Dr Mengi, media fraternity all for peace in elections

BabuK

JF-Expert Member
Jul 30, 2008
1,845
329
mengi1-sept18-2015.jpg

MOAT Chairman Dr Reginald Mengi (5th-L, foreground) leads delegates to the just-ended two-day Tanzania Media Peace Forum 2015, which was held in Dar es Salaam.


A two-day Tanzania Media Peace forum ended yesterday with five declarations aimed at safeguarding and promoting peace as the country heads towards the General Election.

Closing the forum in Dar es Salaam, Media Owners Association of Tanzania (Moat) Chairman Dr Reginald Mengi said; “all Tanzanians are travelers in the same ship, running aground puts the country in peril.”

“Everyone has the responsibility to maintain peace, we are all in one ship so everyone has to ensure that the ship does not sink,’ he said and warned that “...hate speeches will kill us all.”
He said spiritual counseling is needed now more than ever towards the elections.

Speaking at the forum, Tanzania Women Media Association Executive Director, Eda Sanga urged media to be objective in their reporting of ongoing elections campaigns.

She said media have to treat parties equally and not to be biased towards anyone because doing so may agitate the other groups.

“Media has the power to maintain or breach peace, whenever you air or write, you have to be careful for the sake of the nation,” she urged.
United Nations Resident Coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez said peace preservation especially in this period was very important and UN will enhance its support in ensuring that it was maintained.

‘Peace is not everything but without peace everything is impossible, “he said and warned that election conflicts will endanger the nation’s future and especially that of the youth, women and children.
“The primary role of preserving peace now rests on political parties and their leaders,” he said.

“They will largely determine how their supporters and the general public will perceive the election environment and the results of the General Election,” he summed up.

The forum consensus was that in Tanzania, like in any other country, everyone has an obligation to maintain peace.

The international community has reaffirmed commitment to promote peace as central to Tanzania’s development and for media to adhere to ethical rules and regulations of their profession in a bid to uphold and maintaining peace in the country.



SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN


 
0 Reactions
Reply
Back
Top Bottom