Reporting Atrocities: A Toolbox for Journalists Covering Violent Conflict and Atrocities

Produced as part of Internews' Project on Conflict and Media during 2012-2014, this toolbox for journalists "uses the principles of conflict-sensitive journalism (CSJ) to teach reporters how to cover even the most senseless acts of cruelty in a way that contributes to peacebuilding. It includes theoretical background, practical tips, and additional resources available to journalists reporting on conflict, or those who may need to in the future."

The toolbox approach is underpinned by the thinking that sensitivity to the media’s impact on conflict can help prepare reporters to cover violent confrontations. "This toolbox draws on the CSJ approach in exploring how even in the face of atrocities, journalists can effectively tell a story and thereby contribute constructively to peacebuilding and conflict transformation."

"Part One of this toolbox explores some of the key assumptions that underpin the overall conceptualization of the document, while Part Two focuses on key issues intended to enhance our understanding of conflict. Parts Three and Four focus on violence and atrocities. Part Five and Six focus specifically on roles journalists can play in reporting on conflicts and on their violent manifestations, while Part Seven looks at steps journalists can take to protect themselves both physically and emotionally when reporting on conflict. Part Eight offers some suggestions for editors who are responsible for supervising journalists who are reporting on conflict."

A sample of contents includes:

"Part Six: Practical strategies for covering violent conflicts and atrocities

6.1 Proactive steps we can take to prepare ourselves for reporting on conflict

. . a. Develop our knowledge of conflict, violence, and atrocities

. . b. Cultivate a diverse pool of expert and community-based commentators

. . c. Build a wide-ranging community network across our coverage areas

. . d. Monitor media around us

. . e. Monitoring social media

. . f. Learn to develop and use mapping tools

6.2 Reporting constructively on conflicts that have not turned violent

. . a. Frame conflicts as problems that need to be resolved. [Rather than portraying a conflict as a problem between winners and losers:]...[I]f we approach conflicts as problems that need to be solved and which cannot be addressed unless everyone is at least partially satisfied, then this can help people to recognize that alternative approaches to conflict may be possible.

. . b. Avoid labeling conflicts. ...Labels often focus on just one aspect of the conflict and neglect the fact that most conflicts are the result of a range of different conditions and dynamics. Using a label like 'Christian-Muslim conflict', or 'religious war' creates the impression that conflict between faiths is inevitable.

. . c. Provide inclusive coverage to ensure broad representation. ...[I]t is not uncommon for people at the grassroots level to have more in common with each other than they have in common with elites in their own groups. We may be able to mitigate conflict by reporting on these shared interests, thereby helping people to recognize that they share a common humanity and that everyone is suffering. We can also help to promote vertical communication within groups by enabling people to share their needs, concerns, and constructive ideas with their leaders.

. . d. Expose hate speech. ...When possible we will want to challenge leaders to explain and justify the use of language that could provoke violence. Or we can report on the fact that inflammatory remarks were made without repeating the actual words....

. . e. Enhance the quality of communication through in-depth interviewing. Good interviewing involves finding out how people really feel about and understand issues, and enabling people to communicate the messages they want to convey as precisely as possible. The following tips for conflict sensitive interviewing were jointly developed by six southern African reporters with experience of covering conflict.

• Avoid phrasing questions in terms of winners and losers. When asking questions about goals, objectives, and strategies, encourage parties to move away from 'zero-sum' game ideas. How we phrase a question will have an impact on how people respond. Asking, 'What will it take to satisfy you?' is a very different question to 'What will it take for this conflict to be resolved in a way that satisfies everyone?' The first begs a zero-sum response while the latter asks people to think more broadly. Both are fair questions, but the second is more likely to encourage a constructive response.
• Encourage interviewees to consider the other parties involved. Instead of just asking parties to outline their needs and interests - we should be trying to get beyond positions - we should also be asking them how they understand the needs and interests of others involved in the conflict.
• We do not want to censor interviewees, but we also do not want to be manipulated by people wanting to use our channels to provoke conflict. We can follow up on insulting and provocative statements by asking how they anticipate their rivals will respond to these statements. We can also ask what they aim to achieve by making such statements.
• Be firm. Being conflict sensitive does not prevent us from being tough on interviewees who are being evasive. If an interviewee makes false or exaggerated statements, we need to challenge them on these claims. Similarly, if they make demands or promises that seem unrealistic we need to question how and why people think these are feasible.
• Listen carefully and paraphrase people’s responses back to them. We cannot afford to misrepresent what people have to say. Lives could depend on our getting a quote right. By reflecting people’s statements back to them we can also help them to hear how they may be coming across. A person may say something very provocative during an interview because they are speaking out of anger, but they may choose to tone down this statement when they realize how they may be interpreted. It is important to ensure that what we say in our reports does not just reflect what they said, but also what they really wanted to communicate.
• Do not put words into people’s mouths. Avoid questions that begin with: 'Would you say…?' Rather, ask open questions that let people describe or remark on issues in their own words.
• Adopt a tone that suggests even-handedness. Do not pretend to be a sympathizer, but do make it clear that you are interested in what everyone has to say.
• We often have to speak to people whose views and ideologies we find incomprehensible, objectionable, or offensive. We need to prepare ourselves mentally for these interviews and to be aware of how our feelings might influence us.
• Be aware that unless you are willing to give the interviewee an opportunity to be heard, you will not be able to contribute constructively to mitigating the conflict.

6.3 Reporting constructively when violence has broken out and atrocities are

. . being perpetrated

. . a. Treat all information with extreme caution

. . b. Provide information people can use to find safety and protection

. . c. When you cannot be balanced, be honest about your constraints

. . d. Provide information that helps aid agencies identify areas of need

. . e. Monitor social media for information on how a conflict is developing

. . f. Use social media to get accurate information to communities

. . g. Challenge assumptions that groups are internally united in supporting violence

. . h. Question how violence is impacting women during armed conflicts

. . i. Avoid sensationalist language

. . j. Avoid victimizing language

. . k. Consider the impact of images

. . l. Interviewing people affected by conflict

6.4 Reporting constructively on peace processes

. . a. Monitoring peace negotiations

. . b. Assessing agreements

. . c. Monitoring whether or not women are involved in the peace processes

. . d. Explore how the atrocities happened in greater depth

. . e. Provide in-depth and extensive reporting on reconciliation processes."

This toolkit was made possible by funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).