Live News - A Survival Guide - International Federation of Journalists

CHAPTER 4Abductions, hostage taking and targeting journalists58◆ Do not, on the other hand, attempt to appease your captors. Evenif you are sympathetic to a cause, you are not ‘on their side’; youare their captive. If you are able to talk to your captors, your keymessage should be that as a journalist you are a non-combatantin their conflict, but that journalists have a key role to play inensuring that all sides get a fair hearing.◆ You do not know if you will be held for a long period of time, sobehave as if you will be. As soon as possible, adopt a positive routine.Do not allow yourself to slump in the corner and fester.◆ Use whatever methods you have for relaxation. Plan what youwill do when you return home. Plan a holiday with friends orfamily. Write a letter in your head. Try to remember scraps ofpoetry.◆ If you are being held for more than a day or two, start to makerequests to win what may appear to be petty concessions. Ask forbetter conditions, for example that you are not kept chained, oryou are given soap to wash with, or you can write a letter to yourdaughter, or that hostages are kept together. Keep in mind theneed not to antagonise your captors, but within the bounds ofwhat is permissible in the circumstances, be persistent. Make ita daily request. If it is one that your captors can meet withoutrisk, they may acquiesce. If you win a concession you have won alittle mental victory. Be grateful and thank them. Then wait a littleand make another request.◆ If you are on your own, particularly if being treated with brutality,try to lessen your loneliness in your mind. If you are a religiousperson talk to your God, or pray. If not, hold conversationswith a loved one or trusted friend. Ask them for advice. Tell themhow you are going to survive.◆ Do not allow yourself to believe promises that you are about tobe released. If negotiations are being held, then they may be protracted.Your captors may feel false optimism, or they may beplaying mind games. Behave as if you were going to remain captivefor a considerable time to come. This will help you to maintainself discipline and soften any disappointment. The dashingof false hope is one of the quickest ways to break someone’s will.Escaping?Should you try to escape? If your captors are competent, they willtake great pains with your security. Any escape attempt on yourpart is likely to fail unless there are outside factors or you have an