IN THIS ISSUE

• Reports from Nepal, Uganda, Lebanon, The Bronx, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Mexico

• PJ and ethics symposium at Park U.

• Lynch, Youngblood on Syria and PJ

Finding Untold Stories: Afghan Voices

A publication of the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University Vol 2 No. 2 - October 2013 April 2013 October 2013

What is Peace Journalism? Journalists seek untold Afghan stories Peace Journalism is when editors and reporters make choices that improve By Rachel Kohn the prospects for peace. These choices, including how to frame stories and Afghan journalist Emal Haidary, 31, carefully choosing which words are used, create an atmosphere conducive to grew up in a family imbued with a peace and supportive of peace initiatives and peacemakers, without compro- great value for education. His mother The Peace Journalist is a mising the basic principles of good journalism. (Adapted from Lynch/McGold- was a teacher, his father worked at semi-annual publication of rick, Peace Journalism). Peace Journalism gives peacemakers a voice while Ministry of Education, and his siblings the Center for Global Peace making peace initiatives and non-violent solutions more visible and viable. joined the ranks of pilots, doctors, Journalism at Park University and engineers. Growing up in Kabul during the years of civil war and Tali- in Parkville, Missouri. Contents: ban rule, Emal says, “the only thing The Peace Journalist is dedi- Jake Lynch: Circularity in Syria 5 that gave us hope to live on was our education.” cated to disseminating news and information for and about Demonizing al-Assad 7 Emal studied law and politics and says teachers, students, and prac- he could have entered those fields titioners of peace and conflict PJ project in Lebanon 8 if he wanted to. Instead, in 2001 he sensitive journalism. began working informally for foreign Mexican journalist seeks peace 10 media outlets. He describes Afghans Submissions are welcome then as hostages to the Taliban and from all. We are seeking PJ debunks myths in The Bronx 12 world opinion, unable to react and in need of a voice. “From the very shorter submissions (300-500 Ugandans hope to “Let Peace Prevail” 13 beginning, I wanted to change the words) detailing peace jour- image of my country that was unfor- nalism projects, classes, pro- Biased reporting in Nigeria 14 Recording untold stories in Afghanistan as part of Afghan Voices project. posals, etc. We also welcome Rachel Kohn is completing her Masters in International Media at tunately introduced to the world after do less harm in inciting violence and longer submissions (800-1200 American University. Before moving Media ethics symposium 16 9/11,” he says. conflict and do more good in provid- words) about peace or conflict to the DC area, she ran her own small ing information. Through this we try business as a public relations consul- sensitive journalism projects Criminal justice must learn PJ tactics 18 Finding Untold Stories to make sure right is distinguished or programs, as well as aca- tant and freelance writer in Jerusalem, Israel. She graduated from Brandeis from wrong, truth from falsehood, In 2010, Emal co-created Afghan Voic- demic works from the field. University connects with Gaza 20 University in 2007 with Bachelors de- real from imaginary, the constructive grees in Political Science and Environ- es, a six-month “peace journalism” from the destructive, and the moral Editor: Steven Youngblood, Conflict analysis in Indonesia 22 mental Studies, two of her passions. training program for teens and people from the immoral,” he says. Director, Center for Global While attending a religious studies in their early 20s from different ethnic Peace Journalism PJ guides Pakistan election coverage 24 program in the West Bank town of backgrounds and provinces across “Rather than running from bomb- Elkana from 2002-2003, she volun- Afghanistan. In addition to learning ing to bombing, writing and talking Park University. teered as a foreign correspondent for to tell stories through pictures, video almost entirely about sadness and de- Editorial Advice: her hometown paper, reporting on the and text– the focus is mainly on video struction, peace journalism tells about John Lofflin, Park University Second Intifada and life in the shadow because Afghanistan’s media is mostly the struggles and triumphs of a place. Design-logo, masthead: of the U.S.-Iraq War. oral– the program includes seminars It tells of history, hope and happi- Jeff Smith, Park University Beirut, on conflict analysis and transforma- ness. That is why we started to pursue Lebanon tion to update the concepts of bal- ‘peace journalism’ in Afghanistan.” Contact: peace ance, fairness and accuracy in report- [email protected] journal- ing. Trainees produce content that Afghans are best equipped to tell their own stories, says Emal, and the Center for Global Peace ism goes beyond what Emal describes as program is an opportunity for people Journalism, Park University project, the common narrative of Afghanistan page 8 portrayed in the world media: a coun- from different ethnic backgrounds 8700 NW River Park Dr try newsworthy for violence only. and different parts of the country to Parkville, MO 64152 interact meaningfully while learning www.park.edu/peacecenter “For us in Afghanistan, a country in together. After a period of basic train- war, peace journalism is like swim- ing at the Kabul office, participants ming against the current. We try to Continued on next page pg 2 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 3 October 2013 October 2013 Finding Afghan voices from Pg 3 go home and return to the capital been funded by the U.S. embassy their families; and documentaries cel- Jake Lynch: Circularity on Syria once a month to share their work and in Kabul since its inception. While ebrating the innovation and courage hone their skills. Content is produced the latter relationship may raise the of individuals overcoming challenges By Jake Lynch training courses all over the world is on a minute’. in Dari and Pashto with English sub- eyebrows of an American cynic, Haid- and breaking down barriers to change. It felt, as baseball legend Yogi Berra from the BBC’s main television news The UK’s present Coalition govern- titles, or entirely in English. ary is blunt at the suggestion of any once famously remarked, ‘like déjà vu bulletin, one evening in December ment has never had the unequivocal editorial oversight. “The embassy has Going through the website, one also all over again’. Here was the London 2002. Claims about Saddam Hussein’s support from its own side – whether “We sent them back to their home no and zero influence on the stories realizes that while the focus the Sunday Times, reporting that Britain’s ‘weapons of mass destruction’ are in parliament or the press – for join- provinces to search and find their un- we make,” he says. The trainees know program is on positive portrayals of participation in a military strike on being transmuted, before the viewer’s ing in US-led military adventures that told stories,” says Emal, “They would where the funding comes from “and Afghanistan and civic-minded stories, Syria was assured – all that remained very eyes, into apparent facts – by the its Blair-led predecessor sometimes come back with stunning and genu- they are happy about it, because a these teens do not whitewash life in to be finalised was the military hard- use of unnamed ‘officials’ and ‘diplo- enjoyed. The Daily Telegraph, seen as ine stories that I, as a journalist who lot of good projects are funded by their country and somehow shed the ware that would be involved. mats’. have been in this business for over a the U.S.” The work of Afghan Voices scars of a life lived in the shadow of the ruling Conservative Party’s ‘house decade now, never knew about.” trainees and alums is featured in conflict. Short documentaries dealing How did the paper claim to know There’s something fundamentally journal’, led its Tuesday edition with media outlets such as Global Post, with poverty or the brutal repression this? Its front-page lead story was at- misleading in this style of reporting. an opinion poll showing the Brit- As director of Afghan Voices and also National Geographic, and TV 1, the of the Taliban however, serve as a ve- tributed to ‘a Downing Street source’, As Annabel McGoldrick and I explain ish public decidedly cool on military the senior trainer, Emal oversees the second most popular TV station in hicle for raising social awareness and one of those euphemisms that seems in our book, Peace Journalism, the action in Syria. Words like ‘alleged’ program while preparing the curricu- Afghanistan, and their short films exploring the national psyche through to imply involvement by the Prime sources are modelled as passive – and ‘suspected’ began to reappear lum, leading trainings, and approving have received acclaim at domestic and the experiences of individuals. Minister himself, but almost certainly custodians of privileged knowledge in BBC News bulletins in connec- story proposals. This year the pro- international film festivals. indicates a briefing from a Special about something that already exists, tion with the chemical attack widely gram accepted 15 applicants out of Jalaluddin “Jalal” Jamshidy, a 19-year Adviser. Further confirmation was which sufficiently well-placed journal- blamed, by politicians in Washington 400, and the four instructors working A visit to the Afghan Voices website old from Herat, speaks from the heart supplied by other old favourites: ‘a ists can chisel out, as it were, from the and supportive capitals, on the Assad under Emal are graduates of the first reveals content as eclectic as it is in a blog post written two months into US military source’ and ‘Washington newsface – and present to readers ‘regime’. cycle. engrossing. There is a segment about the training program: sources’. and audiences. the change in popular fashion since The House of Commons Speaker re- Afghan Voices operates under the the fall of the Taliban, set to catchy “I believe in happy and prosperous It all had the most uncanny ring of A much more persuasive way of minded everyone of the Prime Minis- auspices of the Afghanistan New beats; stories of children working future for Afghanistan, because I have familiarity. A piece of video I have regarding what is underway in such ter’s promise to give MPs a chance to Generation Organization, and has from morning to night to provide for seen potentials in young generation. used in peace journalism classes and stories is that the sources are ac- vote on such a move – clearly, David The only thing they need is educating tive, trying to bring about a state of Cameron was not going to get away and guiding these talents. After more affairs that is as yet unformed – the with hiding behind another of Berra’s Associate Professor Jake Lynch is than four decades, hearing just the transformation, in both cases, of the storied bons mots: ‘I really didn’t say Director of the Centre for Peace and sounds of gun fire and panzer, being Conflict Studies at the University of climate of public opinion and expecta- everything I said’. witness of suicide attacks and killing a Sydney, and a Senior Research Fellow tions, and the delimitation of possible lot in this country, yet we, the young at the School of Communication of dissent. It is, Gaye Tuchman declares In the event, the debate and votes generation are much more ener- the University of Johannesburg. His in a famous piece of research on were equivocal, but one principle getic and ready to grow up and make book, A Global Standard for Reporting newsroom procedures, the willingness emerged loud and clear: as Opposi- changes in this community. This is all Conflict, has just been published by of journalists to ‘mistake reporting tion leader Ed Miliband put it, any re- not all about Afghanistan and Afghans Routledge: conventions for facticity [that] renders sponsible decision on military strikes that you see the pictures daily, there reality vulnerable to manipulation’. would have to follow the evidence http://routledge-ny.com/catalogs/ are extremely fabulous things with from UN inspectors on the ground routledge_research_media_and_com- Perhaps we should have expected the in Damascus – not the other way great and prideful characters. (So) munication/1/10/ let’s just make it appear, let’s just take push for military action to come when round. The situation before the 2003 step through, let’s just expand our it did. The edition of the Sunday Times invasion of Iraq, that – in the words purpose, just show it, just thunder it that led on the ‘Syria strikes’ story of a leaked memo from Sir Richard up.” came at the end of the silly season, Dearlove, the head of MI6 – ‘the when business-as-usual goes on intelligence and the facts are being His words capture the spirit of Afghan holiday leaving journalists in the UK to fixed around the policy’, had been Voices: the infectious hope and deter- fill pages and programme slots with effectively reversed. mination to tell a new story about a skateboarding ducks and men who beloved country. impersonate trombones. As the week- When the Obama Administration, end news cycle passed on the initia- too, announced that legislators would Reprinted with permission from The tive to Monday morning, however, a get their say, the satirical magazine, Culture-ist magazine. For more about few more experienced hacks started Private Eye, couldn’t resist: ‘Huge Afghan Voices, see: http://www.the- to filter back into the office and -mut Reporters use multimedia tools as part of Afghan Voices project. Continued on next page cultureist.com/ . ter that time-honoured phrase, ‘hang pg 4 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 5 October 2013 October 2013 Lynch: PJ and Syria from Pg 5 Turning Assad into the enemy crowds spilled out on to the streets of cities throughout fund a London-based agency, the Transnational Crisis Proj- By Steven Youngblood the Middle East last night declaring that the American ect, to run a Syrian Media Development Initiative. Study: Personification of Bashar Al-Assad in As the U.S. marched towards a seemingly inevitable (but Spring was well and truly underway, with democracy tak- English language media ing hold in backward countries where it was long thought The twin aims of the program are to foster ‘The develop- now postponed) involvement in Syria, the media increas- dead’. ment and professionalisation of the Syrian media land- ingly used words that personified the alleged threat posed 8/1-8/15 pre chemical attack scape’ and (thereby) to contribute to ‘The reduction of by Syria, according to a recent study. This means that after 9547 articles on Syria The delay to US-led military action – for, at the time of inter-community violence and the transformation of the the chemical attack on Aug. 21 more stories were pub- Search on Lexis-Nexis database, under “all English media”: writing, it looked likely to be just that, a delay – left space Syrian conflict’. The TCP invited me to offer a short inten- lished that substituted “Assad’s army” or “Assad’s chemi- The word Syria plus search terms Assad’s army, Assad’s for non-mainstream media to raise alternative perspec- sive training course in London to its program team, which cals” for the terms “Syrian army” or “Syrian chemicals”. troops, Assad’s forces, Assad’s military, Assad’s soldiers, tives, including a wide range of suggestions in the rare gave rise to some interesting thoughts and discussions. Assad’s armed forces, Assad’s aggression, “his army”, “his peace journalism category of ‘solution-oriented’. In other words, media framed the possible war increas- chemicals”, “Assad’s chemicals” The web-based media whose journalists largely make up ingly as being the U.S. vs. Bashar Al-Assad himself. Why? Total mentions=111 (72 under “his chemicals”, 34 under “his The New Scientistapplied some much-needed special- the initiative’s target participants are not, as expected at Many would argue that personification makes it easier to army”) ist knowledge to the question, editorialising: ‘It is highly the inception of the program, now reporting in a post- sell to conflict to the public. My colleague Professor John Percentage 111/9574= Personification in .011 % of stories improbable that the threat [from chemical weapons] Assad transition, but in a situation where most of them, Lofflin prefers the term personalization to describe this 8/28-9/11 post chemical attack can be reduced by bombing the stockpiles’. Instead, at least, are openly aligned with some or other element of notion that journalists make one person the symbol of the 43,329 articles (minimum) on Syria –more than quadruple outsiders concerned to help should supply ‘antidotes to the opposition forces. war. Whatever it’s called, the danger in this approach is the after the chemical attack. (MINIMUM—Lexis-Nexis maxes nerve agents – mainly atropine and pralidoxime injected misperceptions that are created, along with the mistaken out at 3,000 search hits per day. 12/15 days studied hit the into?muscle [which] in the hours and What, then, does peace journalism mean notion that eliminating one bad guy would easily end the maximum). days after a sarin attack can save lives for them? Perhaps, I spent the course war. Certainly, that didn’t happen with Saddam Hussein or Same search conducted and reduce the chances of chronic symp- Avoiding easy stereo- suggesting, the aims should be modest. with Osama bin Laden. Total mentions=6022 (5613 under “his chemicals”, 175 under toms in survivors’. types and perhaps One problem in the reporting of the con- “Assad’s chemicals”, 168 are under “his army”) flict has been the over-simplified model In the case of personifying the Syrian conflict in the person Percentage 6022/43,329=Personification in .13% of stories – The Avaaz social media network rallied its inquiring more deeply of a ‘sectarian divide’ – adduced by of President Bashar al-Assad, the study referenced earlier More than 10 times the previous personification mentions. into people’s motives concludes that this personification--the use of terms like members and supporters to urge an up- President Obama himself as he attempted NOTE: Even if there were twice as many articles on Syria not grade in diplomacy: ‘Iran’s new moderate could only help. to manage perceptions of what military “Assad’s chemicals”, “Assad’s army”, “his military”--in- found because of the 3,000 daily limit on the Lexis Nexis president condemned the gassing and action could achieve. Avoiding such easy creased more than ten-fold in the two week period before search, there would still be 5 times the personification men- Obama signalled he’d work with “any- stereotypes, and perhaps enquiring more the chemical attacks as compared to the same period after tions as before the chemical attack. body” to resolve the conflict. Let’s urgently call on both deeply into people’s motives for their positions in the the attacks. (see study details in sidebar). leaders to sit down to talks and bring the warring parties conflict, could only help. region. Sociologist Todd Gitlin told the Washington Post together before any more lives are lost’. One question unanswered in this study is whether these in 1990 that “personalizing evil makes it difficult to learn Then, one distressing – and intriguing – aspect of the were terms that originated in quotes by administration about a country most Americans know little about. When Up to now, the interventions already underway have conflict is the sheer movement of people it has brought spokespeople, or whether journalists themselves gener- I see ‘Eyes of the killer,’ I know this is hysteria. But when I encouraged the parties to the Syria conflict to prolong it about. News audiences all over the world are now famil- ated these phrases. see ‘Dictator’ who will stop at nothing to control the price – with the aim, among the anti-Assad forces, of prompt- iar with the plight of refugees in neighbouring countries, of oil,’ I don’t know if it’s true. I rather assume that it is.” ing western military intervention on their side. A corner- but their numbers are far exceeded by those who’ve had The personification of a perceived threat is as old as war stone of diplomatic approaches from the US, its allies and to decamp to other areas of Syria itself. How have they itself. Alexander Nickolaev from Drexel University writes There are close parallels between Saddam and with Assad friends has been to assume that President Assad must go, been welcomed in by host communities? Who is working about this in, “Why media go along with government war and Syria, which is, after all, a country Americans know as the pre-requisite of any substantive talks. to maintain an orderly and civil society, and how? There plans.” One of his main contentions is that war is easier to little about. Certainly, demonizing an opponent is easier, might be tales of forbearance, generosity, even heroism, sell when it is presented as “good guys vs. bad” and when cleaner, and perhaps more effective than attempting to This has had the effect of incentivising the government to in the everyday reality. there is a “vilified” enemy. (Critical Sociology, 2009). explain the eccentricities of global diplomacy. intensify its own efforts for a military ‘victory’, since the only alternative is defeat and destruction: ‘to resign is to Syria will need journalists who are willing and able to One example of personification was Saddam Hussein, who As peace journalists, it’s important that we are aware flee’, Assad told an interviewer from an Argentine newspa- seek out such stories and show alternatives to conceiving upon invading Kuwait in 1990 went from a little-known dic- of personification tactics and how they are used to sell per, with everything that implies for his family and friends. of one’s situation in terms of a tug of war. The political tator to the embodiment of evil. This narrative, of course, conflicts. Journalists need to more carefully consider the was embraced by the George H.W. verbiage we use, whether it is in The fate of Colonel Gaddafi, shot in a Libyan ditch with changes needed to instill peace with justice can only be Steven Youngblood scarcely a murmur of protest from countries that suppos- brought about through non-violent means. The actions Bush administration as an easy way quotes or not. Are they really “Assad’s to convince the public of the neces- is director of the chemicals?” We need to lead a discus- edly value the rule of law, must feel like a grim augury. and motives of outside parties who’ve already intervened Center for Global – whether openly or implicitly – are, at best, mixed. Both sity of the first gulf war. However, sion about the dangers inherent in when evil is personified and thus Peace Journalism at personification as we ask tough ques- So, the Assad regime has defied widespread expectations inside the country and further afield, there is an urgent Park University in oversimplified, as it was with Sad- tions that expose oversimplifications. by hanging on in power, for now at least. Those were need for good, professional journalism to hold power to Parkville, Missouri certainly the expectations of the UK government, which account by enabling critical scrutiny of dominant accounts. dam, it leaves the public with little and author of “Pro- It’s our job to help the public under- through its Foreign and Commonwealth Office, agreed to In that, peace journalism has its part to play. understanding of the real conflict or fessor Komagum.” stand that the ‘good guys vs. bad’ about the countries in the conflict model doesn’t reflect reality. pg 6 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 7

October 2013 April 2013

MAP hosts PJ projects, discussions in Beirut Lebanon from Pg 8 from Pg 8 By MAP The seminar participants displayed The second seminar was held from The Media Association for Peace, their articles in front of the audience May 24 – 26 for three days also, and MAP, hosted a two week peace jour- at AltCity’s public discussion, high- it targeted a new group of media stu- nalism project in Beirut, Lebanon in lighting that both representatives of dents and young journalists that “aim May featuring two seminars, a train- the political parties agree on giving to change the reality through chang- ing for professional journalists, and a women their rights in Lebanon, as ing the media that reflects it,” ac- public forum. well as their agreement on many cording to Bassil. “The main focus of economic and social issues like road The first seminar was held at UNESCO peace journalism in Lebanon is to find regulations, free education, social Palace from May 19 -21 was ad- common ground between all sides security, and civil law for personal vanced, as it approached media that are in conflict with one another status. The students also mentioned students and young journalists that and staying away from propaganda Samya’s initiative in inviting Nehme have previously participated in Peace that every side seeks to promote,” she to a panel discussion between the Journalism Workshops in 2011 and said. Syrian Social Nationalist Party and 2012 who were already a part of the the Lebanese Phalangist Party aiming Bassil and Youngblood, the instruc- MAP team, according to MAP Found- to find solutions to “common” issues tor for the second seminar as well, er & President, Vanessa Bassil. (Above, right) Participants in the May and concerns. The peace journalists indicated that the beginning peace Lebanon peace journalism project. announced that they will personally journalism seminar was unique in that This seminar was taught by Steven lame utopian news, but rather about follow up in achieving this discussion it assembled a press conference simu- Youngblood of the Center for Global constructive action plans and promis- and covering it, in addition to publish- lation that gathered the Syrian Social Peace Journalism and Bassil, who ing initiatives that can really change ing the media material they produced Nationalist Party general executive for taught a session on evaulating peace something about the way we live.” in the seminars in an exclusive blog to university students, Wissam Smaya, in Lebanese media. The hands-on the Lebanese Peace Journalists. portion of the seminar was cover- with Lebanese Phalangist Party activ- Manl Nasr agreed. She said, “The age of Syrian refugees in Beirut that ist, young lawyer Michele Nehme; most valuable part in the seminar was Also at the public discussion, Young- “served as practice on Peace Journal- exclusively for MAP. the common ground found between blood shared with the audience his ism principles that digress from preju- two different Lebanese political par- first experience in teaching peace Seminar participants were intrigued dices and stereotypes,” said Bassil. ties who never sat together to dis- journalism in Lebanon after his visits by the press conference. Maya Ma- cuss any common projects for better to Uganda, Turkey, Jordan, Georgia, jzoub noted, “The politicians’ press One participant, Aisha Habli, said that Lebanon. Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan, noting conference...demonstrated that, un- the Syrian refugee reporting project the fruitful interaction between him like the general misconception, peace was especially useful. “I loved go- As peace journalists, we managed to and the peace journalism students journalism can indeed create and ing out to the streets of Beirut and gather them in a press conference and and journalists in which he visited sell a good story. That is, having two interviewing misplaced and refugee end up with new common projects at their media institutions. When opposing politicians publicly agree on Syrians. The information I gathered related to women’s rights and better discussing the context of the applica- putting their hands together to work was much more than the sound bites education. The cooperation shown tion of peace journalism, Youngblood out something constructive for their I recorded for the radio report we did. by these two parties in the end of the addressed social media tools and its country can also be considered a The interviews taught me to value the conference was a great achievement important role in spreading a peace “scope”, in journalistic terms. Basical- stories behind the faces and voices, and a proof of how we as peace jour- culture, as well as its risks. and how they each carry a unique ly, the conference experiment proved nalists can reduce the sectorianism by message, and I, the journalist, am the that peace journalism is not about seeking common ground.” Youngblood also answered the audi- messenger,” Habli noted. ences’ questions at the public discus- The project, co-organized by Master- MAP- Media Association for sion and listened to their comments Peace Club-Lebanon, concluded with Peace ([email protected]) is and opinions on all discussed matters. the first non-profit organization a Peace Journalism public discussion in Lebanon, the Middle East and at AltCity, Beirut. The public discus- At the end of the discussion, highlight- North Africa region dedicated sion was attended by journalists and ing the end of the peace journalism to work on Peace Journalism activists in civil society, in addition to project; Youngblood and Bassil distrib- through training, networking, journalism and media students from uted certificates to the participants publishing and researching.It was several universities in Lebanon who of the seminars, encouraging them launched in Beirut, in June 2013. participated in the two seminars. to spread peace in Lebanon through MAP was founded by its current their journalistic work. director Vanessa Bassil. Continued on next page pg 8 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 9 October 2013 October 2013 Mexican peace journalists seek better world Mexico’s peace correspondent from Pg 10 By Cristina Avila-Zesatti War journalism vs. peace journalism In mid 2006, being a post-grad student of the Escuela de Cultura de Pau (Cultural School of Peace), at the Autonomous It is not only economic factors that weigh down the seman- University of Barcelona, I decided to write my thesis on the violence in Mexico. tics and syntax that the media use in order to transmit this violent image of reality today, it is also a question of seman- It was a very painful job tacking together the many tissues of horror that are entertained in my country, but, above all, tics and culture motivated by the - false - idea that ‘violence it was an illuminating labour in my profession as a journalist, because, whilst studying digital newspapers, governmental sells’, or, in other words: that this is what the readers, recep- reports and reports on national and international civil organizations, I came to realize that violence also has semantics tors and media users want and expect from the news. and a syntax. It is precisely with an ‘arsenal of images and words’ that we get the ‘portrayal of the world’ through mass media, and this ‘portrayal’, this manipulated photograph, is a global constant. This mistaken sensationalism has historic grounds which have not been updated. When the first ‘war correspondents’, Creating the truth: the business of mediatised war which emerged around 1850 , began to transmit their reports A well-accepted cliché in the global newsrooms is that ‘good news is bad news’. In my experience, of over fifteen years in in a systematic manner through the telegraph, they decided Peace Journalist Cristina Avila-Zesatti (left) discusses the several international media, in reality, ‘good news’ seldom becomes news at all. The media presents us with a succession that it was much better to exalt the belligerent discourse with of images and texts about the collapsed world: conflicted, blood-stained, in constant revolts that seem to arise from one a heroic overtone. state of journalism in Mexico. day to the next, and which tones down the headlines only to make room for another ‘new and inexplicable conflict.’ Naief Yehya, author of the book War and Propaganda stated that, “The myth of war was blown up without the slightest But, do we really live in the frenzied world that mass media presents us with today? The answer is no. But it is a nuance decency; the public developed an appetite for this type of narration, which has evolved today into belligerent entertain- answer. Without doubt, we live in a complex world, however, the media (specially the Mainstream-mass media), are ment”, and has “spread the immoral perception of war like a video game”. particularly interested in not flexing their message and presenting us with a fragmentation of reality, where hate seems to be the constant that defines us. Johan Galtung identifies the existence of a ‘journalism oriented towards violence’ and another ‘orientated towards peace and possibilities’. So-called ‘peace journalism’ is not, as many believe, the reporting and coverage of ‘good news’, but a In order to understand this ‘mediatised war discourse’, it is necessary, in the first instance, to know who the ‘mass media’ follow-up to our present form from another perspective, another view, and with different ethical motivations. For this are, through whom this arsenal of words and images is delivered to us. This ‘mass media’, as Amy Goodman says, “make kind of journalism, in a world where ‘supposedly’ war is the daily routine, the noticeable event is markedly ‘peace’. the war drums sound”. Yes, peace journalism requires more work in terms of space and time, because this vision puts a lot of emphasis on Currently, five press agencies distribute the 96% of global news: Reuters (England), Associated Press (US), France Press context: in the ‘before and after’ and in the deep motivations and consequences behind, because, at the end of the day, (France), EFE (Spain) and DPA (Germany). Yes: for every one hundred informative words that we read, ninety come from let’s remember here that: violence is an event, conflict is always an opportunity, and peace is a process. In summary, the these official agencies, and, increasingly so, from the Chinese news agency, Xinhua. Interestingly, of these six States that peace journalists had a distinct rhythm: not only they speak out differently, but also, and above all, they show the pro- control the information, four of them belong to the Permanent Security Council of the United Nations . posals in front of the conflict reported.

In the private sector, the outlook is no different: the large information monopolies – print, electronic and cyber – are in A Peace Correspondent as the antithesis of the War Correspondent the hands of no more than ten private capitals, whose power is even greater than that enjoyed by the States themselves; I began this article explaining the way in which a thesis about the violence in Mexico illuminated my journalistic work. according to a Forbes interview, four hundred of the richest men on the planet made their fortunes thanks to the busi- Today, more than ever, and six years on, my country has fully entered into the maelstrom of war, not only into one that nesses related to ‘entertainment’ (including entertainment news business) and software. is particularly real and destructive, but also into one in which the media insist on mythologizing with that ‘arsenal of im- ages and words’ stained red. An emblematic example of how, and how much the States’ and the major information media’s interests are related, is the American company, General Electric (GE), which is one of the leading producers and exporters of weapons, and, at At one time, Ryszard Kapuscinski , probably the greatest ‘war reporter’ of our time, said in an interview that the first the same time, owner of National Broadcasting Company (NBC), one of the most important American television channels thing he looked for upon arrival in a country steeped in violence was “the place where hope is reborn”. which also has a global reach. But this is far from be the only case: the ‘CNN model’, which from its tendentious - and successful - coverage of the first Golf War (1991), is a model which converts war into spectacle; one which is infinitely This same search for hope is what we proposed in 2009 with the creation of a means of digital communication called imitated to date, not only by other television channels around the globe, but also by the ‘short and de-contextualized’ “Corresponsal de Paz” (Correspondent of Peace) (www.corresponsaldepaz.org) in clear opposition of the ‘war corre- formats of daily global online sites. spondents’. This is, evidently, a non-profit organization outside of the economic fabric described above, since we have the premise that a new informative model needs to be put into a new financial model. Since its creation, this website Therefore, with this network of ‘dangerous relations’ between the media and governments, it’s not surprising that the has proved that a more human and more purposeful world with more solidarity exists: a world that is at odds with the image of the South, and, at times, ‘distorted portrait’ of the reality that major media sends us. Cristina Avila-Zesatti (right) has worked for CNN, the North, would, today, be a black NBC, Telemundo Internacional and for a number of and white photograph: violence, Our self-imposed work now consists not just in improving the focus of this ‘photo of the world’, but also, and in addition, print media companies, both Mexican and interna- catastrophe, poverty, hunger, war and in empowering the peaceful initiatives that arise for every conflict and every war. At Corresponsal de Paz, we are certain tional. She is a specialist in Peace Journalism and ignorance. The wars which are ‘inter- that the absence of information about the resolution of conflicts, in turn, stimulates the absence of peace. the creator and current general editor of the digital esting’ are magnified, whilst other medium ‘Corresponsal de Paz’ (www.correspon- conflicts – armed or not – are com- The Spanish author and educator, Rogelio Blanco Martínez, once stated that “the greatest crime against man is to kill his saldepaz.org). She has been active in journalism pletely ignored. hope”. For this reason, this informative proposal of ‘the media vision of a positive world’, created with a grant from the since 1993. Swiss-Catalan NGO I With (www.iwith.org), is determined to restore hope in the human being, and in our creative poten- Continued on next page tial above our undoubted destructive facet. pg 10 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 11 October 2013 October 2013 Bronx youths practice PJ from Pg 12 or journalist is not to sensationalize a PJ debunks myths in The Bronx, NY story or incite fear in the public. The By Peace Aisogun Peace Aisogun is a graduate of the job of journalist is to present the facts. Academy of Mount Saint Ursula in the By steering the class away from propa- In the modern world, sensationalized Bronx, NY. The oldest of five siblings, ganda and vague attacks on a specific media appears to be the fastest way she was born in Nigeria and moved to group, the students were able to cut to get a message across. By utilizing the U.S. at the age of four. She is an through the excess layers and dig activist for the prevention of bullying inflammatory language and stirring deep into what it means to be a good people and their emotions beyond the and human trafficking, and advocates for girls’ and women’s rights with the reporter. point of reason into irrationality, the Grail Link to the United Nations. As an media creates an under informed and intern for the community television By the time the week-long class con- unbalanced public. The sensational- station BronxNet, Peace has zeroed cluded, the students were convinced ism feeds into inaccurate stereotypes in on various empowering inner city that the truth is worth the effort. which only adds to the fear and hype events and activities for youth and At the end of the Peace Journalism of today’s culture. young adults. course, students agreed that telling the truth is far more original than BronxNet Television is not ignorant of share with students from the Bronx video reports. Participants went out relying on an established narratives. this rising issue and as a result chose what good journalism really is. into the Bronx and interviewed the Instead of spreading inflammatory to deal with the problem from its community on issues such as terror- language, they now choose to allow source, which in this case may have Youngblood taught a week-long Peace ism, racial stereotypes, education, themselves to establish an atmo- just been the lack of knowledge. From Journalism boot camp, which featured religion and so much more. The sphere where peace is welcomed. June 10-15, 2013, BronxNet invited the theory of peace journalism fol- students covered each topic exten- Steven Youngblood, an influential and lowed by practical reporting exercises. sively, edited packages and most im- Recording a peace program for BronxNet TV as part of a PJ project in June. Marisa White concurred, noting instructive Peace Journalist from Park Each afternoon, the students were portantly, they told the truth. These how the boot camp was consistent University in Parkville, Missouri to sent out to produce peace-themed students were able to dig deeper than classroom or even at other stations. “ public to be misinformed. with the values that have long been preached by BronxNet. “We are the surface and looked After the initial reports were done, Words matter beyond the stereotypes. encouraging our students to look at students compiled them into a peace- From the time of our youth, every issues more closely, and dig deeper They sought evidence; themed program on BronxNet. child is taught the difference between they put the story to- for the real story, while using integ- a good word and a bad word. The rity and professionalism. The tenets gether and presented an Defining PJ child then grows into an adult who of Peace Journalism will help them authentic final project Prof. Youngblood opened the first day understands that words have power. choose the right language, the right without propaganda. By of the boot camp by defining Peace So what would cause a good journalist approach and build connections with preserving the dignity of Journalism as “when reporters and to doubt that his or her word choice people as they cover the important the interviewees, they journalist make choices in their words, does not possess the ability to affect issues of our community,” she said. were able to keep the attitudes and so forth to allow peace their audience? The answer is noth- story respectful without to enter the atmosphere”. Contrary to ing. Peace Journalists understand that losing sight of the validity belief, Peace Journalism is not journal- words are everything. of the news item. ism with an agenda. It is not an advo- cacy for peace. However, it does not The class held many discussions about Marisa White, BronxNet intentionally feed into the established the role of journalists in doing the youth coordinator, said, media narratives that are dominating right thing. When writing an article “We decided to go with the media at this present moment. it is good to consider the audience the hands-on format Whether it is racial, social, economical and how the selected words will af- because we find that stu- or regional, good writers understand fect them. Take for instance the word dents learn very quickly that word choice is everything. Young- “massacre”. Youngblood urged the when they are actually blood pushes the students to ask class to define when a murder case doing camera and con- themselves how they chose to report qualified as a massacre. He then ducting interviews. After an issue and what kind of response transitions from the word to the mo- learning theory in their they were hoping to obtain. He also tive behind the word. In what kind of classes, they look to us for motivates the class to be as specific as situation is it appropriate to use words that hands-on exposure possible and to call the issue by name. as heavy as massacre? He inspired PJ seminar participants run the studio they cannot get in the Youngblood believes heavily in ac- the class to swim upstream by think- cameras as as part of a PJ project in Preparing for a shoot during the peace journalism boot camp in The Bronx, New York. Continued on next page curacy because he does not want the ing analytically. The job of a reporter June in The Bronx. pg 12 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 13 October 2013 October 2013 Ugandan media hope to ‘Let Peace Prevail’ Biased reporting exacerbates Nigerian conflict By Betty Mujungu we explore the By James Okolie-Osemene It is obvious that Boko Haram means conflict, make the different things to different people. We choose Peace, justice and trans- conflict transpar- The emergence of the Boko Haram To some, it is anti-western and anti- formation as we do our work as ent, give voice Islamist sect in Nigeria’s political government group, while some Nige- journalists. to all parties and landscape marked a watershed in the rians see the group as mirror effect country’s security sector. The faceless- of decades of deprivation, economic In Uganda radio is one of the stron- we aim at finding ness and systemic sophistication of marginalisation or exclusion, while to gest mediums of communication be- a solution to the the group continues to challenge the others it remains a group that upholds cause it is cheap to maintain, afford- conflict. security agencies. the principles of Islam. Boko Haram sect, Nigeria. able, has wider coverage and appeals This approach has to both literate and illiterate. This de-escalated a What does Boko Haram mean? Involvement of Journalists/Media In addition, it is believed that coun- therefore means that our well pack- number of con- It is pertinent to Nigerian media to The Boko Haram insurgency has im- terinsurgency would be successful aged peace sensitive programs/ news flicts. The recent interrogate the real meaning of Boko pacted Nigeria for over a decade and only when the media disseminates on radio play a greater role in conflict one is the cultural Actors show how to “Let Peace Prevail” in Western Uganda. Haram, and go beyond describing the remains the major threat to Nigeria’s timely information that could enhance transformation. and tribal conflicts between Bakonjo- The educational drama is composed group as being against western educa- existence. Nigeria, being a multi- conflict early warning and response tion and demanding for full imple- ethnic and multi-cultural nation, the mechanisms. In essence, journalists Rwenzori region of western Uganda Bamba, Bakonjo-Basongora, Bakonjo with much humor, satire and sus- mentation of Sharia law. This over- sect has made the north synonymous have a task of not only shaping per- has had a series of wars and conflicts Banyabindi, Batooro-Batuuku, and pense, designed to castigate social simplification is also the assumption with a torrent of battles and damaged ceptions but also reducing the psycho- ranging from rebel attacks, cultural, Batooro- Bakonjo all tribes in the evils and conflicts, promote good of western media, especially those intergroup relations with attendant logical strength of insurgents whose tribal, land conflicts etc for more than Rwenzori region. morals and champion transforma- in the global north. The Islamist sect hostility perception at the detriment activities continue to undermine 30 years. These conflicts up to date tion thus a peaceful society. The play Searching for Peace in the Region. Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’Awati of supposedly mutual interethnic public peace, security and intergroup still exist although the government brings out the irony of Life in a local ‘‘Let Peace Prevail’, a campaign for Wal Jihad, globally known as Boko exchanges. relations in Nigeria. works hard to keep law and order in set up characterized by unbecoming peace and transformation in commu- Haram, is a name which remains un- the communities which keeps the behaviors of individual characters in a nities, is being implemented by Toro acceptable to the group. It is worthy This is where media’s involvement is It is also the responsibility of journal- people calm and silent. serialized package. Media Practitioners Association with of note that the word ‘boko’ is often critical and demands peace journal- ists to stop portraying Nigeria’s North- ism. Although Boko Haram accused ern region as hotspots of insurgency The media as always said 4th arm of the help of some volunteer members The drama has been prepared to be mistaken as a book. media organisations of biased reports or corridors of armed conflicts which the government is one of the actors of the community who possess a love in the local set up of “Mukijwiga” as In his work on the etymology of Hausa and favouring the government, how has grave political, socio-economic that best serve to de-escalate some of peace and transformation. We micro -cosmic depiction representing Boko, Newman (2013:11) averred to effectively disarm the group has and global implications for Nigeria. of the conflicts especially those that educate communities about change the larger social setup. that ‘boko’ is a native Hausa word, become pressing national question Working towards de-radicalisation of threaten to tear communities apart in of attitude which helps them to ac- This approach has so far been appre- originally meaning sham, fraud, and challenge to the media and policy insurgents by enlightening them that this region. commodate their differences away from win- lose approaches to win-win ciated by leaders and the community inauthenticity, education of sham/ makers. Bruhn (2003) posits that jour- life is sacred and should not be wast- ed through their broadcasts and press In the conflict sensitive programming problem solving through Music Dance itself because people turn up in big unimportance, and that it has nothing nalists are not only persons who tell reports would be a landmark achieve- we look beyond the conflict itself and and Drama outreaches. We stage free numbers for our drama outreaches to do with ‘book’. In essence, Boko us stories, and that they are natural ment of media practice in Nigeria. do not focus on just writing a report drama shows at least once every two and we have got some leaders some- Haram is a violent non-state armed narrators in crisis situations who have times supporting the media associa- group which does not have a specific to analyse, investigate, give opinions like other reporters and programmers, months in different places where we For instance, in their study on ‘Broad- tion for the ‘Let Peace Prevail Cam- grievance. It wants a radical structural and propose solutions on a reality that show different play themes all related cast Media and Teaching-Learning paign’ financially. change at the detriment of Nigerian may be very complex and difficult. Betty Mujungu is a broad- to peace, reconciliation and transfor- Process’, Olumorin and Fasasi mation. state and intergroup relations. caster of Ugandan descent. She For the 30min Radio serial drama Journalists and media organisations (2009:213) examined how airtime works with 101FM Voice Of Besides the out reaches we air a radio where we use 15min for the pre-re- James Okolie-Osemene is a Research alike should shape people’s percep- is allocated to a subject or topic to Toro as reporter/anchor and serial drama which airs on 101 Voice corded episodes and 15 for feedback Fellow, French Institute for Research tions on the ongoing counterinsur- be taught by a teacher, as regard to radio show host. Of Toro 4 days a week. The 30min from the listeners via phone calls and in Africa and Associate Member of gency in Nigeria’s Northern region, instructional programme on radio or Serial drama is educating, transform- messages, we already have a listeners the Society for Peace Studies and as general good rather than govern- television. Similarly, media organisa- team of not less than 1000 members Practice. He is ment’s war against Islam. This is pre- tions need to allocate more time to ing and entertaining because it tells an Alumnus of of the community for this specific mised on the truism that no respon- issues of peace and security, gender- stories about believable people who Nigeria’s Pre- have difficult conflicts in their lives/ peace and reconciliation feature . sible government wishes to annihilate mainstreaming with emphasis on mier University, conflict prevention, conflict manage- communities, engages the emotions University of its people, but rather has a responsi- My greatest wish is that every hu- of the listeners and gives them the Ibadan, where bility to protect them based on social ment, and conflict transformation chance to love, to hate, to laugh, to be man being understands that Peace is he studied Peace contract theory as propounded by especially now that the country afraid and to experience tragedy and just one thing that the entire world and Conflict John Locke, that government in every desires sustainable peace and ways of triumph. requires to make this world a better Studies. society is an organisation of consent place to live. by the people. Continued on next page pg 14 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 15 October 2013 October 2013

Media ethics, PJ take stage at Park U. Ethics symposium from Pg 16 By Kendra Kenney and Katelyn Knoche not biblical, it is not in the constitu- This fits hand in hand with what Lof- mis-reported because the media lack these negative narratives only tell part flin said about objectivity not being objectivity, and newsrooms lack the a much more complex story. A symposium, “Doing the Wrong tion and it is not in the bill of rights.” He elaborated on this statement by the same thing as fairness. Silver was diversity to be able to see stories a Thing: The Struggle for an Ethical perceived as not being objective be- different perspective. The media must break from these nar- Media,” was held on Friday, Septem- explaining that pure objectivity is not ratives if we wish to eliminate stereo- possible in a journalistic setting, solely cause he told Republicans what they ber 27 at Park University in Parkville, didn’t want to hear. Because people Symposium attendee James Maurer types, and the only way to do that is Missouri USA. because everyone holds certain biases agreed. He said, “Diuguid’s presen- to practice peace journalism, Young- and stereotypes that they cannot have stereotypes, and these stereo- types are fed by notions of the lack of tation showed the importance of a blood said. When reporting a story, The event included three speakers. leave behind. Lofflin argued that ste- objectivity, the only way to get rid of diverse news crew and media.” we have to look at the consequences John Lofflin, a Park University profes- reotypes are not all necessarily nega- them, and to center the ethical debate of how we frame the story. In order sor, spoke on the topic of objectivity tive, because they help us to catego- instead on fairness, is to eliminate Youngblood finished off the sympo- to be an ethical reporter, Youngblood and how it is not the same thing as rize and understand our world. Lofflin the idea of objectivity completely. For sium by addressing the issue of ste- said we must step away from one being fair. Lewis Diuguid, a columnist also stated, “Objectivity is not the Lewis Diuguid, Kansas City Star Lofflin, this would mean making all reotypes in the media. He asked the perspective stories and instead report for the Kansas City Star, discussed same as being fair.” He also observed reporters columnists. audience about the origin of stereo- from many angles. the recent Trayvon Martin case that that there is more to objectivity than come columnists in order to complete- types. He said stereotypes come from was heavily covered in the media. just interviewing both sides--that this ly eliminate the illusion of objectivity. Rosie Jasinski, symposium attendee, the media and are reinforced when One attendee sees the value in the Steven Youngblood, director of the can be, in fact, a convenient excuse said, “Lofflin really helped to solidify stories are covered. Media narratives, peace journalism approach. Sarah Crystal Hill, Park student and attend- Center for Global Peace Journalism, for not behaving ethically. and clarify what I know to be objectiv- related events that reinforce com- Stout asked, “Are we going to write ee, agrees with Lofflin’sidea about all then finished off the symposium by ity in the media. I think what he said mon notions about a group, underlie about these issues or take action To prove his point about the impos- journalists becoming columnists. She speaking about media narratives and about stereotypes is dead on. Sche- audience stereotypes and negativity because actions speak louder than sibility of objectivity, Lofflin asked the said, “Being up-front and acknowledg- stereotypes. mas are how we all function.” towards a given group. Each time a words? Peace journalists take action audience to write down a stereotype ing your own writing is the only way to story is presented about that group, through their words by staying true to Professor Lofflin started off the we had about another race or an be truthful.” The second speaker was Lewis Diu- the stereotype is revisited and people ethics and objectivity.” discussion by stating, “Objectivity is unpleasant event we have encoun- guid, a columnist from the Kansas City continue to have negative thoughts Lofflin and his symposium colleagues tered with another race. Doing this Star. He commented on the history of towards the group. He noted that the Summarizing the event, attendee Min- aren’t the only ones discussing objec- Kendra Ken- proved the point that there are many journalism’s mistreatment of African- narratives of the Bronx and Lebanon dy McQueery said, “The best thing we tivity. The New York Times published a ney (right) is different stereotypes about all races Americans. He said it has been slanted are that they are only violent, danger- can do is realize and understand that story titled “The War on Objectivity” a senior at and genders, and that many of these towards white males, and he observed ous places. Youngblood also showed people have different mindsets and in- analyzing the attacks on Nate Silver. Park Univer- misperceptions are media-generated. that past coverage of African Ameri- the audience examples of negative stead of just saying they are wrong we Silver is a sports statistician turned po- sity majoring cans was sometimes “monstrous.” narratives about Latinos. He said need to get both sides of the story.” Stereotypes, positive or negative, are litical statistician. The article says that in Business He also discussed how the civil rights . a construct through which we see some members of society, if things Administration and Management. movement changed the media narra- the world, and through which media don’t go their way, feel that someone After graduation, she plans to man- tive for African-Americans. age her own business. report the world. These stereotypes must be “cooking the books”, which, are reinforced by the media whenever Katelyn Knoche for his critics, is the only explanation Diuguid elaborated on the challenges a story is run. Because we have these of how Silver so accurately handi- that persons of color face in the is a resident of stereotypes in our minds, the audi- Holt, Missouri, capped the last election. The article media, such as the Trayvon Martin ence uses them as a frame of refer- states that “if it isn’t what the right case. He mentioned that it seemed and a junior at ence, a tool, to decide the truth. Park University wants to hear, the messenger (Silver) that Trayvon Martin himself was the is subjected to a smear campaign.” majoring in Social Lofflin then proposed what he called one on trial, not George Zimmerman, Psychology. a radical idea--that all journalists be- Continued on next page simply because Martin was an ado- lescent black male. The media could have done a much better job covering Nigeria from Pg 15 this case if they did not have a “white containing insurgency. Invitations should be extended to relations and internecine conflicts. male, middle-class” slant. Diuguid peace scholars and practitioners to present crucial issues boldly stated that the American media in peace education and early warning systems. Articles on De-radicalising insurgents demands that media practitio- can be “the stenographer for the ways of mitigating peace and security challenges should ners become peace education oriented media rather than Power Elite,” because newsrooms are, also requested from scholars for knowledge sharing. functioning only as channels of information dissemination or once were, predominately white Again, through such programmes, media organisations especially breaking the news. The focus in this context middle-class males. He referenced are expected to inform government on the need to ap- which is critical to intergroup relations, should be to main- the unfortunate murders of Emmett stream peace culture into the various daily programmes Till and Oscar Grant, and claimed that point those experts trained as conflicts managers to head “Doing the wrong thing”, a media ethics symposium, drew a full house at Park with emphasis on tolerance and peaceful coexistence. these kinds of stories get under or ministries and various committees that address intergroup University on Sept. 27. pg 16 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 17 October 2013 October 2013

PJ ideas useful for criminal justice Center for Global Peace Journalism By Carol Getty careful about portraying vengeance, Evaluating crime coverage Language impacts how we think violence, and retaliation. Peace at Park University, Parkville, MO journalism trains the media to create Peace journalism can be used as and is used to effect change. In this a way to evaluate and moderate article I propose changing some of an atmosphere which is conducive WHO WE ARE: The Center for Global to peace. Can media and politicians coverage of any conflict or violent Peace Journalism is a resource for the language use in criminal justice incident—everything from daily to more peaceful versions (like those appreciate that language matters and Park University students (courses, create an atmosphere around criminal crime to mass shootings. As advo- seminars, service and service learning employed by peace journalists) and cates of peace journalism, we can hopefully influence policies associated justice that is conducive to solutions opportunities, research, study abroad, rather than to fighting wars on crime, scrutinize media crime coverage opportunities for publication of -ar with the war ideas which have been using these criteria: drugs, and terrorism? ticles), Park faculty (publication opportunities, research, travel, international prevalent for four decades. If policy 1. Sensational reporting: Inflamma- makers talk about fighting wars on collaboration), professional journalists and students worldwide (seminars, Crime coverage tory language (massacre, slaugh- crime and drugs rather than solving resource materials, website, collaboration), and like-minded organizations When crime happens, journalists ter, blood bath) used? Victimizing problems connected to criminals and (collaborative projects/initiatives, research). covering crime can report four people language (defenseless, pathetic, criminal activities, we can end up were killed rather than a bloody mas- helpless) used? incarcerating more people per capita sacre occurred. They needn’t sensa- 2. Summary judgment: Is the ar- MISSION: The Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University promotes than any other country in the world. tionalize and misrepresent criminal rested suspect tried, convicted, the concepts of peace and peace journalism. The center does this through And yes, we now have the world re- occurrences. Yet examples of over- and executed by the press? seminars, courses, and projects both in the U.S. and abroad, through its web- cord and most recent reports indicate reporting causing riots or dramatic 3. Political grandstanding: Do site and semi-annual magazine, and through partnerships with like-minded crime is increasing; thus, the costs of responses are prevalent. Crime has media allow politicians to use their organizations and individuals. our expensive criminal justice system been the most popular subject over media platforms to score political will continue to increase humanly and time so that it is rare without a promi- points using this incident? monetarily. nent crime story preferably locally 4. Historical hysteria: Do media Peace criminal justice from Pg 18 Peace Journalism is about being but nationally especially if the story dredge up past incidents to drama- aware of language used in reporting is unusual or weird. Local news most tize and sensationalize their cover- tor Barry Goldwater ran for President using language supporting a war on crime. This language continued to be used and sometimes changing it by making frequently leads with crime, especially age of the theater shooting? and eventually the concepts of indeterminate sentences which had been prevalent in the 20th century were replaced choices that improve the prospects if there is blood or guts involved and/ 5. Missing context: Are crimes only with determinate or fixed sentences. Senator Edward F. Kennedy tried to pass legislation for seven years and finally suc- for peace without compromising the or dramatic video. reported as individual, isolated ceeded with the passage of the comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. This act established a Sentencing Commis- basic principles of journalism. While incidents? Are meaningful trends sion charged with creating a fixed, determinate justice system for the federal government. Some states accepted federal Peace criminal justice society and I must realize that the reported? money and changed to a fixed sentencing system, which required prisoners to serve 85% of the given sentence. The time to consider peace criminal media is a business and also that --Steven Youngblood, Center for justice was several decades ago but Fighting ‘wars’ journalists, editors, media owners will Global Peace Journalism. Blog: now is another pregnant moment. Fighting the war on crime changed concepts of intervention and treatment to a justice model. Thus, if you do the crime, respond to what viewers watch, listen Peace Journalism Insights For three quarters of the 20th century you do the time or pain should be inflicted on criminals because they deserve it. Fixed sentences and the mandatory to. What peace journalists can do is ed sentences until the U S Supreme American society assumed some re- ones which followed in the war on crime caused a prison population to quadruple between the mid 1980s and 2000. think about the consequences of their Court declared this practice uncon- sponsibility for criminal behavior and Politicians ran for office on the platform of getting tough on crime. The public who became fixated with crime stories words and act responsibly and be stitutional, Ex parte United States, developed programs to assist those 245 U.S. 27, and suggested the use of easily accepted the idea of incarceration without rehabilitation. The language of the politicians and press convinced the who lived in poverty, were uneducat- public to accept the changes without regard to the consequences of changed language and concepts. Carol P. Getty, PhD is an emeritus pro- probation as a substitute. Probation ed, jobless, and even those who had fessor of criminal justice, Park Univer- was first used successfully in Massa- Concern about drug usage became a dominant topic in the 1980s especially with the media and politicians portrayal of sity. She taught at Park University for committed crimes. Suspended sen- chusetts and then the usage spread to tences and probation were systems crack usage including a false portrayal of crack babies. In 1986 a basketball hero named Len Bias signed a contract with 14 years after completing two six year all 48 states by the early 1930s. While the Boston Celtics and then apparently partied hard with his friends. On the evening of June 18th, he said he didn’t feel Presidential appointed terms as a Com- used for minor criminals. If convicted parole was used in the British system missioner and/or Chair of the US Parole and sentenced, criminals had the well and lay down; he never got up. The Maryland medical examiner concluded that cocaine had killed him. Then the of criminal justice in 1840, it was not real war on drugs began. Coincidently in 1986 with the American population 84% white and 13% black, more black than Commission. key to their own cells and could be adopted as a practice in the US until She was also white people where in prison, and the dominance of African Americans in prisons continued. released for changed behavior under 1870; by the 1930s it had been ad- a Gubernato- a parole system. Prisons offered pro- opted in all 48 states and the federal By the time sentencing had changed and the determinate sentencing had been implemented, 1987, nationally and in rial appointed grams which inmates could participate member of the government. some jurisdictions, the supposed crack epidemic had subsided, but the war on drugs continued with draconian legisla- in to potentially improve their lives five member tion. The new federal sentencing guideline rated an ounce of crack cocaine 100 times more severely than powdered when released. Arizona Board The war on crime began is the late cocaine. Prison populations exploded and the fighting of crime and drugs and now terrorism continues. of Pardons and 1960s and the war on drugs began in In the late 19th and early 20th centu- Paroles. the early 1980s. In the 1960s Sena- Let’s use peace journalism principles to solve crime problems instead of borrowing the senational language of traditional ries some felons were given suspend- Continued on next page media to fight ineffectual wars on drugs and terrorism. pg 18 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 19 October 2013 October 2013 In Nepal, seeking justice for 35 colleagues University course connects Gaza and U.S. By Siromani Dhungana By Ian McIntosh Nepal’s incumbent Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai publicly expressed his anger over the arrests of individuals (cad- In Spring 2012, a novel new course offered to liberal arts res of his own party) allegedly involved in the 2004 murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa in Dailekh, in mid-western Ne- majors at IUPUI focused on the teaching of contested pal. But, journalists continued their peaceful protest and succeeded to formally bring the case at Dailekh District Court. narratives in an area noted for intractable conflict; the Gaza Strip. The class was advertised across the campus And the success has made Nepalese journalists optimistic that they can ensure justice to 35 journalists who have been as a ‘virtual study abroad’ experience. killed since the conflict began in 1996. Entitled ‘Pathways to Peace,’ the course was delivered in On January 4, District Police Office Dailekh had decided to prosecute suspects allegedly involved in the 2004 abduction two parts: one exploring contested Jewish and Palestin- and subsequent killing of Dailekh-based journalist Dekendra Thapa after eight years of heinous crime. Thapa was a re- ian narratives, and the other focused on argumentation, porter for Radio Nepal -- a state-owned national radio in Nepal -- in Dailkeh when he was abducted on June 4, 2004. He where students debated the major areas of division. was found murdered on August 10, 2004. According to police source, the accused have admitted to burying journalists Thapa alive after beating mercilessly. The class attracted an enrollment of 16 students from IUPUI and 16 from Gaza University, with professors from Evidence pertaining to Thapa’s murder was collected after the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and National Hu- man Rights Commission (NHRC) exhumed the journalist’s body in the presence of a team of forensic experts in 2008. both institutions team-teaching via Skype. At Gaza, host families were enlisted to introduce US students to the Palestin- ian culture. Back in Indiana, IUPUI, students embarked on mosque visits, enjoyed meals at Middle Eastern restaurants, Family members of journalist Thapa has started process of bringing charges four years later of the incident. Thapa’s wife and had an opportunity to meet with Palestinians from different walks of life. But they also heard from Jewish voices, Laxmi Thapa on August 28, 2008, had filed an FIR at District Police Office, Dailekh, against five persons. However, the including a Rabbi, a member of J-Street, a Holocaust survivor, and an Israeli military officer. case could not take a logical end due to political pressure. Students from IUPUI included men and women, blacks, whites and Latinos, gay and straight students, Republican and This time, journalists from across the country united and piled up peaceful pressure to the government against impu- Democrat, Hoosiers and immigrants, including refugees from South America and Central Europe. The Gaza students were nity. Journalists wrote extensively on government’s attempt of protecting culprit and urged the government to end the predominantly Muslim women, some married with children, and conservative. All were suffering from PTSD as a conse- culture of impunity. quence of the conflict with Israel, the ongoing siege of Gaza, and the hardships of life under a Hamas dictatorship.

The case has now formally reached to the court. But it is worth to mention here that Investigation into the case had hit Surveys were conducted to gauge the US student’s understandings of the conflict in the Middle East at the start and end a snag following Nepal’s Attorney General Mukti Pradhan’s order on January 11 to stop interrogation of the murder ac- of the class. In Gaza, there was resistance to undertaking these surveys and of bringing Jewish or Israeli voices into the cused. classroom.

Contempt of court case was jointly filed by advocate Kamal Prasad Itani and journalist Santosh Neupane, on behalf of Students from both Gaza and Indiana exchanged personal profiles describing their background and interests. They also Democratic Lawyers’ Association and Nepal Press Union, respectively, on January 13 against the prime minister and made eight minute videos describing their lives which were shared on YouTube. Through Facebook, Skype, and email, attorney general’s move in the Supreme Court seeking court intervention. The investigation then had resumed after a they were encouraged to really get to know each other. And together they searched for answers to the long term prob- Supreme Court order on January 15 to district attorney and police not to halt the justice process. lems that divide the peoples, in particular borders, refugees, settlements and Jerusalem.

It is a good example that frequent peaceful protect can help in ending impunity, says Kathmandu-based journalist Janak Students also explored those inspiring grass roots initiatives where people are actually coming together across the Raj Sapkota, adding that prosecution against cadres of ruling party Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) was not a political divide, like Football 4 Peace, Chefs for Peace, or Ex-Combatants for Peace. We watched documentaries where easy task for judiciary too. friendships developed between Israelis and Palestinians as they climbed Mt Everest, or trekked to the South Pole, and we Siromani Dhungana is a media scholar wondered why not in the Holy Land? in Nepal. He’s an economic journalist, Laxmi Ram Gharti Magar, Bir Bahadur KC, Nirak Bahadur Gharti Magar, Harilal researcher and academic. Dhungana Australian anthropologist Ian McIntosh PhD (also pictured above right) is a fac- From this class, all students gained a Pun Magar, Jay Bahadur Shahi -- all are cadres of UCPN (Maoist) -- have been newfound appreciation for freedom of has been appointed by the Ministry of arrested by the police. However, Bam Bahadur Khadka, Bam Bahadur Khadka, ulty member in the School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University Purdue University Education’s Curriculum Development at Indianapolis (IUPUI) where he teaches peace and reconciliation studies in global speech, for it is not a feature of Gaza Keshav Khadka — who have been implicated by Thapa’s wife — are still at large, Center to revise the journalism syllabus perspective, and also a ‘virtual study abroad’ class to the Gaza Strip. An applied social life. Only in the classroom could our for grades 9-10 as well as to rewrite among two others. The arrest of the alleged murderers has provided relief to scientist, Dr. McIntosh is a former Managing Director of the Harvard-based indigenous Gaza colleagues truly express them- journalism textbooks for the second- the journalist’s family as well as to media workers across the country, adds rights organization Cultural Survival Inc., and the former senior editorial advisor for selves and this left a deep impression Sapkota. ary level. Lecturer of the Cultural Survival Quarterly, the world’s premier on the US students. Teaching con- Journalism and Mass tested narratives in this manner was According to Federation of Nepali Journalists, 35 journalists have been killed journal focusing on the rights, voices, and visions Communication (JMC) a learning experience for us all. At the since the conflict began in 1996, while three are still missing. of indigenous peoples. Dr. McIntosh has published at Tribhuvan Univ. two books and over 100 articles on indigenous very least it has provided our students He received a Gold Even after ending Maoist insurgency in 2006, self censorship has been common issues and conflict resolution. Dr. McIntosh has with the skills necessary to approach Medal from Nepal’s worked extensively in Aboriginal Australia on land Prime Minister for phenomenon due to emergence of armed outfit in various parts of the country. those critical issues that divide us, rights issues, and also in the Republic of Armenia not just those in the Middle East, but journalism education. The government should ensure justice to all 35 killed and three missing journal- on reforestation and poverty reduction projects. Contact: meshiro- ists, says journalists Ramesh Kumar Neupane. “And for that, journalists should everywhere. [email protected] . continue their peaceful protest until justice is ensured.” pg 20 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 21 October 2013 October 2013 Journalists must master conflict analysis Indonesia conflict analysis from Pg 22 By Steve Sharp journalism education, I believe getting of political boundaries at Malifut was bring forth their own (often changing) justifications and ‘conflict analysis’ right is a journal- the media are primary disseminators of these accounts. Journalists are often the first to interpreted as an ethnic powerplay ist’s first professional duty, before attempt to interpret violent events by Makianese influential within the If conflict analysis is superficial, inaccurate or non-existent, accuracy, before balance. This is not to a wider public. Rather than just provincial bureaucracy. it becomes easier to justify war on the basis of permanent an argument for factual sloppiness; relaying uncontroversial facts, heavy division – between communities, religions, ethnicities and if journalists don’t consistently get The second wave of killings was a intellectual demands are placed on states. They fight because they are born enemies. conflict analysis right, a time will come much more severe attack in October- journalists to tell stories that are not when our professional purpose will be November with Makianese deaths just balanced but reveal why people Witchcraft and sorcery-related killings in Melanesia called into question. this time far greater. The exodus of fight and what is at stake. Earlier this year, I interviewed a photographer for my refugees brought revenge attacks on website on his work in the highlands of Papua New Another reason ‘conflict analysis’ is Without these intellectual skills and Christian communities on the islands Guinea [link: http://www.telingamedia.com/index. so vital isn’t just because it is more an editorial environment that values of Tidore and Ternate. php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97:russia professional but because getting ‘con- them, it’s easy to fall back on stereo- ns-compassionate-eye-floods-unseen-war-zone-with-light- flict analysis’ right may help prevent Local powerbrokers seized the mo- typical storylines that make historical and-humanity&catid=21:visual-art&Itemid=24]. War-scarred mosque in Indonesia. a conflict turning violent. This is, of ment to advance their political and contextual detail redundant. And course, a social benefit, not just good fortunes by taking sides and using an the distribution of these stories can He was drawn to the highlands because of what he had They are also used by criminals to justify thuggery or the for the profession. ancient rivalry between the ‘dormant’ play into how the conflict unfolds. read about violence against women there. The UN and stealing of land. Older women who do not have male pro- Islamic kingdoms of these two islands Stereotypes are not accidents. Those other groups had reported brutal torture and killings of tectors seem to be targeted. So, getting ‘conflict analysis’ right or to mobilise fighters. With the national who have a vested interest in the women and girls, especially old women, accused of witch- wrong is not neutral. It has conse- army involved, atrocities ensued. Much of the useful knowledge about these violent con- prolongation of a conflict are well craft and noted that the number of female victims was quences. Sometimes they are very flicts in the highlands and large towns has come from served by portrayals of group enmity increasing. serious consequences, as I hope the This was a proxy war fought on behalf foreign anthropologists; but this is usually in a form that as intractable, endless: that is, no following examples demonstrate. of provincial powerbrokers using journalists find hard to access. explanation required. Belief in sorcery is widespread in Papua New Guinea and religious faith as a motif to re-draw other parts of Melanesia. In Papua New Guinea, commit- North Maluku 2000 political boundaries when a power And what are the consequences for getting the analysis of The purpose of the case studies that ting an act of sorcery is against customary law and in 1971 In my book Journalism and Conflict vacuum between Jakarta and north witchcraft-related violence wrong? There are many. It is a follow is to demonstrate how central the colonial administration even criminalized it. in Indonesia, I look at the way com- Maluku formed after the fall of the source of great trauma and disillusionment for communi- ‘conflict analysis’ is to what jour- munal war in eastern Indonesia in the dictator Suharto. ties to see their productive young men get sick and die for nalists do and what the journalism But in the last thirty years or so, the customary regulation year 2000 spread from the south in no clear reason. With the increase in HIV cases in PNG, profession is all about. Although it of sorcery has broken down in many areas and accused Ambon to the north on Halmahera Some time after the initial clashes, the sorcery related killings have increased. It underscores how sometimes horrifies my colleagues in witches – mostly women - are tortured and killed much Island along the Maluku archipelago. conflict hardened into a religious op- more frequently. Most commonly, sorcery accusations are medical explanations for death and illness aren’t accepted. position. However, the original dispute Steve Sharp is the author of Journal- Fighting flared in the Malifut area in made after an unexplained death in the village. People So women accused of witchcraft are often the scapegoats. was not between religious groups. ism and Conflict in Indonesia: from August between migrant (Muslim) don’t ask what caused it? They ask who caused it? reporting violence to promoting peace Makianese and groups indigenous to Belonging to a religious community Conclusions (Routledge Contemporary Southeast North Halmahera – the Kao and Jailolo in north Maluku was used to mobil- Needless to say, these cultural beliefs and practices are Race, religion, ethnicity are not primary antagonisms, Asia Series 2013) [link: http://www. people. The two groups were of mixed ise foot-soldiers to fight for political creating enormous problems for the Papua New Guinea they are tools for mobilising support and sometimes that routledge.com/9780415531498/] and (Christian and Muslim) faith. warlords who were re-positioning state and its criminal justice system. In June this year, it mobilisation takes a violent form. I don’t find the concept the editor of telingamedia.com [link: themselves during the national politi- repealed its Sorcery Act from colonial times and re-intro- of group hate useful as an explanation for violent conflict; www.telingamedia.com], a multime- The trigger was a decision to create a cal transition. duced the death penalty for certain crimes, including rape. but it can be and is a powerful tool for mobilising groups dia publication covering the history, new subdistrict which would encom- towards aggressive ends. politics, development,a rts and culture pass a majority of 16 Makianese vil- The point here is for journalists to I use this example of Indonesia’s neighbour because it of the southwest Pacific. lages against a combined 11 Kao and critically question the way conflict is shows how complex and difficult it can be for journalists to I prefer to look at conflict through the prism of groups Jailolo villages. The latter feared the described and explained, either by do accurate ‘conflict analysis’ on aspects of law, violence responding to threats to and perceived violations of their new boundaries would make them a combatants or by those elites with a and development. The intellectual demands on journalists sovereignty. In his book, Religious Violence in Indonesia, minority on their own ancestral land. vested interest in the outcome. And are very high. In the case of PNG, nothing is straightfor- John Sidel notes that violent breakdown does not come The initial clashes left hundreds dead these explanations will change as the ward when dealing with beliefs about witchcraft. Practices from differences but rather the loss of difference amid on both sides with the Kao and Jailolo conflict develops. As a conflict moves differ widely across the country. The epidemic of violence heightened uncertainty about the boundaries of commu- coming off the worse. into its militarisation phase, the main against women has multiple causes, witchcraft accusations nal identity; acts of violence serve to re-establish boundar- game is recruitment and motivating being only one. Witchcraft accusations can be used to de- ies leading to a decrease in the violence. The elimination With revenue from a local gold mine people to fight. Troops may be moti- monise individuals for various reasons: to settle inter-clan of alleged sorcerers may do individuals great injustices, but at stake, these changes sharpened vated by religious hatred but that is disputes, to carry out vendettas or revenge. And they can it does restore order. Or so it is believed. regional rivalries as local elected offi- rarely why they are fighting. All wars be used against entire tribes as a prelude to tribal war. cials fought to control larger shares of Continued on next page revenue and territory. The re-drawing Continued on next page pg 22 www.park.edu/peacecenter Vol 2, No 2 pg 23

PJ guides 2013 Pakistani election coverage By Mohid Iftikhar Galtung believes, so both electronic Mohid Iftikharis currently working The coming of age peace journal- on his research degree “Masters in and print media in this context are ism provides a holistic examination Philosophy (Peace and Conflict stud- producing an image of progress and towards a definite dilemma and the ies) from National Defence University, political closure. Peace journalism actors involved and their motives. So revolves around aiming at all parties. Pakistan. Until So in respect to Pakistan’s post elec- applying to the relevant case topic for recently he was general elections of 2013 in Pakistan; a visiting fac- tions: opposition, executioner bod- successful transition of democracy ulty member at ies and the public are being involved was the goal for all stakeholders. May a public sector and being effectively communicated it be the military, political parties or university and with the reality. It is now regularly the civil society; a democratic rule has worked/ being communicated by advocates was sturdily promoted. Now in liaison intern in various of peace journalism; Pakistan’s rule to peace journalism, attitude of organizations. under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif social equality and cohesion is visible rorism, respect judiciary and promote illustrates direct and open reality of all through different forms of media. national harmony. The current ruling state of affairs. elected party Pakistan Muslim League An article published in The Tribune Conflicts amongst political parties will (N) has picked its pace for tackling a always exist, but peace journalism (Pakistan) August 2, 2013 Sharif: range of issues as power, infrastruc- “The government has to overcome a provides its role in understanding not ture and commerce. Here optimism the petty feuds, but rather how well shortfall of 3,000MW and also make has been described by the media policies for the next 25 to 30 years, to the political processes take place. The for the current rule for not holding win-win factor for almost all politi- meet its future needs”. Peace Jour- responsible the previous political nalism supports the ground reality, cal parties could be highlighted for regimes. Rather media provides poli- general elections in 2013; as where where it is evident that Nawaz Sharif cies of the current ruling party, which has produced the actuality for the requested military security was provides hope for national consensus. provided in sensitive polling stations. power crisis for not being resolved And grievance of political parties for One of the true aims behind peace in a short period. Pessimistic analysis rigging was acknowledged by the journalism is about conflict transfor- has rather been eroded into roots election commission. mation as mentioned by Galtung, so of Pakistani journalism, but for once can political rivalry end? Audible and the future seems to be recognizing What was rather predicted by many visible what peace journalism is, as authenticity. pundits of politics in relationship to Pakistan’s general elections was rather an austere depiction. Peace Indonesia from Pg 23 journalism provides a clear image What is the answer? With respect to localised conflict, an area’s communica- regarding transition of power from tion infrastructure needs to be designed and managed to promote open and one political government to another, uncoerced dialogue and placed under the authority of the community itself, which through media coverage goes that is, those respected local representatives who have the most to lose from in depth to support real democracy. community breakdown. Whether it be in the provinces of Indonesia or the One of the key aims of peace journal- highlands of Papua New Guinea, key communicators like religious and com- ism is to exterminate biasness and munity leaders, media practitioners, broadcasters working together are vital to provide the truth. So both print and the way a community functions in a crisis. Once this cooperation is established, electronic media have highlighted a they will be ready to deal with disputes and counter threats to community ray of hope for positive journalism harmony in non-violent, conflict-sensitive ways. by identifying major political parties’ direction post general elections; is -ex This article is an abridged version of a paper presented in June to the 4th International tending their full support to fight ter- Communication Research Conference: Culture, Conflict & Communication, hosted by the London School of Public Relations Jakarta. pg 24 www.park.edu/peacecenter