Terrorism, security of Journalists in the world

Emeka Ibemere

Last week, when Militants from Islamic State (Isis), allegedly showed a video purported to have killed an American journalist, who had been in long captive in Syria, the killers of the journalist said they did it in retaliation for ongoing US air strikes against its forces in Iraq.

A man purported to be James Wright Foley, a photojournalist, who went missing in Syria in 2012, was shown on Tuesday kneeling and dressed in an orange jumpsuit with a masked ISIS fighter alleged to have beheaded the journalist.

The masked executioner spoke in English, with what sounded like a British accent, and said the slaying came in response to the air strikes ordered by President Barack Obama against Isis 12 days before the brutal killing.

As that wasn’t enough for the Isis gang, they threatened to kill another man purported to be a captured US journalist, Steven Sotloff and in the video the victim was made to read a statement blaming the US for his own murder.

Reports claimed that Foley has been missing in Syria since November 2012, where he went to report on the bloody struggle to overthrow dictator Bashar al-Assad. He was initially thought to have been captured by forces loyal to the Assad regime.

Her mother had cried for the release of the journalist which landed on the deaf ears of the ISIS. “He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person,” she said.

“We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world. We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.”

Foley, 40, a former Stars and Stripes reporter, was captured in November 2012 near the Syrian town of Taftanaz. It was not his first detention while reporting: in 2011, he was taken while reporting on the uprising against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi’s forces ultimately released him after six weeks in captivity.

A friend of Foley’s and his fellow captive in Libya, journalist Clare Morgana Gillis, was said to have written about Foley in a 2013 essay, that captivity was ‘the state most violently opposite his nature’.

 Gillis further went on to describe Foley as gentle, friendly, courageous and impatient with ‘anything that slows his forward momentum’. The world condemned the killing of the journalist.

But was what is the offence of the gentlemen of the Press, globally that they have become an endangered species or is pen still mightier than the sword. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists, CPJ, and research shows that 100 journalists were killed between 1992 and 2011 while covering violent civil disturbances.

In 2011 alone, it was reported that all work related fatalities in the industry involved journalists covering such assignments, as terrorism, crime and corruption. Some scary statistics from CPJ further revealed that 30 journalists are killed yearly around the world while 150 journalists are in jail at any given time, many without charges filed against them

It reported that 35 journalists in different parts of the world are missing at any time as hundreds are threatened, harassed or attacked. The research equally stated that many have their phones or email addresses intercepted on daily basis.

But how can journalists remain safe while discharging their social responsibility duty especially in a changing world that bores hatred and unsafe for the gentlemen of the press. Dayo Aiyetan, journalist and Executive Director International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, fortnight ago while speaking on ‘Security for Journalists Reporting In Hostile or Unsafe Environments’, during eight days training of Nigerian journalists held at the office of the CLEEEN Foundation and sponsored by the Institute For Peace and War Reporting, IPWR, said self protection must be the watchword for journalists covering and reporting terrorism and in hostile enviroment. Dayo Aiyetan, former editor of the famous TELL Magazine said there are basic precautions that needed to be taken while reporting hostile places.

“In theory, a news medium has the responsibility to provide reporters basic protection when sending them into hostile or unsafe environments. Also, you are there to report the assignment not to report rioters to the police”, he quipped.

“Self protection must be your watchword. Do not impinge on investigation by tampering with scene of a terrorist attack, never quarrel with security agencies, including anti terrorism and be careful about approaching traumatised or agitated survivors”, he added, be careful of a second attack and mind your language. Don’t become singled out as target”.

According to Aiyetan, civil disobedience and riots appear easy tasks for the journalists but statistics show that it could be very risky. He disclosed that the first step was for journalists to first research their assignment.

“Do proper research before going into hostile environment. It provides you information about steps you need to take that might later save your life. Do a security assessment of your assignment and only then could you be prepared when risky situations stare you in the face on the field. Always carry a means of identification. If you require extra accreditation for identification, get one and if you have health conditions that require medication, always have enough to last you for your trip”.

The former editor further revealed that since after 9/11 bombing of the world trade centre, that the world has changed virtually everything in human interaction, including how people communicate. He explained that terrorists’ threats all over the world have also become a major threat to global piece and that the world has moved from one cold war to many cold wars.

“The Internet- it has changed the way news is reported disseminated and consumed. The Internet has also helped criminally minded persons become more efficient in committing crimes”. He said

“In Nigeria, all these as well as growing corruption, impunity and failure of the justice system have all increased risks in journalistic practice. He tasked media owners to provide resources, tools, insurance and medical.

According to him, giving proper training to reporters about the hostile beat or risky assignment could help.

“Newsroom managers must make contingency arrangements for his or her reporters in case he or she gets into danger. Some media houses adopt pseudonyms or just use by our reporters when publishing sensitive stories, and deciding if a story is worth it or too risky is very vital”. He warned.

“Don’t keep one reporter too long on dangerous beats. Crime and corruption are the most dangerous bits for journalists and 35 percent of journalists killed since 1992, covered crime and corruption. Research your subject(s) well. Learn as much as you can about who can help you and who might want to stop you and never work alone on dangerous assignments”.

The award winning journalist also added that journalists should make the subject of their investigation know that that are not working alone and must always keep their editors posted. Aiyetan stated that before going to interview a potentially hostile source, or enviroment that journalists must cover their ‘back’.

He counselled. “Familiarise yourself with high crime areas and residences and offices of dangerous sources you want to talk to and by knowing the entry and exit points etc. Always keep your mobile phones charged. In covering crime, terrorism and corruption, try and cultivate a senior law enforcement agency official you can rely on for emergency situations”.

“Do a good survey of the terrain including positions of protesters and the police as well as exit or escape routes in case things get out of control. Never get caught between police and rioters. Also walk on the outside of the crowd, never in the mix for it is better to work as a team covering riots.  Two journalists or more and a photographer will make them to cover each other’s backs”.

Speaking further, he cautioned journalists to chose clothes wisely by deciding  if they must wear what would make them blend into the crowd or if they need both protester and law enforcement officers to distinguish them.

“Wear shoes that you can run in if you need to make a retreat or escape”.

In reporting armed conflict, he emphasised on physical fitness, protective gear, and body armour, special vests, and helmets.

He disclosed that journalists should get basic security training in combat awareness and battlefield hazards by understanding the rules of war. However, he reeled out advantages and disadvantages of journalists in getting embedded.

“Journalists getting embedded in military operations became popular during the American invasion of Iraq and it has become acceptable means of reporting news. When you are embedded with an army unit you agree on some basic rules, including not doing anything to jeopardise the unit’s operations or disclose its locations or other operational information”, he added.

“Being embedded has its advantages and disadvantages and there are editors and media houses that will never allow their journalists to embed with a military unit”. According to Aiyetan in his lecture stated that when embedded the options are as follows.

“When embedded, you have exclusive access to frontline battle stories, but you see things from a limited perspective because you cannot see the impact of war on civilians for example. You stand the risk of being killed in battle. 9 embedded journalists were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2009. In Afghanistan six embedded journalists died between 2001 and 2011”.

“If you are in uniform, you are legally regarded as a soldier in the unit (Geneva Convention 1949). The opposing army can legally fire at and kill you and you can be arrested and detained as a prisoner of war. But then you enjoy the privileges of being a POW”. He said.

Aiyetan quipped that the journalists might not have enough access to report what happens in the battle ground or the frontline.

For independent journalists, he said. “You have a broader perspective of the war; you can report from a safe distance and can perhaps, also be more independent in your reportage because you don’t feel you owe anybody a favour. You can be charged with civilian crimes like espionage and If you are also arrested, you will be treated as a civilian and face the indignities of abusive prison conditions”, Aiyetan explained.

Speaking further, he advised on the use of fixers when travelling on assignment. But cautioned on vetting of the fixers the journalists would want to work with. He urged journalists covering hostile enviroment to be more confident and avoid familiar or intimate gestures such as hugging with people they are just meeting to know for the first time.

“Avoid spending too long with sources or support staff. In hotels, use locks in the room. You can put ‘do not disturb’ signs on your door and choose a hotel with security. In certain circumstances, for some assignments, editors should consider the sex of the reporter”, he stated.