Over 35 Journalists in Bamenda have been trained on humanitarian Reporting and Security Safety of Journalists within the Crisis, a workshop scheduled for December 27th 2019.
The training takes place at a time when the Northwest and Southwest Regions are going through the Humanitarian phase of the ongoing Armed conflict, that plagues both Regions for about 4years.
Journalists have engaged in humanitarian reporting, besides the crisis reporting that had been top on the agenda for different news rooms.But, the training grooms more on some principles to be considered while embarking on humanitarian reporting and the character which Reporters should have while doing so.
Mr Fonyuy Kiven Franklin, a Public Information Officer at the United Nations Office for Cordination of Humanitarian Affairs, facilitates in the workshop to school Journalists within the Cameroon Community Media Network on Humanitarian Reporting and Security/Safety of Journalists.
He talks about Journalists being able to play the role of early warning: to collect, analyse and defuse target info on factors that could prevent a crisis situation.
"In other countries, international conventions on the protection of journalists in times of conflicts are strictly respected but in Cameroon, in the course of the ongoing crisis where both parties violate almost every international law, don't carry ur jacket and put on, hang ur batch and go to the field thinking you'll not be targeted." Mr Fonyuy Franklin said.
According to him Journalists should be unpredictable because "a dead Journalist is of use to no one" and cautioned that in Crisis situation, Journalists should pay attention to the dressing code, which is inline with security/Safety Measures.
The facilitator adviced that in Humanitarian Reporting, the dead should not be a priority in the Reporter's news report, rather focus should be on affected communities and the Journalists reporting should play the role of a Development Agent.
The Regional Cordinator, Mme Rosaline Akah Obah was very pleased with CCMN members who contributed to lessons gained from the facilitator, which according to her was a positive sign and one of the successes of the training during the phase of the crisis in the Region.
She acknowledged the participation from those in attendance and prayed that more contributions be done through productions of programs, which will go a long way, to fulfill the goals of the Project, inspire other CCMN chapters and also give rise to new projects.
