Reports from the Regional Associations

Our small organisation is called to act in a context of growing uncertainty, but also of new possibilities and opportunity.

Undoubtedly the event of this year is the start of the new common money, the Euro, involving 12 European countries. This happened with tensions and problems. As the unification extends many countries of Europe are experiencing the trend towards ‘localisations’ motivated by new fears and with racial strains fueled by right-wing parties. Recently this was apparent in the French elections and in the Netherlands. The social implications of Europe moving towards the right have yet to be understood.

Media systems continue to change radically. The process of privatisation and the concentration of Media Ownership grows so fast that even the Public Broadcasting Systems are becoming ‘market orientated’ too. The integration of different media and digitalisation of broadcasting is becoming a big business without adequate regulation.

In the meantime Europe is preparing a European Constitution that includes the right to communicate. The right to communicate and a democratic information system has to be defended and fortified.

Africa (presented by Augustine Musopole)

We want to bring to your attention the many problems affecting our region and the context in which we are being challenged to work as Christian communicators. Africa’s population is exploding with serious consequences for food security, education, health and mutual co-existence, urbanisation and clean water. This explosion is also an indication that the mortality rate is in decline since many people are surviving.

On the other hand, HIV/AIDS is decimating whole populations, and in many countries it has not levelled off as yet. All this makes Africa a paradox. In the light of all this, it has been decided that the General Assembly next year should address the issue of HIV/AIDS and in particular the challenge of behaviour change and the role of Christian media practitioners.

Conflict continues in many parts in spite of peace efforts being undertaken. There is still conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Liberia, Algeria, Somalia and the Sudan. Sierra Leone is peaceful and election have taken place. Lesotho also has had elections and there is hope for peace in Angola after the death of Jonas Savimbi.

Middle East (presented for Rosangela Jarjour by Julienne Munyaneza)

While the USA armed itself with the international unanimity which condemned the terrorist attach, and with Western unanimity of how to combat terrorism, the Third World countries, and in particular the Moslem and Arab countries, pointed out the need:

a) to define terrorism

b) to agree on a legal mechanism to combat terrorism, and

c) to deal with the root causes of terrorism and not only destroy what appears of it.

As soon as the American military campaign on Afghanistan started under the pretence of fighting terrorism and the American threats against some Arab and Middle Eastern countries accused of being associated with it, the differences in positions appeared between the East and the West.

It can be mentioned that there was a fair degree of unanimity among the Arab countries, including the Middle Eastern churches regarding the following:

a) distinction must be made between terrorism and resistance aimed at liberating usurped land and defending people against injustice, state violence and occupation

b) What is the guilt of the Afghani people?

Asia (presented by Cyril Cornelius)

We, who are in the ministry of communication, have a great mission to bring hope to the hopelessnesss, love to the hatred, peace to war, enlightenment to ignorance. The vision of the WACC Congress’ theme on “Communication: From Confrontation to Reconciliation” has encouraged Asian communicators with a hope to materialise this prophetic vision to make Asia a better place to live.

Based on the above concepts, the Region, together with other media groups sought ways and means to take part in the healing process of the global war against ignorance, mistrust and hatred. Most of the attempts being made so far are through some regional, sub-regional and local level activities that will reach to the grass roots of the region. the Asia Region has run seminars on Alternative Media and Information Society, and on Communication and Theological Education for Asia in the 21st Century.

The Region is also planning its regional seminar on “the Reconciliatory Models of Communication” in Kuala Lumpur this November and it will be attended by José Ramos Horta, the Nobel Peace Prize winner from East Timor.

Caribbean (presented by Cándida González)

The Caribbean is being used as a place of detention for people arrested by American and British troops in operations in Afghanistan. 300 are currently imprisoned on the base of Guantánamo, in the South of Cuba in a context of increased hostility towards the Cuban regime.

Impunity and violence continue to be dominant elements of the regional situation. Until now Haitian justice remains mute on the case of the journalist Jean Dominique, assasinated in the year 2000. In Jamaica, the rate of extra-judicial executions of civilians by the forces of security remains of the highest in the world. Last year, not less than 1138 Jamaicans were victims of murder.

In spite of certain weaknesses, the Caribbean social movements endeavour to address the challenges of the economic situation and do not cease condemning colonialism and neocolonialism, militarism and para-militarism, and by making solidarity a fundamental element of their actions.

Pacific (presented by Viliame Falekaono)

We have a very vibrant media in Fiji, but on numerous occasions our shortcomings in terms of training and impartiality becomes glaringly obvious. This was quite evident during the aftermath of the May 2000 take-over of parliament which was sold initially as a racist conflict. While the overseas media can be forgiven for swallowing this idea hook line and sinker I don’t think local media that bought this idea can be forgiven in a hurry, given that we, the local media, understand the local situation best.

I believe there were a few reasons for this. One, local media due to lack of experience and training were not analytical in their coverage. Everything told to journalists was almost repeated verbatim. We didn’t ask the probing questions and we didn’t try to make sense of what was happening. Not many young journalists had been in a similar situation before. But what about those who later on admitted that they took sides, sympathised with the coup plotters and got carried away in the false sense of Fijian Nationalism, the so-called cause of indigenous Fijians? This shows the training to be addressed, rules to tighten up and how impartiality needs to be stressed.

North America (presented by Linda Anderson)

“Democracies are healthier when many voices are heard and when ideas clash and compete for acceptance in the public forum. Te reduce the number of voices or limit their free statement harms democracy” It was in this spirit and understanding that NARA-WACC planned a seminar in New York City on April 17-18, the purpose of which was to place the question: “IS media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict balanced and fair?” and to offer encouragement to secular and religious media in North AMerica toward balanced and fair reporting from this area.

As reported by Chris Helinger from Religious News Service: “The question was as pointed as it was timely and at times proved as elusive as Middle East peace itself: Is balanced reporting from the Middle East possible?”

This seminar was attended by some 80 secular and religious journalists.

John Zakarian who led participants in consideration of an Code of Fair Practice for journalists began by acknowledging the difficulty of reporting as “the first draft of history...By definition this draft is not always complete”

Latin America (presented by María Elena Hermosilla)

This year we have begun a pioneering initiative to train a new generation of WACC leadership. We are attempting to share in a systematic way the collective experience of key communicators from the he churches, the academic and non-governmental organisations, as well as to create a space where young communicators can share their new insights in both theory and practice. Passing on the torch doesn’t happen on its own. Our churches and social organisations frequently make it difficult for new leadership to emerge. We believe that WACC is a vital space for our region and we can’t run the risk of seeing it become a club or old timer’s network.

We call the project “Training Young Christian Communicators for Democracy and Development”. In the first round, held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, just after our Regional Executive Committee meeting in March, 22 communicators under age 35 gathered from the Brazilian and Southern Cone sub-regions for a full week of intensive sharing and studies.

The young women and men who participated in the course came from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Mapuche nation, Uruguay and Paraguay.