By Omar Wally
The President of The Gambia Press Union, Emily Touray, has said that it is the duty of journalists to build a society that respects social cohesion as well as promote peace.
“But Journalists cannot do that if they start looking at things from partisan, sectional or regional angles.”
Touray made these remarks on Thursday, December 7, 2017, during a transitional justice training for journalists.
The Gambia he said, has witnessed 22 years of misrule, characterized by enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, arson attacks, arbitrary detentions and torture.
“Now that we are in the run up of setting up the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission, is it important that journalists like all other actors prepared themselves for the task that lies ahead.”
He said journalists have a reportable role to play adding that they are the people who are expected to amplify the voices of the voiceless, as well as, cover the proceedings of Truth Reconciliation Reparation Commission (TRRC).
Depending on how journalists cover proceedings of the TRRC can do good or harm he said.
“The situation is so fragile and seriously polarized on political and ethnic lines.”
Touray said there is need for media workers to understand the type of messages they relay to the public.
“If we don’t safeguard what we are enjoying there’s likelihood we could result to violence’ he warned.
He called on journalists to wear lenses of peacemakers and the only way they can do that is to have capacity to be able to report on sensitive issue.
