By Samuel Aruwan

Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, at the Interfaith Mediation Center Monthly Forum on Peace Journalism. 20th December, 2019.


PROTOCOL

I am grateful to the Interfaith Media Center for the invitation extended to me and I will continue to be part of you in and out of public office as it has been since the late 1990s.

For five years now, I have been outside the mainstream media. I have lost touch just a bit, but I have also gained much more in understanding the media from outside the box. Public service has offered me the chance to see citizens' response to reforms, the pains of driving reforms as they come with blackmail, demonization, deliberate misrepresentation, distortion and the depths of hypocrisy and ethnocentrism with no sense of shame.

I have seen how so-called ‘peacemakers’, and ‘statesmen’ feast on tragedy, bloodshed and advance their political agenda under the banner of fighting for the common good. I have seen how they grandstand and play to the gallery, with prejudiced and biased narratives, but I digress.

INTRODUCTION

My submission here, is to talk briefly, commend journalists that hold the ground and put common good above all interests. It is also to challenge colleagues to deepen the cause of peace journalism and emulate journalists that are being honored today.

Like I said elsewhere, journalism is universal and a noble profession that must uphold ethics in all circumstances beyond emotions, sentiments, bigotry and ethnocentrism.

If you are in journalism to protect a religious, ethnic or sectional agenda, then you have no place in journalism. You belong to the tribes of bigots that misrepresent the beauty and humanity that is in journalism.

For the umpteenth time, I will state that I am a proud journalist with no regret. Whatever I am today is an extension of journalism and I am planning a come-back in 2023 when my foray into public service will come to an end by the grace of Almighty God.

For a life time, I will remain grateful to my lecturers and numerous editors at New Nigerian Newspapers, Daily Independent Newspapers, LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group and BLUEPRINT Newspapers Limited and the Civil Society where I was exposed to activism and advocacy.

As it is often said, information is power. An individual’s power to act is limited by the information he is exposed to. As such, the impact of perception on public discourse is significant, and those perceptions are changed or influenced by access to the media.

Lack of information can, at any stage of a conflict, make people desperate, restless and easy to manipulate. The ability to make informed decisions strengthens societies and fosters economic growth, democratic structures and the positive outlook on the future. For this very reason, the United Nations Millennium Declaration stressed the need “to ensure the freedom of the media to perform their essential role and the right of the public to have access to information.”

Idealistically speaking, free mass media is an index of democracy. Freedom of expression is at the core of a healthy media and creates the structure for representation of different opinions in a pluralist society like ours.

If democracy is to work properly, society needs access to news and information; analysis of the status quo, debate, practical information and exchange as well as entertainment are all by the media.

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN

On the one hand, independent and pluralistic media provides a platform for healthy debate and sharing of opinions. On the other hand, media can be grossly misused and abused for the purposes of propaganda, to incite hatred, spread rumours and divisive narratives and therefore create tensions. This is a very old reality with respect to traditional media, but it has become even more pervasive in recent times with new technologies like the internet, social media and instant messaging.

In our modern reality, unchecked freedoms combined with the rise of electronic media has completely changed the face of journalism. It is easier than ever to infuse the minds of millions of people with destructive messages in only a matter of seconds. Fear of one’s neighbour is thus propagated on the wings of irresponsible journalism, and terrorism is given a cheaply abundant supply of its most vital fuel: publicity.

In the context of our immediate situation, it has become very easy for vast sections of the public to be sold fantastic narratives of ethno-religious genocide as substitutes for the stark reality of banditry, criminality, economic tensions and climate change. Terrorists and criminals are now given ethnic tags, which only serve as cloaks to further protect them from the glare of truth.

Considering these therefore, journalism is self-justified by virtue of its service to society. It can help to distribute information but more importantly to counter hate-speech and create a balanced environment of ideas, and an equilibrium of information.

For the media, the crucial task is creating that balance between protecting legitimate freedom of expression and preventing harm caused by inciting and divisive reportage or fake news.

Finding that balance is very important, especially in a pluralist society like ours, where faultlines based on ethno-religious differences persist. We have to engage in responsible journalism, and that is journalism which does not simply re-publish press releases, or spread random broadcasts on social media, but is truly concerned with a balanced and truthful account of events.

Journalists must eschew judgmental representations and describe reality without exaggeration and sensationalism. In the era of the internet, this has become more difficult as every blog and website wants to generate as many clicks as possible.

JOURNALISM AND CONFLICT

In any conflict, each of the parties is usually concerned about making sure that most people are on their side. This creates the room for misrepresenting facts and trying to seize control over the distribution of information. Therefore, local media are vital for the global public and most especially for those directly affected by the conflict.

Broadcasting news by using community radios can help reach people in different areas, even with different languages more easily. This way people can be addressed directly.

Another advantage of local media, especially radio is that in border areas it is possible to convey peace messages to passing fighters and refugees alike.

Democratic media structures need this and even more; the local population should get actively involved in creating content and broadcasting it.

The danger of manipulation and inflammation of ethnic tensions, however, cannot be ignored. But just as much as journalism can play a role in escalating conflicts, there is also great potential for positive purposes.

Internal conflicts don’t just occur out of the blue. They usually have a history. Local media usually have a deeper understanding of the existing social and political structures, the participants of the conflict as well as the immediate triggers outbreak of violence. The media can therefore influence society before the conflict by recognizing and properly addressing the issues, and this role continues afterwards.

Local media are a recognized part of society with the ability to accelerate and magnify fears or reduce them. The media have the power to defuse tensions before they even reach a critical point, and keep a sharp eye on government, opposition and society. By supplying credible information and reaching a large audience, the media can help in managing conflicts and promoting democratic principles. In the aftermath of a conflict, the media can then encourage reconciliation and societal development.

PEACE JOURNALISM

Peace-building can be enhanced through peace journalism. Peace journalists can investigate the causes behind a conflict and the true motives of the participants, while making sure to humanize all victims of the conflict. Journalists should not exploit other people’s loss and suffering, but should ensure that their reporting is balanced. Part of the ethical guidelines for this kind of reporting is to bring out people that speak out against war and violence and document the suffering and losses on all sides. Peace journalism should be focused on preventing further escalation of conflict. Some frameworks used by peace-building media include peace-promoting entertainment media, media regulation to prevent incitement of violence, and peace-promoting citizen media.

Of course, journalism will never be able to eliminate armed conflicts altogether. The media can be a good tool in a healthy and functioning environment, but more is needed than ethical and responsible reporting to ensure lasting peace and safety. The role of the media will always have two sides: on the one hand, the media report and reflect on pressing issues and can help to question established concepts and ideas. On the other hand, they can be used for propaganda purposes and instead of revealing truths, try to cover things up and by this curtail people’s freedom and right to information.

Regardless, the potential of the media in conflict and post-conflict situations remains a net positive. Overall, it is still grossly under-utilized.

Thanks for listening and congratulations to the recipients of the awards.