Building Solidarity Network of Conflict Victim Journalists

SOS signal from news-diggers (A support document for oral keynote presentation by R. K. Regmee at the National Workshop on Building Solidarity Network of Conflict Victim Journalists organized by International Press Institute - Nepal National Committee and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung on 13 May 2005)

By R.K.Regmee

The saga of Nepali journalists who have become conflict victims over the past decade ( particularly after February 1996) does not differ at all from the above - mentioned scenario. Some of the 26 victims who spoke last year in IPI-N programme had indicated the same. All are suffering from the shock of job-loss, dark future and helpless present. The areas they have left do not have the desired flow of information. The International Press Institute - Nepal National Committee has made conscious effort to understand their SOS call and help accordingly. Today's programme seeks to consolidate what was commenced in Lalitpur on 27th April, 2004 when organizers had for the first time drawn attention towards conflict affected journalists by doing something tangible through pooling resources and expressing collective will to help fellow professionals of media. The move could be called historic and sincerely devoted to the cause of free press.

Some observers do not feel happy to see high weightage given to the issue of victim journalists. They follow Paul Collier, economist of Oxford University, and consider countries' civil war loss of 2.2 % of GDP per year as highly serious. (This might put Nepal's loss in 2003 as 66.2 billion rupees.) Viewed against the huge disappointing back drop of the conflict - nearly 12,000 dead, hundreds injured, and thousands displaced, over 25 billion rupees (usually mentioned in public talks) lost in destruction of physical infra structure and over 12 billion rupees (tourism speakers often use this figure) reduced in tourism revenue, several types of economic setbacks caused by series of closures, highway blockade, and unrest and educational backwardness due to disturbance in school premises- the issue might look comparatively somewhat lighter on surface. But in reality the question of displaced journalists is as worrying as the deterioration marking Nepali society these days. It insults the very foundation of free society, free movement and free speech.

Emergence of victim journalists is not a new phenomenon in Nepal. It could be traced to various periods of recent history in one form or another. The latest one refers to news -persons who have suffered because of their reporting on the on- going violent conflict. Their displacement has created a wave of chain reaction in the society.

Over the decade the conflict has seen media in three phases: first confused about what to cover and how to cover, second conditioned in a pattern of coverage of events and issues and third covering conflict with a sense of fear. In all phases journalists appear to have shown a high sense of information flow and responsibility. However, some people strongly feel the conflict got intensified because of the highlight it got in media while others think media tried to play fair in coverage. The conflict -actors have their own version of media coverage. In the study of media of this period, the conflict coverage occupies an important place and journalists engaged in it find a notable niche.

The Issue

The issue of conflict victim journalists is actually related to human right to pursue a profession. It is basically associated with citizens' basic need for earning a living through a profession in a place of choice. Conflict, particularly the violent one, denies all these and produces dependent orphans out of what could be termed an independent, buoyant, intelligent work-force in a society. The impact is not limited to the individual victim, it extends to family and also the community. Ultimately it challenges the values to which free press and free society are committed. As the question of looking after them with a sense of responsibility remains unanswered, the burden of the same gets heavier day by day. It could create further social and economic problems in the long run in both micro and macro level.

Journalistic linkages -forward and backward - with society and information flow are highly sensitive. Any disturbance in it rocks the whole structure, besides paralyzing various processes inside it.

As journalists' job is closely linked with the community and its members, their victimization results in various types of social wounds and fractures. With no journalist to report, the community sinks into dark pit unable to communicate with neighbours and others about their aspirations, need, plan, or problem, pain and difficulties. Only a few could benefit from what is known as "information vacuum." Those who are opposed to values of pluralism and democracy could cherish this scenario marked by complete incommunicado. Others simply suffer in frustration.

The journalists who are victims today may have erred in the past and some of them could have committed blunder in reporting. They should have been given opportunity to correct mistakes and a sense of tolerance should have been displayed because after all they belong to the media-frontier, where neutrality is championed and no personal agenda are advocated. Messengers, they say, enjoy special protocal for protection in all cultures and societies. The dictum of free press presupposes not anarchy but rule of law, not functioning in isolation but working in and with the society and its norms, not prejudice but the reality obtaining in a given context and background.

Peace approach

Although peace - approach is as old as human civilization, the hide and seek between it and violence turns out to be the continuing reality that mankind has seen always in various parts of the world. "Peace has lower priority, as seen clearly when we compare the size of the professional war and peace establishments of states, " some say. Others refer to the connotation of peace: ability to handle conflict, with empathy, nonviolence and creativity. TRANSCEND literature indicates the ABC - triangle meaning "Conflict =Attitudes + Behaviour + Contradiction." At the root of the conflict is a contradiction, the incompatible goals. The conflicts that emerged after the Cold War in various parts of Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa are not exceptions. The conflict Nepal has been witnessing at present also follows more or less the same track and creates series of problems including displaced journalists. The approach advocated by Peace Journalism could be the best way to handle victim journalists.

The term Peace Journalism, it might be recalled, began to be used in 1970s. Galtung found War Journalism as pursuing the style of Sports Journalism with more "focus on winning as the only thing in a zero-sum game of two parties." He preferred to compare Peace Journalism to Health Journalism. "A good Health Correspondent would describe a patient's battle against cancerous cells eating away at the body. But he or she would also tell us about the causes of cancer -lifestyle, environment, genetic make-up, etc. as well as the full range of possible cures and preventative measures."

Solidarity Network

The Solidarity Network is a collective institutional expression of sympathy and cooperation towards victim journalists in one hand and determination to keep up the spirit of the torch of free press in difficult circumstances. It should be allowed to evolve with the dynamics of media - situation and need of the displaced media persons into a common platform, friendly and accessible to all concerned. It acts like a referral centre for those who have been victims.

Principles:

• The Network follows high principles of human rights, democracy and free press. That is why it is determined to help the victim journalists have an opportunity to enjoy the high values. It makes efforts to create an atmosphere in which victim journalists would not be produced.
• It is guided by the idea that conflict victims should neither be ignored nor left helpless.
• The point that conflict actors should always be approached positively for reconsidering their views on conflict victims constitutes one of the directive principles of the Network.
• Dialogue with positive attitude is the tool it uses in approaching the issue of conflict victims and attempting to open the required communication channel all the time.
• Peace journalism is the "Style Book" of the Network. The same guides it in handling conflict victims and conflict issues.
• The three tier time bound process of providing immediate first aid type help, followed up by income generating cum confidence building scheme leading ultimately to full fledged rehabilitation is to be pursued. Care should be taken not to make the conflict victims become permanently dependent on dole-out.

To begin with the Network should first study the status of displaced media persons in the country and analyze their need. The structure of the Network should be determined by the analysis.
To man the Network:
Media houses, journalists in general, communication institutions and members of civil society should be encouraged to join the network as members, or observers or advisors. They should allocate their representatives to man the Network through a committee.
To support
Civil society should be approached for supporting the Network.
Donors should be requested to finance time-bound three tier support system - first aid type help, income generating and confidence building scheme and rehabilitation. Details of the same could be worked out after the status is analysed.
To administer
Journalists in general should be jointly encouraged to administer the three- tier assistance programme.
Programme
The Network should, like TRANSCEND (founded in August 1993 by Johan Galtung and Fumiko Nishimura, Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer as a conflict mediation organization) work out some base for launching programmes. Activities such as action, education, training, dissemination and research deserve special priority consideration in addition to the relief and rehabilitation works. To begin with it could design a programme and implement it in an experimental manner. A broad outline of a draft programme is suggested below:

Assistance programme for victim journalists

Not allowing newspersons to pursue their professions freely would ultimately affect adversely the society and its development. Efforts should, therefore, be made not to allow displacement. The Solidarity Network, among other things, makes people aware of this point and provides the remedial measure for those already suffering from it.