JHR workshop: Reporting on elections

Monday Jan. 17, 2010.

Liberian newspaper and radio journalists are back at the Liberian Media Centre for a JHR workshop, lead by Yeama from Sierra Leone. She is JHR's workshop facilitator. Her primary role is to travel throughout the country, talking to journalists at multiple media houses. Today she is wearing a fitted black dress. And of course, her trademark three inch high heels. I've already seen three pairs in four days.

Peter Quaqua, the Director of the Press Union of Liberia, starts us off. "I wanted to persist coming," he says. "I'm in the middle of many activities, but they keep calling me." 'They' is Yeama. She's one persistent woman. And she usually gets her way.

Quaqua is here to prepare journalists for the upcoming election in November.

"We cannot underestimate our responsibility," he reminds the group, standing up front beside a board of over-sized white paper. He plays with the blue marker between his fingers. "It is through your work and objectivity that the public will be able to make good decisions. This is one occasion where we cannot afford to be subjective or stupid. Remove yourself from the conflict."

The first African female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, will be running again along with George Weah who ran against her last time. His only claim to fame is that he's a former football star. Another candidate is Prince Johnson who cut off the ear of first full-blooded Liberian president, Samuel Doe, and then ate it on camera before killing him.

Quaqua continues, "When we get involved with cheating, people get disenchanted. Various sides try to influence the media. You see these child soldiers? These are people who have been easily manipulated. We don't want to be manipulated either. The future of Liberia is at stake."

He is referring to a common theme among West African journalists. Politicians pay them off to forward the party's message and influence the public. It's a successful strategy as most journalists survive on very little per story.

"Your responsibility is to be fair," he says sternly. "Your credibility is at stake. Your role is to present each one with their qualifications to the public. When you pick one candidate and highlight why they are good, you are putting everyone else against them. You cannot translate your vote into your work. Let the public make an informed decision."

He goes on to remind us that several media houses in the area are funded by politicians. "Let's use the example of Kings FM. It is owned and operated by candidate George Weah. How can we ask them to report fairly?"

I'm impressed with what Quaqua has to say and hope these journalists are brave enough to not accept bribes.

The next speaker is less enchanting. His name is Bobby Livingstone. He's from the National Elections Commission. The NEC is funded by the state. He talks to us like children. The only interesting thing he discusses is cross-border voting.

Liberia borders three countries: The Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Many people from the same tribe trickle onto other sides of the border. It's the same reason why people from neighbouring countries get involved in each other's civil wars. Their father is living there, their aunt is just a few miles away. Border lines are ignored. Tribal lines are honoured.

Politicians have also been paying people to travel from neighbouring countries to secure more votes. Many other 'citizens' take advantage of this since a lot of them can't afford the cost of travel and it gives them a chance to visit with family and/or friends across the border.

One journalist asks me if we are able to do the same in Canada and the U.S. I tell him that our voting processes are very strict, and we must show identification at the polling stations.

Livingstone tells us that the NEC must rely on tribal chiefs, elders "and the rest of them" to ensure people don't cross borders to vote. There is no national ID system here.

Our JHR journalism trainer is up next. Aaron works at "Front Page Africa" newspaper. He works with journalists one on one, encouraging them to stay away from press conferences that spew propaganda unless there's actual news behind them. He helps them cover stories which highlight human rights issues and works with them to edit their stories. Aaron also holds human rights reporting workshops at the newspaper. I will be doing the same come Sunday when I move a three-hour drive northwest on a rare paved country road, to Gbarnga.

Aaron is here to continue Quaqua's talk on the most efficient methods in covering elections. He says the responsibilities journalists have during an election are exactly the same as their responsibilities when covering any other type of story.

"If voters don't understand what's going on then it's not a democracy. A journalist's job is to encourage this. This could possibly be the freest election that Liberia has ever had."