In many countries in southern Africa, journalists face harsh consequences when they try to hold governments accountable.

War devastated the nation’s independent media, and now the job of restoring the foundation for news reporting begins.

In Liberia, a photojournalist finds death, despair and destruction.

If local journalists reported more of the news to Western audiences, their sources and the story’s context would be different.

‘We have covered Africa this year, so we won’t be doing anything for a while.’

‘… there is an obvious need for independent press scrutiny to hold these tribunals accountable.’

‘The patronizing reporting one witnesses today is as bad as the condescending work of the past.’

‘We would work to capture and convey the human dignity not often found in stories painting statistical portraits.'

Statistics don’t matter when disease and disaster exact such high human tolls in Africa.

A BBC foreign correspondent pleads with journalists to move past their relentless focus on Africa’s misery.