Journalism and Media: The Professional and Ethical Equator in Sudans War
Khalid Masa
The global fight against hate speech began when the world recognized its dangerous impact on international peace and security. This realization culminated in the Rabat Plan of Action in Morocco in 2012, which aimed to combat hate speech. Subsequently, nations began developing mechanisms to counter hate speech, including exploring legal frameworks to make these efforts more effective and impactful.
As humanity strives to preserve its progress in advancing human rights, efforts to combat hate speech often intersect with governments approaches to freedom of expression and the medias role in addressing these issues. Some argue that combating hate speech has been used as a pretext by certain governments to curtail freedoms of expression.
In Sudan, the April War unleashed the demon of hate speech, creating fertile ground for its proliferation. Producing and disseminating hate speech has ceased to be a punishable crime and is no longer frowned upon in the media. Hate speech in journalism manifests as negative references to individuals or groups based on their identity, aimed at inciting hostility—a phenomenon clearly visible in journalistic and media performance, as well as digital content on interactive platforms.
Without equipping journalists and media professionals with significant human rights awareness and familiarizing them with international documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Rabat and Nairobi Declarations, and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, media will fail to play a positive role in countering the growing phenomenon of hate speech.
A review of war-related media coverage and content from the onset of Sudans April War two years ago reveals a parallel war waged through media platforms and interactive spaces. This war employs every ethically forbidden weapon of hate speech, violating all professional and ethical standards for journalists and media professionals. Media platforms have been weaponized to disseminate and promote content inciting discrimination, hatred, and violent extremism based on ethnicity, gender, or political stances. Even efforts to counter such inflammatory rhetoric often provoke attacks and hostility.
The unregulated, open nature of interactive spaces allows anyone to exploit the "forest of hatred," wielding the content they produce as a legitimate weapon in times of war. Many believe that hatred is a justified tool for defeating their perceived or imagined enemies.
Prior to the April War, journalists and media professionals initiated efforts to align Sudanese media performance with the nation-building values of the Sudanese people, aiming to address the root causes of past conflicts. These initiatives included drafting charters for journalistic integrity, which serve as the highest professional standards, surpassing even laws restricting press freedoms.
Any basic analysis of media content since the wars outbreak reveals that hate speech is a primary driver of its continuation. Accompanying the chaos of war, hate speech dominates journalistic and media platforms, sidelining messages of awareness and enlightenment in favor of glorifying war and fanning its flames.
Post-war reconstruction advocates often simplify the impact of the April War, focusing on the physical destruction of infrastructure and civilian property. They overlook the long-term effects of hate speech on post-war society, particularly on generations raised in an environment of hatred, discrimination, and violent extremism fueled by war media.
Interactive spaces could have been harnessed to enhance the quality of media content shared among Sudanese during the war, serving as an antidote to the toxic narratives accompanying war. Instead, they have become breeding grounds for hate speech, perpetuating violence and division.
The tools and resources available through interactive spaces, especially for digital content creators, could significantly support freedom of expression—a cornerstone of journalism and media. Responsible content can help achieve the goals of Sudans revolution: freedom, peace, and justice. True freedom cannot coexist with speech that infringes on the rights of others. True peace cannot emerge from societies built on hate speech. True justice cannot prevail in environments of discrimination, incitement, or exclusion based on identity, gender, religion, or political opinion.
Media and journalism in wartime must adhere to a professional and ethical equator, committed to exposing violations by all parties and safeguarding civil rights. They should promote awareness of international humanitarian principles and reject the portrayal of violations as triumphs or permissible acts.
Advocates of hatred, violent extremism, and incitement must understand that their content generates equally extreme and violent counter-responses, perpetuating a vicious cycle of division and hostility.
There are non-negotiable principles in content creation and journalism that transcend any legal frameworks restricting freedom of expression. These principles, rooted in ethics and professionalism, empower media to serve the values of freedom, peace, and justice while maintaining societal cohesion and resilience against hate speech, discrimination, and violent extremism.
Journalistic and media content should refrain from glorifying violence, celebrating violations of prisoners rights, or jeopardizing civilian safety during wartime.
Media is a powerful weapon in war, and its influence is evident in the Sudanese conflict, where it shapes public opinion, fuels violence, and hinders calls for ceasefires and civilian protection. Conversely, it could be a tool for unity and healing, fostering a collective effort to rebuild and restore Sudan’s social fabric.
Conscious messaging and awareness campaigns can act as firefighters, extinguishing the flames of war ignited by hate speech. Believers in these principles must confront the proliferation of hate platforms and their destructive narratives to save Sudan from this dire affliction.
