Somalia’s federal government is quickly realizing just how powerful an information war with the militant group al-Shabaab is, weeks after the historic battle that has included vigilantes backing the national forces.
But that now means that the media, central to the correct narrative against violent extremism, is seen as crucial in how it reports.
Last week, the Ministry of Information and Communication singled out several news websites and a television channel for spreading al-Shabaab ‘propaganda’. Another 30 media outlets were warned, but the general ‘ban’ is that journalists must report on the positive results of the national army, avoid jeopardizing the positions of the national forces for the benefit of al-Shabaab and not broadcast statements of Shabaab. in the media.
However, some media lobbyists see that as problematic. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) says that while it supports the war on terror, Somalia should not sacrifice press freedom.
fact reports
“The media [are] very vital to tell the story of what is happening because the public needs to be informed. That is why we need factual reporting without promoting disinformation and misinformation,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.
“What we need is peace and stability in our country. That is what will create security for our journalists,” she added.
“People need to know the truth, and the truth needs to be protected,” he said.
“The media [are] key to providing that protection when transmitting factual information to the general public. Somalia cannot continue to be in the situation it is in now.”
Al-Shabaab, a holdover from the Islamic Courts Union that defunct in 2007, has shifted from military combat to targeting civilian sites. Affiliated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda, the militant group also knows the power of the media, or its threat. In the past 15 years, 79 journalists have been killed in Somalia, most of them killed by al-Shabaab. Most of them had been warned by the group for apparently negatively reporting its operations in Somalia.
peace and stability
NUSOJ said journalists should be encouraged to see the meaning of peace and stability, rather than being tricked into avoiding reporting on certain aspects of the country.
Somalia has justified the position on Article 10 of Somalia’s (interim) constitution which safeguards “social stability and integrity”.
Al-Shabaab, however, has also humorously ‘banned’ the media from reporting on government operations, meaning journalists can routinely be targeted for reporting on the successes of national forces.
“We hereby warn all media (operating) inside Somalia not to join the war against Sharia (Islamic laws),” a Shabaab Bayaan (a statement) said last week.
“Any media that intentionally sides with the (Somali) government will be considered as part of the aggression (against us, Al-Shabaab),” he added, insisting that journalists must be neutral and “fair.”
Some other media lobbies, including the Somali Media Fraternity, which comprises the Somali Journalists Safety Facility (SMSJ), the Somali Journalists Union (SJS), the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA), have opposed the ban.
The battle for control of the media is not new.
But the battle for control of the media is not new in Somalia, even though journalists are routinely harassed or threatened by both government operatives and militant groups.
When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud promised to wage war against Al-Shabaab in September, the group’s spokesman, Ali Mohamud Raghe, alias Ali Dhere, retorted within days, challenging the authorities to go ahead.
Meanwhile, the federal government has rejected accusations by human rights groups such as Amnesty International that it was harassing the media. Instead, he says he seeks national security for all.
Mohamed Abdiwahab of the Somali Media Association (SOMA) told the media on Thursday last week that the media fraternity will pay full attention to the development, saying, “We will keep an eye on the case.”
