Somalia’s tribal media pulls the country yet to a dangerous abyss

Commentary by Abdullahi Jamaa

Somalia’s airwaves have been spoilt, much like the devastated environment where gun battles have left a great deal of destruction, the medium through which news and information reach the poor and helpless Somalis have been damaged to an alarming degree.

The proliferation of a formidable number of media outlets has not yet yielded to the insatiable demands of the conflict-hit population, instead the media developed to be a blood-sucking monster whose monstrosity spawned hatred and animosity that is spreading like a malevolent fire only to claim more death and destruction.

The unhinged press failed to transcend catastrophic human suffering and opted to blatantly diminish Somalia’s slim chances of emerging from the current conflict. From one end, troubled civilians endure the raging daily gun battles and from another unexpected end their hidden enemy-the media – intimately destroys the minds and ears of the listless and depressed audience. The media joined the conflict from one important side-the centre. Ought to have been the pillar of peace.

By spoiling the airwaves through its lopsided tribal influence the Somali media ostensibly fronts for the destruction of a nation already devastated by clan rivalry and hostility.
Over the years, every strong and rich Somali clan came up with a media machinery to spread and pursue their palpable propaganda aimed to offset the interest of some members of the community.

One Somali writer Mohamed-Khadar Farah describes Somalia as a nation under siege by the spell of evil influence; Mohamed describes what he calls ‘Somalia’s prê-tuned audience’
and I quote: “If you are not writing what is expected of you as a priori by your pre-tuned bunch that surround you either physically or influentially, then you must be silent. What I have unfortunately learned is that I belong to a nation where people are pre-tuned, tribally-steered, regionally-programmed and intellectually confined”

Somalia's breakup is reflected in its media, which is embryonic, disjointed and often partisan. Presenters and journalists operate in an atmosphere far from the required free expression, and often pursue regional or clan politics.

In a country beleaguered by conflict, the immense role played by the media cannot be underestimated, the local press has been instrumental in escalating the situation on ground.
Somalis have been craving for stability for more than two decades yet Somali politicians and war lords have been roaming to win the rat race in all those years as Somalia’s tribal mass media failed to spearhead the peace process.

Both the local and Somali international media has lost ground as the watchdog of the endangered community which has never known any respite from the endless conflict ever since the ouster of dictator Siad Barre in 1991.

The media had apparently been fueling the conflict failing to hit a contented medium for both the grandmasters of bad-politics and the helpless poor civilians. More often than not it turned to be a mouth-piece for those who hold the country’s power nod.

The conflict is not highlighted with intent to awaken the people about what needs to be done in a modern society but rather it nurtures detestation and enmity among various sections of the community.

This hype is actually having a negative effect on Somalis. Masses are seeing only how specific media houses are targeting the political elimination of certain people as every clan tries to liberate their own airwaves in a bid to settle political scores. But all in vain.

The negative effects on the Somali conflict is manifested in its tribal setup and the declining quality of professional practice both in print and electronic media.

The information medium is having an acid tongue to further move Somalia into the edge of a dangerous abyss leaving the country’s peace plans to precariously hang in the balance for ever.

The major media players are the BBC Somali service and the Voice of America Somali service both of which are currently enjoying a huge number of Somali audiences.

The London based BBC Somali Service has for years been the sole provider of news and information to millions of Somalis in and outside the Horn of Africa nation but it is currently grappling to counter cut-throat competition from the VOA.

The two giant broadcasters however took certain political shape and form. Even hiring and employment of their staff is based on tribal appointments. They have become experts in propaganda and venomous divisions taking advantage of an audience that cannot control of their choice of information due to lack of central media regulatory institutions.

In 2010, Ms. Farhia Absie a Somali journalist resigned from VOA citing tribal editorial policies that she said made the federal broadcaster a battle zone for journalists. In her letter she accused her editor Mr.Abdirahman Yebarow for failing to remain impartial to what is happening in Somalia.

The head of the BBC Somali service Mr. Yussuf Garad is equally regarded by Somali bloggers, journalists and Somali professional as a man who has failed the community. They argue that he turned the service from an icon among the Somali broadcasting stations to a mediocre platform.
One blogger describes Mr. Garad as a journalist who is pursuing personal whims in support to the warlords. “Mr Garad eviscerated, some would say vandalised, the BBC Somali Service soon after his appointment as its Chief Editor” said the blogger.

The content of talk shows in both the BBC and VOA Somali services are negatively critical always bent on one side of the argument, the language and the tone of the hosts’ suggests their individual estimations and feelings.

But as both the BBC and VOA struggled to misinform their divided audiences in and outside Somalia, a number of mushrooming radio stations and online portals within the failed state had by far the potential to escalate the conflict.

More than 20 tribal radio stations are believed to be operating inside Somalia. Most of these stations have developed editorial policies that only allow narrow-minded and opinionated information to get to the ears of their listeners. More than 400 Somali websites have also created a web of untrue information.

The media environment as of now presages evil in Somalia where peace and stability remains a hard nut to crack. Players in this critical sector of development have seemingly decided to waylay the entire Somali community only to serve the interest of few political bigwigs and warlords.