By Menyam Sibelle
The international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has concluded a two day workshop in Bamenda aimed at equipping journalists on reporting based on the protocols of the the Geneva Convention on International Humanitarian Law ( IHL) which become operational on the 21 of October 1950.
The. Training comes as the ICRC , marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
The Geneva Conventions and their additional Protocols are a body of public international law, also known as the Humanitarian Law of Armed Conflicts. They aim to establish minimum protections, standards of humane treatment, and fundamental guarantees of respect to individuals victimized by armed conflicts like th one currently raging in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon.
The workshop that held at Ayaba Hotel, from the 23rd to 24th of August equipped media professionals with a deeper understanding of the laws of war, the role of the ICRC & how to effectively report on conflicts and humanitarian crisis
The ICRC noting the important role journalists play in exposing violations of international humanitarian law, and in highlighting the plight of civilians caught in armed conflict, use the workshop to cover a range of topics. These included the fundamental principles of IHL, the Red Cross, the role of the ICRC in the protection of civilian population and also the responsibilities of journalists in covering armed conflict amongst many others.
” I think that nobody can be perfect, so we’re doing our best in the northwest media landscape. With this seminar, journalists will perfect their knowledge in reporting (based) on international humanitarian Law, especially with respect to safeguarding and protecting the lives of people in communities in times of conflict and disasters” Mr. Njike Celestine, NW Regional Delegate for Communication said. In response to the importance of the workshop to media practitioners in th région.
Expressing his expectations from Journalists, he went further to say” Everything is a learning process and as such I expect journalists to take the deliberations of the workshop seriously so in return, they’ll be able to implement the knowledge on local realities in order to impact their various communities”
He expressed his gratitude to the ICRC(Cameroon) for such a great initiative that is helping journalists in the region build capacity to confidently report in crisis situation and especially on the plight of victims of conflicts.
The ICRC also used the workshop to enlighten journalists on it role in Cameroon as a non governmental organisation and how it seeks to help people affected by armed conflict and other violence, protecting lives and dignity, preventing hardship by promoting and strengthening respect of humanitarian Law.
