The media: a weapon of war or peace activist?

Can the media be neutral when it covers a conflict? Are journalists merely observers, or do they actually take part in the political crises and armed confrontations they cover?

These questions are relevant to all conflicts, but are particularly pertinent to Central Africa, which has suffered more 'major' conflicts during the past fifteen years than any other region of the world.

From the notoriously propagandist Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines – which reported on and encouraged the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 – to the many examples of ‘humanitarian’ and ‘peace’ media in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Central African Republic, the region has had mixed experiences of the media’s reaction to conflict situations.

For several years Panos Paris has looked at the role of the region’s media during armed conflicts and peace building. This programme of work was given impetus by the 2004 UN international conference on peace, security democracy and development in the Great Lakes region, which underlined the media’s lack of engagement with these issues.

In our view there is no doubt that the media can contribute positively to reconstruction efforts. To this end we aim to strengthen flows of information and build a professional community of journalists in countries emerging from conflict – a cause supported by the 60 journalists who signed our Bagamoyo Declaration of media commitment to peace in the Great Lakes.

Another important milestone was our 2005 publication Afrique centrale: médias et conflits, vecteurs de guerre ou acteurs de paix. Nine case studies – from Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea – highlight the constraints faced by local journalists.

The book introduces different approaches to journalism for peace and reconciliation, and examines coverage of African crises by Northern media. It has been welcomed by professional journalists wishing to reflect on their daily practice, as well as development organisations seeking to support media professionals in these countries.

The book complements our hands-on work with journalists in the region – from training and field trips to meetings between journalists, professional associations, and national regulatory bodies.

For example, in October 2005 we held a ‘justice against genocide’ workshop in Kigali with journalists from Burundi, DRC and Rwanda. One participant said, “I came to the workshop with all the prejudices that people in DRC have towards Rwanda and Burundi. But here, on the ground, we saw that the reality is quite different.”

> More about Panos Paris
> Bagamoyo declaration (pdf)

Other websites

> International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
> LSE | Why templates for media development do not work in crisis states (pdf)