Nairobi, Kenya.

October 30, 2011.

MEDIA RELEASE:     

For Immediate Release:

 
KCA ADVICES ON SAFETY FOR JOURNALISTS IN THE FRONT LINE

Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) has today called on journalists covering the war against Al Shabaab by Kenyan security forces, both along Kenya’s border with Somalia and deep inside that country to mind their safety and to act in solidarity.

KCA noted that formal war reporting was a new phenomenon for Kenyan journalists most of whom had never gone through safety trainings on how to conduct themselves while in the frontline.

“We urge our colleagues in the frontline to be mindful of their safety and act with utmost care in the ongoing war against the Al Shabaab militants. This advisory also applies to all our colleagues who may be assigned to cover incidents of terror attacks within the country, said Oloo Janak, the KCA Chairman.

Janak noted that the militants had in the past targeted journalists in Somalia in their operations and had little respect for media people who, because of Kenya’s intervention in Somalia, “may treat Kenyan journalists as legitimate targets”.

He called on all journalists to work closely with the security personnel and abide by any reasonable safety instructions as is the practice in the coverage of conflict situations world wide.

“We need to recognize that Kenyan journalists currently involved in covering the war against Al Shabaab are as important as the soldiers and we call on the media fraternity to offer them the necessary support including messages of solidarity and encouragement,” he said.

Janak emphasized that the media outlets for which the journalists deployed to the frontline are working and the government, are duty bound to offer them the necessary logistical support, rapid safety briefings and guarantee them security while in the field. 

He called on the journalists to exercise a sense of responsibility and fairness in the coverage of the war to avoid any possibilities of creating false feelings of victory, alarm or despondency at home that could lead to xenophobic attacks against Kenyan Somalis.

At the same time, Janak said, while some of the concerns by the military about some of the media reports were legitimate, the media could not be turned into a propaganda tool by both the military and government and it was important that the security agencies and the government give regular and factual updates to inform accurate reporting by journalists.


For further information and inquiries, Please contact:

KCA Secretariat: kenyacorrespondents11@gmail.com, info@kca.or.ke

Tel: +254-20-2632122, +254-72269792