Lisa Ling, an American journalist known for her
journalism work to bring attention to human and women's rights issues and
willingness to travel to some of the most dangerous places in the world,
traveled to the DRC to a village called Bukavu to report on the effect the
civil war on women in the war torn country. Her story detailed the near four
million people who had died in the country and how mass sexual assault against
women was used daily as simply another weapon for the fighters in the conflict.
She was quoted as saying "More than any other place the Congo can really
be like living hell"
This story aired on The Oprah Show in 2005, nearly
seven years ago.
Since this time, very little has changed
regarding this issue. Recent news articles titled “Humiliation of the
Congolese”, “DRC: Further Bloodshed and Exhaustion”, “East Congo Rebels Rely on
Fear and Chaos” and “A Congolese Mother: Her life on the Run” clearly
illustrate this continuing problem that effects the whole country even beyond
the obvious costs of war (instability, human rights violations, etc). This
particular issue also contributes to other issues we have discussed such as the
spread of AIDS and Badvocacy.
The continuing prevalence of this issue despite the length of time it
has continued and the media coverage it has received leads me to ask two
questions:
Does media coverage of such events ever truly lead to help in stopping
the issues reported?
As we look at the future of the DRC, do we see hope in the next seven
years for progress in solving this conflict?
Read more: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Reaching-Out-to-the-World/5#ixzz2Ely2ZLhL
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-congo-rebels-20121211,0,7697702.story
Read more: http://members4.boardhost.com/acnaus/msg/1355206569.html
Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/congolese-mother-answers-questions-about-her-life-on-the-run
Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/democratic-republic-of-congo-further-bloodshed-and-exhaustion-facing-internally-displaced-persons-in-masisi
To answer your first question i would say that the answer falls into the same category as the badvocacy we see in terms of aid when it comes to actions of the west and NGOs and especially with our media when it comes to these types of issues. Our constant need to over simplify complicated things causes us to put massive efforts into things that often find little to no results because we focus them at the wrong things. Thus i dont think that it is the media coverage that is failing to help in stopping the issues that are happening but the intentions of the media coverage in general.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that issues like these need to be shown throughout the media, but the fact that it aired on the Oprah show isn't going to do anything for the DRC. Over simplifying is a great way to talk about this. There is so much more that needs to be done rather than just make this issue known, so personally, i dont think the media is helping at all. Secondly, I dont think the future will be changing a whole lot in the next 7 years, these conflicts have a tendency to last way too long.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't news like bad news. I don't think that the media has the priority of fixing the issues it reports. Unfortunately, this is the best in their business. Timeless pictures and Pulitzer-priced journalism is made in the battlefields and hell of others.
ReplyDeleteI am also skeptical of thinking these issues will be fixed in 7 years. 7 years is just around the corner. Unless we begin to see a change in leadership within the DRC, we can truly begin to make good predictions about fixing its situation. And let's not just pay attention to the media. If you remember in class, we learned how some African countries were unhappy how the lives of its citizens was depicted.
I think Lisa Ling and many other Journalist have good intentions. The media's job is not to fix or help things. Their job is to inform. Lisa Ling did her job, she inform people about some of the tragedies in the DRC most likely in hopes that someone else would help. I would agree that the media does try to oversimplify things which doesn't help the issues because they aren't simple issues. I think Emmanuel makes a good point as well, the media does need to be more careful how they portray the people of Africa.
ReplyDeleteI too am skeptical of any progress within the DRC anytime soon. I would like to have hope for the country but there is little evidence of progress. The DRC needs to make drastic changes in every aspect of the country. It needs to start with a new government who can reign in violence, which is easier said then done.