Journalism students urged to be peace-builders

Journalism students pose for a group photo with (sitting from left to right) Wansolwara supervising editor-in-chief Geraldine Panapasa, Dialogue Fiji executive director Nilesh Lal, USP Journalism coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh and USP Journalism teaching assistant Eliki Drugunalevu. Picture: Epeli Lalagavesi/Wansolwara

By BEN BILUA

Journalism students studying at The University of South Pacific’s Laucala Campus have been urged to be peace-builders in the future.

Executive Director of Dialogue Fiji Nilesh Lal said the media played a vital role in the development of peace process, enabling the underlying conflict in society to be expressed and argued through a non-violent manner.

He told students that media can be a bridge builder, watch dog, information provider, early warning system, emotional outlet and peace motivator when it comes to peace-building.

“It is important to establish a suitable media space to mediate peace building process,” he said during a Friday forum last week organised by the USP Journalism Programme at Laucala campus.

“Free, independent and pluralistic media platform are essential to debate different options.”

He said a peace journalist tried to cover the causes behind a conflict with a goal to ensure all parties participated in the peace process while harmonising victims.

Mr Lal said there were media peace-building frameworks that would enable the media to do business while respecting political and social values.

“They are conflict sensitive and peace journalism, peace promoting entertainment media, media regulations to prevent incitement of violence and peace promoting citizen journalism,” he said.

Mr Lal also said media was a close ally of civil society organisations in a liberal democratic country.

He said the combined powers of both CSOs and the media could hold elected government and official accountable.

Mr Lal reminded journalists that the media was an active stakeholder and a likely agent of change in the democratic process.

*Ben Bilua (Solomon Islands) is a final-year journalism student at USP. He is also the student online editor for Wansolwara.