Welcome to IFJ Asia's monthly e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on Tuesday, 1 February 2005 and contributions from affiliates are most welcome. To contribute, email ifj@ifj-asia.org
Please distribute this bulletin widely among colleagues in the media.
In this bulletin:
Journalists at centre of Asian tsunami and earthquake catastrophe
Safety must be a priority for covering the tsunami disaster
Media reform a central part of reconstruction after Asian tsunami tragedy
Where to send funds for tsunami relief for journalists
IFJ to prepare a report on tsunami tragedy
Conflict reporting training in Sri Lanka
Afghan journalists meet in Kabul
Train the trainer in India
Trade union training in Nepal
Trade union development courses in Indonesia
Philippines death toll sparks IFJ mission
South Asia annual press freedom report and SAMSN
2004 Tolerance prize to be launched and regions expand in Asia
Indirect discrimination in journalism
Historic world union congress in Japan elects first woman president of ICFTU
International women's media foundation seeks nominations
Latest protests
Journalists at centre of Asian tsunami and earthquake catastrophe
Journalists from across the world are uniting to support stricken colleagues in the Asian tsunami and earthquake catastrophe. IFJ officials are travelling to the region in the coming days to support local affiliates in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India who have been hardest hit by the disaster.
In Indonesia, where more than 100,000 are expected to have died, the Serambi Indonesia, one of Aceh's leading daily newspapers, lost around 100 staff and its shoreline printing works and offices were washed away. It has restarted publication. At least three journalist members of the IFJ affiliate, the Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI), are confirmed dead with another eight AJI members and staff missing. The journalists are from Serambi Indonesia, Kontras and radio KBR 68H. A number of journalists who participated in the AJI-IFJ safety training held in Medan, Aceh in December 2003 are among those missing. The AP correspondent for Aceh is also reported missing. The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union has reported that more than 30 staff missing in Aceh province from Indonesia's two public broadcasters Televisi Republik Indonesia and Radio Republik Indonesia. Both TVRI and RRI have reported severe damage to transmitters and other equipment. Radio Netherlands Indonesia has reported staff and journalistic colleagues missing and has reported that some stations in Aceh are totally destroyed including Radio Nikoya FM in Banda Aceh. The International News Safety Institute (INSI) has sent personal first aid medical kits to AJI to aid with the relief effort.
In Sri Lanka, where over 30,000 have died, 5,240 are reported missing and over a million people are displaced and another 16,665 are injured. There are fears for some provincial correspondents who may have perished, but this information is not confirmed due to the difficulties in communications in the affected areas. Unconfirmed reports are that more than 50 journalists have been displaced in the Eastern and Southern provinces. The IFJ affiliates and associates are gathering information on the situation for journalists in the regions devastated by the tsunami. An IFJ affiliate in Sri Lanka, the FMETU in association with the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and the Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) are fundraising to provide general support and assistance. For further information or to make a donation please contact the FMETU directly at fmetu@sltnet.lk
The Free Media Movement in Sri Lanka has called for all journalists and media institutions to keep in mind their responsibility to act as a watchdog over the reconstruction and relief efforts to ensure all activities are transparent and devoid of corruption and discrimination. The FMM is in the process of networking with journalists' organisations in Sri Lank at both a national and provincial level to achieve this goal.
In India, where more than 10,000 people have died, fears are held for journalists and their families in the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. India's public TV broadcaster, Doordarshan has reported that several of its TV transmitters on Car Nicobar, the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands was badly damaged by the waves. The IFJ affiliates are seeking further information on the situation in these states.
In Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, the Maldives and East Africa, it is unclear how many journalists have been affected and the IFJ and its affiliates are making urgent inquiries.
Please urgently send any further information or updates on journalists affected by the Asian tsunami to IFJ Asia at ifj@ifj-asia.org
Safety must be a priority for covering the tsunami disaster
The IFJ urges all its affiliates and contacts to put safety as a priority for covering the Asian tsunami. Visit the International News Safety Institute website at http://www.newssafety.com/ for updates on safety and the tsunami.
The DART Centre for News, Media and Trauma in Australasia has information on Trauma Awareness for Journalists Covering Tsunamis
The Fleet Street Clinic has information on Health Information for News Professionals Covering the Asian Tsunami Disaster
The International Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies has placed on its website information on "Mass Disasters, Trauma and Loss", "Sudden Traumatic Loss", "Indirect Trauma (for providers)" and "Children and Trauma". Visit http://istss.org/
Safety organisation AKE is planning on conducting a post traumatic stress seminar in Sydney on 17 January for Australian journalists who covered the disaster. They are investigating conducting similar courses in Asia. For further information visit http://www.akegroup.com/
Media reform a central part of reconstruction after Asian tsunami tragedy
The IFJ has written to the United Nations calling on media reform to be a central part of the reconstruction effort following the devastation of the Asian earthquake and tsunami. Christopher Warren, IFJ President, has written to Kofi Annan calling on him to remind world leaders at the Jakarta summit on tsunami aid of the importance of a free, independent and open media. "In the reconstruction of the affected areas, we ask that you urge all countries to continue to build on the process of transparency and democracy," said IFJ President Christopher Warren in the letter to Annan. "As the world community moves to the needed reconstruction in the affected countries, it is essential that reconstruction go hand in hand with the continued process of media reform," he said. For further information visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/tsunami050105.html
Where to send funds for tsunami relief for journalists
The IFJ has launched a global appeal for tsunami relief. In only a few days, over a dozen countries have donated and over Euro18,000 has been distributed in financial aid. For further information on the Asia Disaster Relief for Journalists and Media Staff visit http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=2882&Language=EN and http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=2884&Language=EN
To donate, send funds to:
Asia Disaster Relief for Journalists and Media Staff
C/o IFJ Safety Fund
Fortis Banque
Agence Rond Point Schumann10
1040BRUSSELS
IBAN: BE642100 7857 0052
SwiftCode: GEBABEBB
The IFJ affiliate in Indonesia, AJI, also has a fund for tsunami relief. Send funds to:
Account Number : 446-1479
Beneficiary Name : ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS
Name of Bank : BNI Senayan Branch
SWIFT Code : BNINIDJA
Address of Bank : Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 55
Central Jakarta 10210
Other assistance can be sent to:
Jl. Danau Poso Blok D1 No. 29 Bendungan Hilir Jakarta Indonesia 10210
Phone: +62-21-5790-0489, Fax. +62-21-573-4581
IFJ to prepare report on tsunami tragedy
IFJ Asia will be working with affiliates and friends over the coming weeks to prepare a detailed report on the impact of the tsunami tragedy on media and journalists including:
- Impact on individual journalists and media workers: killed, injured, missing, displaced.
- How did the media do their job?
- Stress and trauma of coverage
- Government restrictions that got in the way
- Media in reconstruction
Submissions are encouraged for the report on the above topics. To submit, please email ifj@ifj-asia.org
Conflict reporting training in Sri Lanka
The final series of workshops in the IFJ's conflict reporting program were to be held in Sri Lanka in January 2005, but due to the tsunami, these will be postponed until February and March. The two-day conflict reporting course covers topics including an analysis of conflict and of the role of the media in conflict reporting; diversity issues and the impact on content and language; and the impact of interviewing and images on reporting conflict. In addition, the IFJ has been conducting editors' roundtable discussions and is producing a handbook and leaflet for journalists reporting conflict within the Sri Lankan context. The workshops, seminars and the handbook are part of a United States Institute of Peace supported project to assist journalists reporting on the conflict and peace process in Sri Lanka.
Afghan journalists met in Kabul
The Committee to Establish the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) met in a two-day planning workshop in Kabul on 15-16 December led by IFJ trainer Mike Dobbie and with the support of International Media Support. The workshop acted as a precursor to a general meeting of Afghan journalists planned for early 2005. The meeting considered how to establish a democratic, open and genuine association of journalists in Afghanistan. To view the final communiqu?of the meeting, visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/afghanistab041216.html
Train the trainer in India
IFJ Asia will be conducting a train the trainer workshop for workplace union activists, union trainers and organisers of IFJ affiliated journalists' unions in India from 3-6 February 2005 in Bangalore, India. The meeting will be hosted by the AINEF, and will invite representatives from IFJ affiliates, the AINEF, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and the National Union of Journalists, India (NUJI). The training will be conducted with the support of the Swedish trade union movement.
Trade union training in Nepal
The Nepal Press Union, one of the three IFJ affiliates in Nepal, will conduct a two-day trade union training workshop in Dhankuta District in Eastern Nepal, as part of the program supported by the Swedish trade union movement, the LOTCO. The program will be conducted by trainers trained by the IFJ at a regional train the trainer program held in Kathmandu in late 2003 and will train 32 journalists in topics such as recruitment, increasing the participation of women in the NPU and workers' rights.
Trade union development courses in Indonesia
IFJ affiliate in Indonesia, Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) conducted a series of trade union development activities in December 2004. The courses were conducted in Solo in Java and Kendari in Sulawesi, plus a train the trainer workshop in Jakarta. Trained Indonesian trainers conducted the workshops. The training was part of a trade union development project conducted with the support of the Swedish trade union movement, the LOTCO, which concludes in February 2005.
Philippines death toll sparks IFJ Mission
The IFJ is planning to send a delegation of journalists to the Philippines on 25 January for seven days following the shocking spate of killings in that country over the last few months. The IFJ will send representatives from IFJ's Australian affiliate, the Media Alliance, the Indonesian Aliansi Jurnalis Independen and we are seeking a representative from the Danish Union of Journalists. The delegation will travel to the most affected regions to meet with journalists and their families and will meet with senior government officials in the hopes of ending the culture of impunity fuelling the rising death toll. "The people responsible for these deaths are not being prosecuted and until they are, we fear that journalists will continue to die," said IFJ president Christopher Warren. For more information see www.ifj-asia.org/philippines or www.nujp.org
The South Asia annual press freedom report and SAMSN
The IFJ will shortly be writing to affiliates and contacts in South Asia calling for submissions to the third annual South Asia annual press freedom report. The report will utilize the expertise the members of the newly-created SAMSN (South Asia Media Solidarity Network) to compile the report. SAMSN is dedicated to building solidarity among organisations of journalists and others in the region working to promote a safer working environment and greater respect for the work of journalists. To find out more about SAMSN visit http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/samsn.html
2004 Tolerance prize to be launched and regions expand in Asia
The IFJ is about to launch the third annual IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize in South Asia and in a new and expanded East and South East Asia region. South Asia includes Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan and has expanded to include Afghanistan, Bhutan and the Maldives. The newly expanded East and South East Asia region includes; Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand and has expanded to include Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan and will now accept entries from Vietnam, China, Laos, Singapore and Burma. For more information please contact Lara Hook at lara.hook@alliance.org.au or for South Asia laxmi.murthy@ifj-asia.org or ifjsouthasia@hotmail.com.
Indirect discrimination in journalism
An Australian tribunal has recognised the indirect discrimination against women in journalism in a decision handed down on December 22. The decision was in response to a discrimination claim launched by Aileen Keenan with the support of the IFJ Australian affiliate, the Media Alliance against national newspaper The Age. "This decision challenges all of us in the media to review promotion and grading structures to provide real transparency," said Media Alliance Federal Secretary and IFJ President Christopher Warren. The tribunal found that the relevant leadership positions at The Age had been occupied by men who have projected appreciation of behaviour more traditionally expected from men than women. "The Alliance welcomes the opportunity to finally end the system of promotion based on who you play golf with and replace it with a genuinely transparent system based on merit," said Warren. For further information visit http://www.alliance.org.au
Historic world union congress in Japan elects first woman president of ICFTU
(From ICFTU) On Friday December 10, the Executive Board of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) elected Sharan Burrow, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, to the post of ICFTU President. Burrow will be the first woman to hold the position. The board was meeting immediately after the close in Miyazaki, Japan of the ICFTU Congress, the world's largest and most representative meeting of trade union organisations. For further information visit http://congress.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991221102&Language=EN
International women's media foundation seeks nominations
The International Women's Media Foundation is seeking nominations for its 2005 Courage in Journalism Awards and Lifetime Achievement Award. The only awards program exclusively for international women journalists, the Courage in Journalism Awards honor women journalists who have demonstrated extraordinary strength of character in pursuing their profession under difficult or dangerous circumstances, such as government oppression, political pressure, physical danger or other intimidating obstacles. Nominations for the 2005 awards will be accepted by the IWMF between January 1, 2005 and March 15, 2005. For further information about the awards and to learn how to nominate a journalist, visit the IWMF website at http://www.iwmf.org/courage/nominate.php.
Latest Protests
Asia and Africa: Media reform a central part of reconstruction after Asian tsunami tragedy, says IFJ -05/01/2005
Indonesia: IFJ reiterates calls for defamation reform in response to journalist sentanced to jail - 05/01/2005
Bangladesh: IFJ mourns the tragic deaths of photo journalist in Bangladesh - 4/01/2005
India: IFJ mourns the tragic deaths of journalists in India -09/12/2004
If affiliates have any information on a press freedom violation, please make sure you immediately contact staff at IFJ Asia so action can be taken.
