By: Mohamed Jalloh
The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) has on Thursday 27th July 2023 engaged media owners, editors and station managers on a national reconciliation dialogue in order to foster national unity and cohesion.
In her welcoming address, Hawa Samai the Executive Secretary of ICPNC said for journalists to leave their busy schedules and attend the event shows the importance that is attached to the national reconciliation conversation.
She reminded the gathering that the ICPNC came into existence through an Act of parliament in 2020 and the commission started operations in 2021 from the scratch but further stated that the commission is currently vibrant in 2023.
Madam Samai thanked the media personalities for playing a role in helping Sierra Leone climb up the Global peace index from 50 to 45 positions which makes the country the most peaceful in West Africa and the 3rd most peaceful in the entire African continent.
The executive secretary mentioned Botswana which is the most peaceful country in Africa has her own issues with tribalism that normally creates tension but also noted that they are able to manage their differences, she therefore continued that even though Sierra Leone has some challenges regarding national unity it can still catch up or overtake Botswana.
She said the role of the media in enhancing peace and social cohesion should not be underestimated, because as according to her journalists have the space and the platform to reach every stratum in society.
“You must help us shape steer the conversation for peacebuilding and reconciliation which is aimed at fostering national cohesion”, she urges.
Madam Samai said as human beings we are liable to making mistakes but that doesn’t mean Sierra Leone should not create a system that is near to perfection to enhance national unity.
She appealed to all and sundry to continue with the conversation, so that as we approach the next elections in 2028 we will be talking about issues and not personalities.
The executive secretary reveals the destructive role the media plays in creating the genocide in Rwanda but she however noted that in places such as the United States it is the media that is playing the developmental role.
Madam Samai stated that the traditional media is currently influencing the social media because as according to her whatever is discussed or written in the media will get social buzzing with comments.
Dr Reverend Johnson, who is the chairperson of the ICPNC, said his philosophy is high impact low visibility with regards his footprints in the media landscape of Sierra Leone, given that he owns 3 radio stations across the country.
“Even with the international accolades gained by Sierra Leone in maintaining peace there are still issues that are burning internally” he reveals.
Rev. Johnson stated that the things that are potential threats to peace did not start overnight and the challenges are getting even compounded because they were never resolved and pointed out further that anytime there is a gap something either positive or negative will fill the void as a natural phenomenon.
He went further in stating that in order to prevent the things that normally disturb the peace is to create a platform wherein the voice of everyone could be heard which has precipitated the invitation of the media to get diverse views on the attainment of peace.
Dr Johnson urged the gathering to be good listeners to elicit the views of all and sundry as according to him the views of every one(even a mad man) is important in shaping the peace discussion.
“Good listeners are very good learners and we must move away from the attitude that other people don’t have anything meaningful to contribute if not we will continue making the same mistakes and the definition for insanity is to keep on doing the same thing and expect different results”, he explains.
Rev.Jonhson reveals that once you have listened to people and you have learned from them they will earn your respect and there will come a time when they will be willing and ready to listen to you.
We must bring everyone on board in the conversation on national reconciliation because everyone is important because as long as you are a Sierra Leonean you are bound to contribute towards the national development of the nation.
In the panel discussions, the issue of misinformation, disinformation and mal information in social media clearly stood out as the potential threats to peace.
It was agreed that editors must counter fake news with the posting of accurate and truthful counter balancing information on social media platforms.
Editors were also urged to publish stories that have been already verified by the I – Verify platform and there must be proactive disclosure of information so as to prevent the information gap that makes fake news to thrive.
The issue of media poverty and empowerment gap also stood out as a bottle neck in preventing journalists from engaging in investigative journalism to seeking the truth but will rather go for the easiest means of gathering news even if it means resorting to social media.
The psychological effects of readers and listeners also came to play because many people are attracted to bad news than good news. In the end it was resolved that Sierra Leone needs a critical media that could provide accurate, truthful and timely information that could empower people to take rational decisions affecting their lives.
In the absence of the above, it is strongly believed that social media rabble rousers such as “Adebayor”can fill the void and create chaos.
In conclusion Journalists were urged to be on the side of the people and not to favour politicians for personal or political gains.