Liberian Journalists Expected To Sign Communique Against Hate Speech This Saturday Committing
PHOTO: Participants in group picture
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
With less than four days to the October 10 Presidential and legislative elections in Liberia, the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) has ended a two-day media dialogue to de-emphasize political hate speech in Liberia.
Political hate speech most often incites violence that may sometimes lead to physical injuries and other political crises that undermine the democracy of any society.
The Dialogue was organized by CEMESP in collaboration with the West Africa Network for Peace Building or WANEP with funding from the European Union that brought together several journalists in print, television, and electronic media in Monrovia.
The engagement was intended to deemphasize political hate speeches in the electioneering process.
Speaking at the dialogue Thursday, October 5, 2023, in Monrovia, CEMESP Executive Director Malcolm W. Joseph noted that the situation of political hate speech has further exhibited the partisan inclination of journalists to breach ethical standards by promoting the cause of candidates, thus confusing the minds of voters who need to be educated.
Mr. Joseph noted that the two-day dialogue was meant to improve and strengthen journalists and recommit to upholding ethical standards in covering elections void of hate speeches.
According to Joseph, Liberia has reached a crucial stage, especially during this campaign season, and is characterized by the downright propaganda and its speeches that are looming around and playing out on social media while sipping through the legacy media.
“On legitimate reasons to make their respective choices, this trend does not over well for the electoral process as it borders on the printing kiosk as the country moves towards the October 10th, 2023 elections in this circumstance,” he said.
Joseph at the same time stressed the need to engage journalists in the capital, Monrovia to seek pay for conflict-sensitive reporting that negates the negative labeling of candidates.
In remarks, the President of the Press Union of Liberia Daniel Nyakonah urged journalists to be mindful in providing coverage for the elections noting that the elections are polarized and have created division in the media both left, right, and center.
Mr. Nyakonah wants journalists to report in a manner that Liberia will survive before during and after the elections.
He observed that fact-checking in Liberia is now a new phenomenon and that the country is fast developing into becoming an expert something he said is welcoming.
“I will congratulate my colleagues and local voices, stage media and now the Center for Media Studies is joining in to deemphasize political hate speeches. Is not to emphasize. Is to tone down the rhetoric. And we are toning down the rhetoric at the very peak of our elections” He said.
Meanwhile, Journalists who participated in the dialogue are expected to sign a communique that will compare them to uphold ethical standards before during, and after the elections in all of their reportage on Saturday, October 7, 2023,