ASEAN Journalists Trained on Mass Atrocities in Migration Context

Bangkok, Thailand (ANTARA) - Twenty-five journalists and media communication professionals participated in a training session titled ‘Prevention of Mass Atrocities in the Context of Migration in ASEAN’ in Bangkok, from 6 to 8 July 2026. The event, facilitated by the Faculty of Law at Chulalongkorn University, was funded by the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities (AIPG). ‘The reason we train various professions, which this time happens to be journalists, is so they understand genocide, mass atrocities, and the conditions in their respective countries in 2026,’ said Ana Maria Rodriguez, coordinator of the Bruno and Suzanne Scheidt Global Programme for Refugee Protection at AIPG, on Wednesday. ‘Then, these journalists who have received capacity building will form a project that can be applied in the field. That way we can measure whether they can make an impact,’ she added. The journalists had the opportunity to delve into various journalistic aspects of reporting on migration and refugee issues, prioritising the humanitarian side and avoiding hate narratives. Several academics and practitioners led the training sessions, including Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn from the Chulalongkorn Faculty of Law, who explained the legal framework related to mass atrocities. Also present were Nicha Wachpanich and Nathapob Sungkate, two journalists from HaRDstories, who highlighted the role of responsible journalism in countering misleading information about refugees that is widespread on social media. According to Ana, migration was chosen as the context because it is the first point at which groups become vulnerable to mass atrocities or other human rights violations. Telly Nathalia, a participant from Indonesia, stated that although she has frequently covered migration issues in her journalism and even conducted advocacy, she learned a great deal from this training. ‘It turns out the issue of migration is very broad, not just about asylum seekers or refugees from disasters. There are many segments of migration. When we become journalists, the most important thing is the principle of do no harm,’ said the woman who is familiarly called Lia. Lia understands the ‘do no harm’ principle as an effort to ensure reporting humanises vulnerable groups. According to her, even when pressed by deadlines, journalists should delay briefly rather than rush to publish something that could have a negative impact on sources from these vulnerable groups. Another participant from Thailand, Fiza Awan, shared a similar view. As a recent journalism graduate from Chulalongkorn University who has interned at a media company, she stressed that narratives can sometimes endanger others. ‘The narrative we present, sometimes without us realising it, the framing turns out to be dangerous. So, even though we have to work with tight time constraints, journalists still need to be careful in writing and publishing news,’ said Fiza. Furthermore, for Fiza, the training, which brought together participants from various countries under the ASEAN banner, is important for building networks and gaining a deeper understanding of the situations and conditions in neighbouring countries.