Joanne M. Lisosky Ph.D. is Associate Professor at Pacific Lutheran University. She is one of PLU's globe-trotting faculty. This summer she is leading a class in Geneva, Switzerland at the United Nations -- right at the crossroads of international politics. Join her as she and her students meet with UN officials and try to unravel the mysteries behind global problem-solving. No previous knowledge of international affairs required and she promises ... no tests.
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Journalists around the world experience a great deal of hassle from governments and private organizations. And they are especially venerable in armed conflicts.
Jennifer Henricksen has discovered a humanitarian operation here in Geneva proposing journalists wear distinctive armbands with a symbol, much like the Red Cross/Red Crescent, to indicate the wearer is a journalist. The organization essentially wants a new convention (or treaty) to broadly introduce and codify this press emblem initiative.
Jennifer wrote an op ed article about this emblem that will likely be published on the Press Emblem Campaign’s website.
The risk of being a journalist in a conflict area has increased in recent years. In fact, 2005 was the deadliest year for journalists since 1995: 63 journalists and 5 media assistants were killed doing their job or for having expressed their opinion. In Jennifer's op ed she says that more than 150 journalists were killed last year and more than 40 journalists have been killed this year, according to the International Federation of Journalists. Thus, the Iraq conflict has been more deadly for the media than WWII and 20 years of war in Vietnam.
Unfortunately, international humanitarian law says journalists are entitled to the same protection as civilians—no more, no less. But in serious situations like armed conflicts, journalists are on a mission to disseminate information valuable to the resolution of the conflicts. In addition, humanitarian law is limited to armed conflicts. No protection currently exists for journalists who are involved in other dangerous situations like internal conflicts and civil unrest. In these cases, journalist should be identified and protected by some international treaty or law.
The Press Emblem Campaign is calling upon members of the Human Rights Council to act to prioritize the question of freedom of expression and access to information by deliberating on a new international convention for the protection of journalists in zones of conflict and civil unrest.
http://www.pressemblem.ch/index2.html
Sounds like a good idea... but still researching it.
