A Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission, Boakai Kanneh says as Liberian journalists celebrate World Radio Day under the theme ‘Radio and Peace’ what can Liberians boast of as peace?
Speaking at the World Radio Day Program organized by the Association of Liberia Community Radios (ALICOR) with funding from USAID Media Activity and SIDA Radio Content Syndication Project, through Internews held in Nimba County, Kanneh citing the daily hostility in broad day light, questioned the audience to define peace.
He then inquired, “Today we been called to examine the inter-relationship between radio and peace, but sometimes I like to ask myself what is this peace, when you go to bed without food is that peace, when you live fear that somebody will snatch your bag away while walking in the dark is that peace, when schools are open and you cannot afford to pay your children school fees is that peace or when you live in fear that someone will come in the night to break into your homes is that peace.”
He drew his microscope on the definition of peace and reminded journalists that the silence of the gun is not peace; Liberians normally define peace in the context of the civil war but he defined radio as the double edge sword depending on how we use the radio.
He expanded that the radio could promote peace or destroy peace depending on who is using the radio and reminded the audience of the Rwandan conflict in 1994 injecting that, “We are all being reminded that as we go to elections, the smoothness, fairness transparency of our elections by and large on our we use the radio.”
Meanwhile, representing the office of the ECOWAS Representative to Liberia, Madam Irene Wallace cautioned the media to drive an issue based campaign devoid of partisan and skewered conversation on their platforms.
“Yes some of you work for radio stations owned by politicians but I urge you to be fearless in ensuring balance and objective discussion and debates,” Madam Walace urged.
She pointed out that the radio remains the primary medium for shaping public opinion and the trajectory of civic engagement for national peace and development.
The president of ALICOR, Hector Mulbah thanked USAID/ Internews Media Activity for the support to the association and praised Internews for giving ALICOR the opportunity to lead the organization and implementation of the World Radio Day.
He encouraged his community radio colleagues to seek pathways to sustainability and keep up the good work of providing vital service to the community and called on journalists to be professional because journalists have the tremendous responsibility to ensure that unbiased information reach citizens in a way that it does not promote conflict and violence
The World Radio Day activity ended with an awards Ceremony organized by ALICOR witnessing five community radio journalists walked away with a Tecno Camon 18 Smart Phone each and a cash prize. By Klayde Scott
