 RECENTLY, about sixty journalists were trained on sensitive reporting during disaster or conflict by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North Central Zone, in collaboration with Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), at NUJ Press Centre, Jos. The theme of the workshop was: The Role of the Media in Disaster management.

The workshop was very intensive as the journalists were taken through the nitty grit ties of disaster, from the different types, warning signs, dos and don’ts of rules of engagement. All these were treated within four hours (2 paper presentations by 2 resource persons).

The first paper presentation was done by the Zonal Coordinator, North Central Zone, Mr Eugene Louis Nyelong who was represented by one of his managers. Disaster, according to Nyelong is often a serious and often an accident that usually affects a large number of people with wide economic effects on a community. There are also 3 types of disasters. Namely: Natural Disaster (caused by natural cause’s e.g flood, earthquake, landslide etc) human induced disaster which is caused by negligence or failure of human system leading to conflicts. The third is complex emergence which are situations where livelihoods are disrupted. An example of this include effects of terrorism, banditry like the situation in the North East and Katsina respectively.

Unlike popular opinion regarding NEMA activities, they don’t only exists to manage disaster or mitigate against disaster. One of their major goals is prevention of danger or threat of disaster. It is only when it is inevitable that they manage it to reduce the effect or loss of lives and property.

Some of the activities NEMA engages in include: preparedness, prompt response to any disaster by assessing the severity and moving to action. Rehabilitation and reconstruction is one of their actions that comes to play after a disaster.

Going down memory lane, the journalists were informed about the evolution of NEMA. Even though disaster management is relatively new in Nigeria, in the 20th century, the invent of the Fire Brigade precisely in 1906 was a step in that direction. In 1976, a decree was enacted-disaster management.

What became known as NEMA (acronym) was established in 1999. Its goal or objectives include: To reduce damage and death to the minimal, through early warning etc. Reduce personal suffering by offering shelter, healthcare, clothing, feedings, and safe drinking water especially for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and or connecting them to their loved ones.

NEMA also ensures speedy recovery by using effective response mechanism. There are also activities prior to disaster which include: preparedness, emergency exercises, training, warning systems. They are also activities that reduce effects of disasters. There include building codes, vulnerability analysis, public education.

As experts in disaster management, NEMA sounded the warning that in any disaster situation, think of your own safety first. Don’t endanger your life like jumping into the river to save one who is drowning when you can’t swim. You would end up adding to the number of casualties. Instead, if you can’t help because you are not capable, stay safe and call for help. This is rendering your service and saving a life.

Why train journalists in disaster management? It is well known that in every disaster situation, some of the first people to arrive the scene is usually journalists to get their stories and be able to inform the public. And since one cannot run away from reporting disaster because it is on the rise, it should be encouraged for journalists to do it the right way.

Note that disaster management is a political issue and sets the agenda for the people and government to take action. It is also economic, cultural, environmental issue ad also a gender issue because women suffer the repercussions more.

By reporting disaster issues properly, people get to know issues and reduce the effects of the disaster which in essence reduces the victims. For example, informing people about a flood prone area gets them to move to safer areas.

During disaster, journalists are expected to inform the public with timely and factual information. Inform them on the action to be taken and actions already taken by the authorities to allay the people’s fear and give them hope. Also broadcast and or relay about how well the people are doing. Don’t leave out the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction plans and activities. Help people to better prepare for disaster through word of mouth and media.

Note that your reportage can encourage or initiate dialogue in crisis situation. Nothing is impossible.

The second paper titled: Conflict Sensitive Reporting was taken by Mr James Mannok, former Director of Press Affairs the former Governor of Plateau State Da Jonah David Jang. The former DOPA pointed out that the role of the journalist is to break news as factual as possible. This can be done with ease because technology has ensured speed and dispatch.

Conflict is an ambiguous concept that takes on different meanings for different groups and in different contexts. As bad as the experience is, conflict can lead to positive developments. For example, in Jos, it opened up more areas as development extended to those areas. People also became owners of houses.

One bad characteristic of conflict is that violence is a manifestation of conflict. Surprisingly, when conflict happens, it awakens an interest to better oneself. Unfortunately, journalists like portraying conflict in a bad light or in a negative way.

Conflict is inevitable and takes place in families, churches, mosques, among siblings, party members etc.

As a journalist, it is very important to point out that a conflict could be caused by different triggers than what is obvious. The first step is to find out the root causes. Issues like scarce resources cause conflict, likewise issues patterning perception, difference in opinions, interpersonal relations, uneven distribution of power and structural imbalances. Others include resistance to dominion, human needs (physical and identity titles).

A good example of a cultural violence caused by one group’s perception about another group is Xenophobia suffered by Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. And the perception and treatment of Nigerian business community in Ghana. In the case of xenophobia in South Africa, it led to violence against Nigerians and others and looting and destruction of property.

Cultural violence can take many forms: for example hate speech, xenophobia, myths and legends of war heroes, religious justifications of war (intolerance), gender discrimination, etc.

Structural violence is a harm which is built into laws and traditional behavior of a group or society. Harm is permitted or ignored. It can include: institutional racism or sexism.

Conflict sensitivity is understanding issues within the context wherever you are in a broader background. For instance, socio economic political tensions, root causes- cultural or historical background, as well as structural factors in which one operates because one has the tendency to become violent.

It is not enough to be a professional spectator and distributor of bare facts about a violent conflict. Search for the news beyond the bare facts and present more information to the citizenry. Help the larger society understand the conflict. That way, you will douse the tension.

To douse tension, as a journalist do the following:

Find out how the conflict started. Who are the actors? Consider the conflict from different angles and show how it affects different people to help proffer solution. Conflict analysis is a central component of conflict sensitive reporting.

You should ask probing questions to balance your story. Help to proffer solution. Let these checklists guide your reportage. Avoid representing conflict as a clash between 2 sides that are competing for a goal where the logical result will be one side to win and the other lose. Instead, find other affected interests and include their stories, opinions and goals. For example, hear the opinions of ordinary people.

A lot of people are moving towards solution journalism and not just the ethics but the concept to achieve development. In this regard, avoid sharp distinctions between ‘us’ and ‘them’ (mostly) among religious or ethnic lines.

Avoid defining the conflict by always going to leaders who are known to make familiar demands (not for the common good or national interest) go beyond the elites. Report the words of the ordinary people who may voice the opinion of many.

As a good journalists avoid connecting the conflict with something that only happens in specific places and in specific time where there is violence. Instead, try to determine the relationship and consequences of people elsewhere now and in the future (reprisal attribution). Learn to isolate issues instead of linking them with old wounds.

Avoid assessing violence or policy violence only in terms of visible effects. Find ways to inform on invisible effects. For example, long term consequences of any damage.

A journalist should avoid using strong words like devastated, massacre, genocide (in the wrong context), tragedy, terrorized, powerless, helpless, pathetic etc. To describe what has been done to one group.

Also avoid (blame game) blaming others that they started first. And don’t use emotional and imprecise words. E.g genocide, massacre.

Your write-up should be without dehumanizing words like wicked, cruel, brutal or barbaric. Instead report what you know about inappropriate behavior and provide more information about the authority of the statements.

Another trap is depending on unverified sources. Avoid making opinions into facts. If someone says something, credit it to him/her.

Ask yourself this relevant questions: is the news necessary? What is the public interest?

As journalists, our greatest weapons are our words, images and pictures. Use them wisely.

Pillars of ethical reporting of disaster is for a journalist to explain cause, identify the affected population, stop perpetuating myths, and say the facts. Don’t just report in the midst of an unfolding event. Stick around and give updates. And stop calling them natural disasters.

At the end of the workshop, we were the better for it because ignorance can’t beour excuse anymore.

Among journalists who attended the training was Paul Jatau, the NUJ Chairman of the State. Earlier in his remark, he described the training as timely due to the insecurity situations that abound in the state and environs. “There is no better time to equip journalists with the nuances of reporting disaster or conflict”, Jatau emphasized. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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