AA SURVIVALSURVIVAL GUIDEGUIDE FORFOR JOURNALISTSJOURNALISTS LIVELIVE NEWSNEWS Front cover picture: A press photographer in a cloud of teargas during a riot in Lima, Peru, in May 2000. Photo: AP / Martin Mejia Title page picture (right) A newspaper vendor waits for customers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, one of many countries where media have been put under threat. In November 2002, an emergency aid programme was launched by the IFJ, the Communication Assistance Foundation, International Media Support and Media Assistance International, working with the Union Nationale des Journalistes de Côte d'Ivoire (UNJCI) and the West Africa Journalists Association. The programme included training on safety and conflict reporting. Photo: AP / Clement Ntaye. LIVE NEWS A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR JOURNALISTS Written and produced for the IFJ by Peter McIntyre Published by the International Federation of Journalists, Brussels March 2003 With the support of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. (i) Live News — A survival guide for journalists Published by the International Federation of Journalists March 2003. © International Federation of Journalists International Press Centre Residence Palace Rue de la Loi 155 B-1040 Brussels, Belgium ✆ +32 2 235 2200 http://www.ifj.org Editor in Chief Aidan White, General Secretary, IFJ Managing Editor Sarah de Jong, Human Rights Officer, IFJ [email protected] Projects Director Oliver Money-Kyrle Written and designed by Peter McIntyre, Oxford, UK [email protected] Acknowledgments The IFJ would like to thank: Associated Press Photos and Reuters, who donated the use of photos; AKE Ltd, Hereford, UK, for advice, information, facilities, and support; Mark Brayne (Dart Centre Europe) for advice on post trauma stress; Rodney Pinder, for comments on the drafts; All the journalists who contributed to, or were interviewed for, this book.. The IFJ also thanks thanks for information and material support: Centurion Risk Assessment Services, CNN, Committee to Protect Journalists, Crimes of War Project, Michael Foley, IFEX, The Independent and Robert Fisk, International Press Institute, Rob Judges, William McIntyre, The Media Diversity Institute, Photoline / Kevin Cooper, Reporters Sans Frontières, Time, Anna Wagstaff, Dr Ken Williamson. Printed by Druk.Hoeilaart, Belgium. Set in 9.5pt/12.5pt Swift Regular All IFJ affiliates worldwide, who work to make the lives of journalists safer; and Helvetica. Some contributors retain copyright beyond use by IFJ. (ii) Contents Preface . iv) Introduction Importance of safety, Role of governments, International safety institute, Helping journalists to take decisions . .1 Part 1 Be Prepared . .8 Chapter 1 Preparing to work in hostile environments . .9 Ensure you are physically fit, Knowledge of the local situation, Know your rights, Social protection, Risks of disease, Clarify lines of communication, The right equipment, Prepare your vehicle, The right clothing Part 2 The Danger Zone . .21 Chapter 2 War zones and conflict areas . .22 Attitude of combatants, Travelling with or without escorts, Becoming a target, Weapons awareness, Safety on the move, Taking cover, Common sense in battle zone, Targeted as a journalist, Case study: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict Chapter 3 Riots and civil disorder . .44 Plan in advance, Positioning, During the event, After the event, Terrorist attacks Chapter 4 Abductions, hostage taking and targeting journalists . .51 Why hostages are taken, Assessing risk, The process of abduction, Surviving the experience, Targeting journalists Part 3 The Recovery Zone . .70 Chapter 5 Emergency medical aid . .71 Illness, Food and drink, Traumatic injuries, Penetrating wounds, Stopping blood loss, Lung wounds, Secondary survey, Recovery position, Painkillers, Bullets and missiles, Fractures, Evacuating the patient, Burns, Exposure and heat stroke, Altitude sickness, Snakebite. Chapter 6 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder . .88 Conflict in your own country, What can journalists’ organisations and employers do to help?, Quality of support, International moves to improve knowledge Part 4 The Campaign Zone . .97 Chapter 7 Fighting back: what the IFJ and journalists’ organisations can do . .98 Sharing know how and experience, Safety training for in-country journalists: Balkans, Afghanistan, Palestinian Territories, Nepal and Ivory Coast. Worldwide protection programme, The role of national organisations: Macedonia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Southern Caucasus0, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Africa, Indonesia Appendices Appendix 1 Key contacts . .118 Appendix 2 Statistics on deaths of journalists and media workers 1990-2002 . .121 Appendix 3 IFJ Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism . .134 (iii) Preface Crucial steps on the road to safety by Aidan White, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists ar and violence rarely answer anything — but when they happen, journalists and other media staff have a crucial W role in cutting through the fog of deception, lies and manipulation of information that inevitably follows. Their task is to show the impact on the lives of ordinary people. In taking on that role, journalists and others put their lives and safety at risk. The IFJ has campaigned for many years for greater safety and for a focus on the in-country journalists and freelances who are at greatest risk and who have the least protection. With the creation of the International News Safety Institute (see pages 103-105), that is beginning to happen. This book is part of the process. It takes the experience of those who have reported from and filmed in hostile zones and tries to draw lessons to save lives. But safety is not just an issue when bullets start flying. It is also about creating a culture of risk awareness in all aspects of journalism — whether in war zones, investigative reporting or reporting events from the streets. We have attempted to spotlight the needs of local journalists, but much of the available information comes from international corre- spondents, and from training courses set up for the giants of the electronic media. The IFJ will use this book to spread the message of safety, but we will also help our regional offices to produce local versions to draw out local experience. There is a wealth of know- ledge and experience amongst journalists who live and work on the front line of conflict and who have learned to survive while contin- uing to do their jobs. Those lessons and that knowledge need to be pooled and the courage and tenacity of those journalists needs to be honoured. This is a small step in that direction, and we dedicate this book to these true heroes of our profession. (iv) Introduction ver the past 12 years more than 1,100 journalists and media staff have been killed in the line of duty. They died O because someone did not like what they wrote or said, AMONGST THOSE because they were investigating what someone did not want to be KILLED… investigated, because someone did not like journalists or simply ◆ Ramzan Mezhidov, 32, a free- because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. lance cameraman for Moscow’s Every job has its risks, and journalists, whose job is to bring into TV Tsentr, was killed by a the open what someone wants hidden, are at greater risk than Russian jet attack, while film- most. But the risks today are unacceptably high. In some parts of ing civilians in Chechnya on the world harassment, threats and worse have become an unavoid- October 29 1999. He was a able part of the job. When reporting on war or civil conflict the father of two children. risks escalate and journalists lose their lives. In the Balkan conflicts, since the former Yugoslavia began to ◆ Chet Duong Daravuth, 30, was break up in 1991, about 80 journalists and media workers have been killed in 1997 when a hand killed. Elsewhere, the list continues to grow with the targeting of grenade was thrown into a journalists in Palestine, Colombia, Chechnya and Sierra Leone, the political rally in Phnom Penh, killing of eight journalists in Afghanistan in 2001 and the murder Cambodia. He had been of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan in 2002. Little planning to launch his own wonder that the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in newspaper. A further 15 August 2002 asked: Is the cost of the conflict story too high? journalists were injured. Each death is a tragedy for friends and families and a waste of tal- ent and opportunity. And these violent deaths do not tell the whole ◆ Roberto Martinez, a photogra- story, because the official figures focus on those who were killed in pher for the daily Prensa Libre wars or civil conflict, or who were otherwise targeted. While they was killed on April 27 2000 in record the deaths of journalists in accidents while on a hazardous Guatemala City, when private assignment, they do not record the deaths of journalists who die in security guards opened fire traffic accidents because they are trying to reach a story too fast, or during street protests. Martinez, working past the point of exhaustion, or because they put their 37, father of six children, was lives in the hands of drivers who do not know an unlit, dangerous clearly a photographer, but was road. They do not tell of those who survive but who are so physical- shot twice. ly and mentally scarred that they are unable to work effectively again. They do not record the impact of death and injury on other ◆ Izzet Kezer, who worked for journalists who may be reluctant to probe areas that have proved Sabah news agency in Turkey, fatal for their colleagues. was shot in the head and killed Attacks on journalists have a widespread chilling effect. They sap on March 23 1992 during a gov- the ability of journalists to investigate and report and they deprive ernment security crackdown in the public of the right to know. Sometimes this is the objective. Cizre. Violence against journalists is often a deliberate policy by people From IFJ list of casualties 1 Introduction ◆ Sasa Lazarevic, of RTV Bosnia- who cheat, rob and inflict violence on their communities, so that Herzegovina, was one of the they can avoid exposure and stay in the shadows.