By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Executive Director, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hamsatu Allamin has called on the media to focus their reportage on humanitarian issues in the society , especially, transitional justice, peace building and reconciliation for victims of insurgency rather than celebrating individuals in communities.
Allamin made the call on Tuesday at a one day capacity building seminar for journalists in Borno State with the theme: ” Media forum for transitional justice: Strengthening capacities and will for transitional justice and reconciliation in Borno State”.
The Executive Director, who lamented that women are not only victims of crimes and violence but perpetrators of crimes, however, pledged to engage the media in the publication of some of the narration of plights of victims of humanitarian crisis.
She also said that the Foundation was able to bring Network for Civil Society Organisations, Borno state into the transitional justice , peace building and reconciliation project, hence, it is not an individual struggle both a collective participation in the overall interest of peace and development .
She further promised to impress in the government at all levels to continue to do the needful on transitional justice to victims and perpetrators of the humanitarian crisis while appealing to the media to also play their unique role as fourth estate of the realm through their social responsibility stance to avail government of the burning issues, problems and challenges of the insurgency victims and perpetrators
Hamsatu appreciated the media and resources person as well as the contributions and observations of the media during the interactions. She therefore inaugurated the media forum for Transitional Justice and Advocacy in the state that will work in partnership with the Allamin Foundation transitional justice and reconciliation project among others.
She further pledged to carry out campaigns across the women, youths, security, government, religious, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders in all the books and crannies of the 27 LGAs and 3 senatorial districts of the state with a view to reconcile, broker peace and develop the state while urging the media to emphasize and focus on women and girls in the society who have been exposed, violated and victimized by the humanitarian crisis.
The Director added that there is need to for the identification of the victims and perpetrators of human crimes and violence to deradicalize, rehabilitate and before their reintegration into the society.
She also said that the inputs from the media forum will create the opportunity for partnership and platform to strengthen capacities and strategies to ensure the project is tailored towards the targeted audience, who mostly are the community members and leaders, , victims, perpetrators, religious leaders., security agencies and other stakeholders
The Project Manager, Allamin Foundation, Mr.. Samuel Orahi said the media forum will assist the Foundation in developing a manual for engaging with the groups and leaders in the society for proper and smooth reintegration of the victims through reconciliation and understanding where some can even become champions of the Advocacy and strategies through participation in the whole process or activity.
He also said that the major objectives of the media forum are to enhance stakeholders capacities and willingness to reconcile and accept the reintegration of women and girls and to influence government policies to promote victims and survivors integration process.
Others include to increase awareness, knowledge and capacities of stakeholders and communities in transformative and transitional justice and to promote sustainable peace and social cohesion as well as development with appreciable outcomes of activities.
The project manager added that media involvement and participation in the entire activities can never be over emphasized as the project will get a wide publicity and impact from the people and organisations.
Highlights of the event include inauguration of the Media Forum partnership team, group photographs, comments and answers among others.
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