Journalists have been advised to play their
part in ensuring their safety at the workplace, as they advocate for their protection from other stakeholders.
Leaders in Arua City
made the call on Thursday, as journalists in the sub-region commemorated the
international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists under the
theme: Safety of journalists in Crises and Emergencies.
Wadri Sam Nyakua, the Mayor of Arua City, advised that journalists
can protect themselves from insecurity through balanced reporting and avoiding
overreliance on negative stories that pit sources.
Nyakua claimed that
because some journalists do unbalanced reporting, or take money from sources to
do bad reporting, it makes those affected feel offended, which marks the
beginning of their insecurity.
//Cue in: “Don’t be
bribed…
Cue out: …fight their
wars.”//
Several journalists in
Uganda have come under attack while doing their job, especially when covering
protests and political rallies.
He advised journalists to get simple tips on safety and tactics to use when going to cover a story in a danger zone and use the available technology so that
they do not have to be at the chaotic and dangerous scenes to report.
//Cue in: “You know the…
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family.”//
Nyakua noted that one
of the major causes of insecurity among the journalists in Uganda is economic
insecurity, and asked them to get other sources of income, to prevent the
temptation of taking money from sources, which affects their independence, and
exposes them to the wrath of those they offend with negative reporting.
A 2021 study by African
Center for Media Excellence, revealed that more than two-thirds of journalists in
Uganda earn only one million shillings or less,
a month, and in the rural
areas, three-quarters of journalists earn only shillings 500 thousand, or less,
yet payments are sometimes inconsistent and untimely.
He advised journalists to start saccos or cooperatives, to save a little, and to get
low-interest loans to cater to their families and for other investments.
//Cue in: “Poverty
makes you vulnerable…
Cue out: …you say no.”//
Consolate Olemaru, the
communications officer of Arua city, argued that safety goes beyond violent
crises and emergencies, and starts from where a journalist is working, and
challenged journalists to assess their safety right from where they work.
Olemaru argued that if
journalists are not safe at their places of work, then they cannot advocate for
their safety or talk about it broadly.
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witnessed…
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working?”//
Denis Okwai Jawoko, the
deputy Resident District Commissioner of Arua, reiterated that journalists
should widen their perspectives on what their safety entails if they are to end
crimes and impunity against themselves.
According to Jawoko,
safety should not only be a focus when chaos or protests erupt but also how media
managers treat their journalists.
//Cue in: “Not so long…
Cue out: …crisis at
workplace.”//
Bosco Okurut, the
regional human Rights Officer in Arua, asked journalists to acquaint themselves
with laws that protect them first as humans, and as journalists.
“As we are all aware,
all the journalists, all the media professionals and associated personnel have
rights, like any other person, to life, to food, to culture, among others,”
Okurut said.
According to Okurut
sometimes, violations against journalists persist because many of the
journalists themselves are not so keen on following up on issues of their rights, and keep
quiet when violated.
“We are aware that when
a journalist is killed, arrested, kidnapped, or detained, thousands of people's
voices are silenced…the moment the rights of a journalist are violated, the
rights of others are equally violated,” he added.
