Peace Journalism Seminar:

Journalists Challenged To Preach Peace, Reconciliation in Crisis Situations

By Fon Quinter in Bamenda

Journalists at Peace Journalism Seminar

Some 48 media practitioners from the Northwest and West regions of Cameroon have been told to uphold the principles of Peace and reconciliation Journalism in their reports especially with the current crisis plaguing the two English speaking regions of the country.

            This amongst other recommendations was the outcome of a three day workshop on “Peace Journalism and Electoral Reporting” which took place in Bafoussam, West region from July 25th to 27th, 2018 with Professor Steven Youngblood, Director of Center for Global Peace Journalism, who is also a lecturer at the Park University, USA.

            Organized under the theme: “We stand for Peace’”, the workshop which is one in a series is the initiative of the Cameroon Community Media Network, NW Chapter and the Christian Broadcasting Service and is sponsored by Bread for the World, Germany and Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.

            During the workshop the journalists were trained on how to report on peace  journalism which Professor Steven Youngblood described as “editors and reporters making choices about what to report and how to report it…that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non violent responses to conflict”.

            With the advent of social media platforms and the threats it poses to the practice of Journalism, participants were drilled on good social media tips such as avoiding the act of “ copy and paste” and “forwarded as received” which facilitators were unanimous promotes violence especially in a situation of political unrest.

            Speaking after workshop described by participants as timely, Roseline  Obah Akah, Station manager of CBS Bamenda and pioneer president of Cameroon Community Media Network was upbeat that the workshop will go a long way to help the journalists. 

            “I’m very satisfied and should be the happiest person for this three days because it has been three days of active participation and work from CCMN Northwest and west members. I expect that as we leave this workshop, we should come up with practical programs that can effect peace in our various communities” she observed.

            According to some participants, this workshop is very timely as it comes at a moment where journalist are facing a lot of challenges in reporting, caught between government and separatist as a result of the recent social and political unrest in the country.

            According to Mbuh Stella, reporter at Equinox TV “given the crisis we are facing in the two English speaking regions of the country, we should do a lot of reports aimed at building peace and reinstating confidence between government and the population”.

            According to Professor Steven Youngblood, journalist should stand as ambassadors of Peace and give a voice to the voiceless rather than advocating for solutions. He also called on journalist to be objective in their reports as Cameroon will be witnessing presidential elections come October 7, 2018.

            Rounding up the workshop, journalist were called upon to transmit lessons learnt to their media houses and colleagues in order fro peace and tranquility to reign during elections.

            The journalists were also schooled on how to report stories which centers on internally displaced persons and refugees in a manner that will avoid all forms of hate speech and further victimization of the victims.