Handbook: a Conflict Sensitive Approach to Reporting on Conflict and Violent Extremism

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Handbook: a Conflict Sensitive Approach to Reporting on Conflict and Violent Extremism HANDBOOK A CONFLICT SENSITIVE APPROACH TO REPORTING ON CONFLICT AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM This project is funded by the European Union This project is funded by the European Union HANDBOOK: A CONFLICT SENSITIVE APPROACH TO REPORTING ON CONFLICT AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM Disclaimer: This handbook has been produced within the framework of the “Contributing to stability and peace in Central Asia through media literacy, improved reporting and regional cooperation” Project implemented by Internews and funded by the European Union. The contents of this handbook are the sole responsibility of authors and can not be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and Internews under any circumstances. 1 2 Contents FOREWORD ...............................................................................................................................................................4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........................................................................................................................................5 ABOUT THE AUTHOR .............................................................................................................................................5 OVERALL INTRODUCTION - THE THINKING BEHIND THIS HANDBOOK ..............................................6 PART ONE: CONFLICT SENSITIVE REPORTING .............................................................................................. 7 CASE STUDY: GETTING IT WRONG ...................................................................................................................... 26 CASE STUDY – FOOTBALL FOR PEACE .............................................................................................................. 35 CASE STUDY – A CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH TO COVERING BORDER CONFLICTS ............................ 38 PART TWO: ENHANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF RADICALISATION LEADING TO VIOLENT EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM ....................................................................................................... 44 PART THREE: A CONFLICT SENSITIVE APPROACH TO REPORTING ON RADICALISATION, EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM ..........................................................................................77 CASE STUDY: CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS .................................................................................................. 79 PART FOUR: REPORTING ON TERRORISM .................................................................................................102 CASE STUDY: KEEPING IT REAL .........................................................................................................................108 CASE STUDY: JOURNALISTS HELP TO PROMOTE JUSTICE IN TERRORISM CASE ...............................109 REGIONAL ADVISOR ON CONFLICT PREVENTION OF THE INTERNEWS MIRSAYITOV I.E. .......109 PART FIVE: VIOLENT EXTREMISM ONLINE ...............................................................................................116 BY JEM THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF TRAINING, ALBANY ASSOCIATES ...................................................116 PART SIX: LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF ......................................................................................................129 PART SEVEN: LEGAL ASPECTS WHEN COVERING TERRORISM, EXTREMISM AND RADICALISM IN KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, TAJIKISTAN AND TURKMENISTAN ...................................129 BY AZAMAT TALANTBEK UULU PART SEVEN: LEGAL ASPECTS WHEN COVERING TERRORISM, EXTREMISM AND RADICALISM IN KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, TAJIKISTAN AND TURKMENISTAN BY AZAMAT TALANTBEK UULU ..................................................................................129 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................................................141 3 Foreword While there may be some debate about the precise numbers, it is widely recognised that a disturbing number of people from Central Asia have been recruited in to the ranks of violent extremist groups operating in Syria and Iraq over the past 10 years. It’s also evident that, while these groups have suffered significant setbacks in recent years, their membership has not evaporated and that there is a strong likelihood that Central Asian countries will have to deal with the fallout from these conflicts. There have also been repeated reports of people with connections to Central Asia having played pivotal roles in terror attacks in other countries outside of the Middle East. Over this time, it has also become clear that the groups involved in these conflicts and attacks have become sophisticated users of new technology. They have been effective in leveraging social media and online discussion groups to promote their interests and to recruit new members from across large geographic areas. It is against this background that Internews, with the support of the European Union, launched an ambitious region-wide “Contributing to Stability and Peace in Central Asia” project with the principle aims of equipping media organisations to contribute towards the prevention of violent extremist growth in Central Asia. This multipronged approach has involved the provision of training to journalists, bloggers and other media professionals to equip them to report constructively on questions of radicalisation, extremism and terror. It has also involved the facilitation of courses for communications specialists from government departments, security agencies and religious bodies. These have aimed to prepare specialists to communicate with the media and the public about extremist and terrorist activities and to play a role in helping to prevent the spread of extremism. All of these courses were facilitated by Internews’ media partners in the five Central Asian countries1. Internews contributed towards these courses by workshopping the curricula with trainers drawn from these partner organisations’ and provided ongoing support as these trainers facilitated their workshops. A third prong of this project has involved raising the level of media literacy in the Central Asian countries to equip consumers to engage more critically with content relating to extremism and terror. This Conflict Sensitive Approach to Reporting on Conflict and Violent Extremism Handbook has been developed as part of this programme. It is intended to serve the following functions: • It is resource media trainers can draw on as they present courses to journalists dealing with these subjects. • It provides supplementary information for journalists who have attended these courses and should reinforce lessons that have been learned • It introduces journalists who have not been able to attend these courses to many of the core principles that have been covered. • It should help communication specialists to identify ways in which they can assist journalists wanting to make a constructive contribution through their reporting. While the main thrust of this Internews project has been on the prevention of radicalisation, extremism and terrorism, this handbook also focuses extensively on general principles of conflict sensitive reporting. This more general focus on conflict is important, because it is understood that societies grappling with social conflicts can often serve as greenhouses for the spread of radicalisation and extremism. As such, by assisting journalists to play a role in ameliorating the harmful effects of conflict, it is hoped that Internews can also empower them to contribute to the prevention of radicalisation and extremism leading to terror. Farhod Rahmatov Project Director “Contributing to Stability and Peace in Central Asia” Project Internews 1. See acknowledgements for the names of these partner organisations and the trainers. 4 Acknowledgements This handbook owes its existence to the thousands of journalists who have committed their careers and their lives to building a world in which people from diverse backgrounds can find peaceful solutions to conflicts. It recognises the contributions these reporters, editors, producers, presenters and bloggers have made and aims to make a small contribution to enhancing their ability to make a difference. If it can provide some of these courageous women and men with knowledge and tools they can use as they grapple with this complex subject that it will have served its purpose. The value of having a handbook that brings together principles of conflict sensitive reporting and constructive reporting on radicalisation, extremism and terrorism for Central Asian journalists was the brain child of the team at Internews Central Asia. This team of dedicated media development professionals have made vital contributions towards its coming into being, both during the initial stages of conceptualisation and production phase of the handbook. Special thanks go to Internews Project Director for Central Asia Farhod Rahmatov, Regional Journalism Advisor Irina Chistyakova, Aigul Bolotova, Regional Engagement Manager and Internews Conflict Prevention Advisor Ikbalzhan Mirsaiitov for their critical contributions to their handbook. Thanks also to Internews Programme Managers, Internews Regional Programme Manager Tmur Oganov, Nazym Toganbayeva (Kazakhstan), Aida Umanova (Kyrgyzstan), Sheroz Sharipov (Tajikistan) and Jahongir Nahanov (Uzbekistan), and Regional Programme Assistant Yrysbek Choibalsan Uulu. A number of experts have contributed directly to this handbook and I owe a special vote of thanks to: Jem Thomas ,Albany Associates Ltd Director of Training
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