Victor Bwire/FILE
Migrations are related immigrant issues are constant in Kenya just as they are globally, and they are not ending any time soon.
East Africa, just like the rest of the world, is affected by movements in and out of the region for various reasons including but not limited to political turmoil, conflicts, instability, unemployment and search for investments.
For years, there has been large-scale population displacement of people in the region with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have experienced the greatest immigrants’ inflows.
Global studies show among the key players in the search for a durable solution to the immigrant issue is the media. Balanced reporting by the media is critical and urgent in influencing a humane and balanced public perception towards migrants and promoting the protection of their rights in host countries, and halt these attacks, public humiliation and anger.
Media, both liberty and online splashed, content and videos of immigrants being victimised, their properties being torched, looted and their faces exposed on media interviews, without caring care as what would happen to them.
Media is important in several ways in the migration issue, especially moderating public perception understanding of the situation that makes people leave their countries, must migrate and stay in host countries and its beyond their means to return to their countries. Host countries with the help of partners invest huge resources to help them heal, integrate with host communities and by extension through economic empowerment Programmes start income generating activities as others are moved to next countries or refugee camps.
Note that its from such media coverage of the plight of immigrants, depicted as people lacking rights and humanity, that negative perceptions are formed about immigrants, pushing host communities become hostile to them, view them as competitors for job, land and related opportunities, set the agenda on policies and treatment of immigrants within the confines of both local and international law as people with human rights to protect.
The migration story must told in manner that is accurate, expounding on the root course of mass population displacement of people because of wars, natural disasters and political turmoil thus shape opinion of the host communities to accept them, minimize harm to the immigrants through telling the story with caution without exposing them as victims, exercising fair play, being humane to the victims/families and questioning facts including who are responsible for their plight and why those exposing them to harm must be held accountable.
The migrants travel long distances on foot or by road, independently or aided by smugglers. It’s not a secret that the migration story in Africa is full of intrigues including corrupt immigration officers, crooks and criminals that take advantage and hold migrants to ransom in cells until they pay bribes, criminal gangs torturing men and women to death for some hundreds of dollars in extortion, criminal smuggling networks taking people hidden in trucks, taken along panya routes to secret locations, immigration officers stamping unknown passports (hundreds at a time) for a cut of the smuggler’s profits, extrajudicial activities including rape and other abuse of refugees, and above all involves massive human rights abuses and protection deficits.
It’s a story that covers hundreds of thousands of uprooted people moving towards all points of the compass to find safety from political persecution, from poverty, insecurity and conflict and from untenable environmental stress.
Reasons that force people to move are worth examining by journalists and contextualising including globalization and growing disparities in living conditions, both within and between countries, persecutions, political turmoil, poverty and generally, culture of immigration that are perversive. Even if you chased people from your countries, and taken over their businesses, does it solve the problem or does taking over other people’s businesses make you’re an entrepreneur. Idd Amin tried it in Uganda with Asians- did it ever work?
Look at when such harsh proclamations are done against refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants, including threats to close down refugee camps or ordering them to leave host countries- they face including harsh treatment from authorities and state officials (detained, imprisoned and/or deported), rape, kidnap ordeals, thirst, hunger, absence of shelter and health services, additional risks in terms of vehicle accidents related to smugglers’ neglect and overcrowding. They lose their human dignity in the process, yet they are forced to face those conditions because of reasons beyond their control.
We need balanced reporting that will influence balanced public perception towards migrants and foster strategic partnerships among the media and practitioners working to enhance protection for migrants.
We need media apply holistic, caring, contextualized, positive and balanced reporting on migrants including refugees, asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, smuggled migrants, and unaccompanied minors. The concept of caring journalism, when reporting on the migration story.
They are people with rights, been displaced largely because of reasons beyond their capacity, and most of the income generating activities they are doing in host countries are products of empowerment programs laced with their hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. And if there are suspects and criminal within them, let the rule of law apply without hestation.
