Mali’s media ‘key’ to ensuring stability

As Islamist groups are being driven out of major cities in northern Mali, the country’s media and civil society has a key role to play in getting the country back on track, says IMS’ Martin Landi who recently returned from Bamako.

“When the military interventions are over, Mali’s journalists face the challenge of helping to restore the social fabric of the country and lower inter-community tensions,” says Martin Landi, the Director of IMS’ Conflict and Emergency Response unit.

In the critical period following the French-led intervention, a move towards a more stable Mali relates among other things to ensuring that international aid arriving in the country reaches the right people.

“In small communities hundreds of miles from the nearest major cities, only the local media and civil society groups can ensure that the public is not deprived of such relief as it passes through corrupt areas,” says Martin Landi.

A thirst for vengeance

But the Malian media is having a difficult time covering on the country’s situation, says Martin Landi.

“It is not unlikely that we will see a period marked by a thirst for vengeance due to violence exercised on various communities throughout last year.

“Local journalists take the risk of being accused of collaborating with either the government or the Islamic groups when trying to bridge the divisions between the different ethnic groups,” says Martin Landi.

Mali’s media divided by conflict

Mali’s media sector has largely fallen apart after the now one-year-long conflict, according to a recent study by IMS which points to how the Malian media is now more than ever characterised by intimidation and self-censorship.

“That’s why we are currently looking at the possibilities of training journalists in personal safety and ethical issues,” says Martin Landi.

“Our experience shows that media able to report responsibly on crises, and trained in conflict-sensitive journalism may help to build bridges between conflicting parties, as well as ensuring public dialogue and public participation in a future peace process. With this in mind we are very careful to not putting the local journalists at risk of being accused of defending Islamist extremists. In this situation, the media needs to reach out to all parties of the conflict to ensure balance.”

Read the full report on the Malian media’s situation here.