Peace journalism model for reporting conflict
Title -- 3793 INDONESIA: Peace journalism model for reporting conflict
Date -- 10 October 2002
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- The Jakarta Post, John M. Miller, fbp@igc.org, 12/10/2
Copyright -- JP
Status -- Unabridged
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The Jakarta Post
October 12, 2002
PEACE JOURNALISM A MODEL FOR REPORTING ON CONFLICTS
Soeryo Winoto, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, West Java
It is not easy for a reporter to cover conflicts and report on them in a
neutral manner that is capable of pleasing and satisfying both warring
groups, without the insertion of personal opinions based on the reporter's
religion and ethnicity.
Whereas media reports are expected to contribute in toning down the situation
on the battlefield, reporters, editors and media owners are said to have
their own "visions and missions".
Following various conflicts across the world, the term "peace journalism" was
coined in a bid to remind the media to side with humanity and, at the least,
not to contribute to the worsening of a conflict situation. "Peace
journalism" training sessions for journalists have been held in a number of
places, and speakers at a one-day seminar on Saturday reiterated their
importance.
The seminar on globalization, religion and the media was held in Bandung by
the Bandung Islamic University (Unisba), German Service for Academic Exchange
(DAAD), and the Ilmenau University of Technology.
Thomas Hanitzsch of the Ilmenau University of Technology, one of the
speakers, said that the media must be extra careful in reporting conflicts.
"Sometimes, the media may even stimulate terror simply because of its
existence: The Taliban, for example, might not have destroyed the Buddha
statues in Bamiyan if it was not assured of extensive coverage by the global
media."
Later in his paper, Hanitzsch turned his attention to the Maluku conflict. He
clearly showed how media outlets changed their positions based on their
respective interests in the conflict between religious communities in Maluku.
The prolonged clashes between Muslims and Christians destroyed harmony within
Suara Maluku, the sole daily newspaper published in Ambon up to 1999.
Christian and Muslim journalists had been working side by side in the paper
for years. When the war broke out and the city of Ambon had been divided into
various Muslim and Christian ghettos, things changed in the newspaper, whose
offices were located within a Christian area.
"Over time, it became apparent that to a high degree reports submitted by
Muslim journalists did not get published as the editorial offices were
controlled by Christians," Hanitzsch said. "Some days later, all the names of
Muslim journalists suddenly disappeared from the masthead."
More surprisingly, the main shareholder of Suara Maluku, the Surabaya-based
Jawa Pos Group, decided to split the newspaper into separate Christian and
Muslim papers: The Ambon Ekspres, which represented the interest of Maluku's
Muslim minority, was born.
Hanitzsch warned that if national media coverage in a multiethnic and
multireligious country like Indonesia sided with one party in a certain
conflict, it could lead to the threat of a metastasis of the crisis,
affecting territories outside of the core conflict area. Hanitzsch cited the
conflicts in Lombok, which occurred after the conflict erupted in Maluku,
though the role of the media here is not clear.
Another speaker, Santoso S. Hamijoyo, noted the intricacy and sensitivity of
social conflicts, rendering them difficulty to cover in an objective,
value-free fashion compared to lighter subjects. The question was how honest
journalists could be in view of the conflicting interests of the various
groups involved or associated with social conflicts, Santoso, a professor of
communications, said.
All parties, including journalists, would find it difficult, though not
impossible, to remain objective or interest-free in the face of conflicts,
especially pervasive conflicts with serious and multiple ramifications in
society.
Reporters could be honest in their news writing about a conflict; but they
might not be capable of revealing what was concealed below the surface,
Santoso said.
In Indonesia, one of the first introductions to peace journalism was the
arrangement of a visit of a group of reporters to the Central Sulawesi
capital of Palu in November 2000.
The visit, sponsored by the British Council and led by facilitators Jake
Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick, was aimed at experimenting with peace
journalism in the context of the Poso conflict.
Still, maybe only a few know what peace journalism is really all about and
what it means for the day-to-day work of reporters.
Similar to the concept of "development journalism", peace journalism emerged
from a normative view on what the media does and what it should do, Hanitzsch
said.
By definition, peace journalism is a program or pattern of journalistic news
coverage that contributes to the journalists' "snaking" when covering and
seeking sources, and coverage which promotes peace. This implies that peace
journalism does not just simply mean the outcome of journalistic work, but
also refers to how journalists act and perceive their roles in reporting
conflicts.
"The concept of peace journalism looks quite suitable, especially for Asian
cultures where the purpose of communication is to generate social harmony and
freedom," Hanitzsch said.
What does peace journalism mean for the day-to-day work of a reporter?
Journalists may say it's just basic, good journalism -- but the tips for
conflict reporting as cited by Hanintzsch are indeed essential reminders.
The following 10 practical suggestions are quoted from Johan Galtung and
Richard C. Vincent, drawing on the coverage of the second Gulf war in 1991:
1. Cover both sides
2. Push to get access to locations, people and topics
3. Don't stick to elites as news sources
4. Avoid glorifying warfare technology
5. Don't cut out "blood and guts" stories since they show the real horrors of
war
6. Publish accounts on "ordinary" people
7. Provide background information
8. Be aware of spin-doctors who try to manipulate you
9. Accounts on how media or journalists cover conflicts should not push the
actual conflict aside
10. Communicate and support peace initiatives.
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