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Brussels, 15 March (INSI) - The International News Safety Institute (INSI) has trained more than 80 conflict reporters and other media staff during three training seminars in West and Central Africa between January and March 2005. Due to high demand, INSI accepted more than 40 participants for training during its first seminar in late January in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire, instead of the planned 25. In its selection of participants, INSI gives priority to local journalists and other media staff and particularly women that are actively engaged in covering war and other violence at the local, regional and international level. The three safety training sessions have been conducted in the Yamoussoukro, Kinshasa and Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. More seminars are planned for other conflict countries in Africa in coming months. INSI now has trained Ivorian, Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian, Nigerian, Spanish, Liberian and French news media personnel working for African, American, British, French and German news organisations. Besides the leading print and electronic media in Cote d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Nigeria and Burundi, the participants also report for such news organisations as the Pan African News Agency (PANA), Africa Numéro in Gabon, BBC, Radio France Internationale, Radio Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP, the UN Radio in Cote d'Ivoire and the Voice of America, among others. One of the observers of the training in Yamoussoukro, Lt. Col. Phillipe Bou of the French Intervention Forces (LICORNE) in Cote d'Ivoire, said the courses are ideal for the situations that journalists and other media staff will encounter while covering conflicts. Among other things, participants are taught about personal safety, pre-deployment planning, conflict management, dealing with hostile crowds, ballistic awareness and reaction to shooting, checkpoints, abduction and basic first aid. Other subjects include weapon identification and range, landmines and the effect of alcohol on conflict reporters and other media staff. The courses were taught by Karen McMenamin, a British trainer from the Pilgrim's security firm based in the United Kingdom According to Sarah de Jong, INSI's Project Manager, the institute seeks to establish contacts with any relevant organisation such as humanitarian aid organisations to explore ways to have a constructive dialogue in an attempt to improve the conditions of journalists covering conflicts around the globe. Observers from UNESCO, the Ivorian, Congolese and French military forces, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as well as the national press unions of Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo attended the safety training seminars. INSI is a non-governmental organisation that was established on 3 May 2003 by a unique coalition of news outfits, journalist support groups and humanitarian campaigners to serve as an effective safety net for journalists and other media staff working in hostile environments. INSI, whose headquarters are in Brussels, has regional offices in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia. For further information about INSI or the Africa training please contact: Rodney Pinder, Director, INSI +44 20 7737 7628 or +44 7734 709 267 e-mail: rodney.pinder@newssafety.com Or Tamba Jean-Matthew III |