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War on Words

War on Words. Who should protect journalists in conflict?. A free press can of course be good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom it will never be anything but bad… Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better, whereas enslavement is a certainty of the worse. Albert Camus.

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War on Words

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  1. War on Words Who should protect journalists in conflict?

  2. A free press can of course be good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom it will never be anything but bad… Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better, whereas enslavement is a certainty of the worse. Albert Camus

  3. Would you be willing to die for your job?

  4. Reporting for Conflict… • Perhaps one of the most dangerous assignments • Increased dangers beyond obvious stray bullet • Insurgents, governments and government agents increasingly targeting journalists • Most effective way to silence free reporting • Chilling effect on honest reporting

  5. Why is good journalism necessary in conflict situations? • Democracy and journalism rely on each other to function properly • Democracy performs best when government acquires its ruling power from the governed • Journalism works best when given freedom to report the truth • Official wars are conducted in the name of the people of a country and they need accurate information about how war is waged in their name • Unofficial conflicts or places where journalists are not allowed to function freely represent areas where democracy is at risk

  6. The first casualty of war is Truth! • Today’s conflicts are not restricted to bombs and guns • Violence is decentralized and often directed at civilians • They are fought with words and images • Remember the power of language with regard to conflict sensitive reporting • Propaganda: the public andmilitary must be taught to hate the enemy • It’s a battle for the hearts and minds

  7. Challenges of protecting journalists in conflict in the Digital Age • Difficulty in determining the enemy • Difficulty in determining the journalist • Wars are no longer fought on front lines • Rise in 24-hour news coverage and need for more stories of conflict • Perceived or real lack of objectivity • Impunity for perpetrators

  8. Statistics • More than 1,000 journalists have been killed in the past 10 years for doing their jobs • Committee to Protect Journalists: 863 journalists killed since 1992 • http://www.cpj.org/killed/

  9. Examples • Anna Politkovskaya 2006 • Massacre in Mindanao 32 journalists killed • Eynulla Fatullayev in prison for 4 years • Urmar Cheema, Pakistan 2010 • Lara Logan assaulted in Egypt in 2011

  10. What can be done? • International laws • Geneva Conventions protect civilians and by extension, journalists • But the question remains… should journalist be granted special protections? • 2006 UN Resolution 1738: Special protections for journalists • Human Rights Council special attention • Press Emblem Campaign

  11. What can be done? • NGOs practice of “name and shame”? • Better trained journalists? • Rory Peck Trust • http://www.rorypecktrust.org/ • More safety equipment supplied by employer? • Media literacy education? • Conflict-sensitive reporting? • Staying home?

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