CIVILIAN VOICE OF WAR: How social media is fueling the Somalia conflict at grass-root level
Case recurrent conflicts of Puntland and Somaliland
Abdirisak Abdulkadir Ibrahim [email protected]
22nd April 2018
What is Social Media? And how Somalis mostly practice it? Social media is the collective of online communication channels dedicated to community- based input, interactions, content sharing and collaboration. While in Somalia, as post- conflict country, the social media is a tool of propaganda, sharing uncertain information, and misleading the people. Mostly the Somali young generations use Facebook, whatsapp and instagram whereas some professionals use twitter, LinkedIn and blogs. However, now the Facebook is the best-advanced analytical social network for Somali’s use for propaganda and integrating the people with no vision but personal opinion. It is the fastest but most destructive tool.
In general, with the growth of technology and Internet accessibility in the world, people are going to grasp its benefits at personal and community levels from progressed nations to under-developed countries. Every state is utilizing the power of social media to enhance life, development of social coercion and use bitterness of the people. Unfortunately Somali users misuse it to fuel the country’s prolonged civil war that has claimed the lives of numerous innocent people in the last and half decades.
Puntland, Somaliland as well as the Somali Federal government have enforced media laws to at least manage the capacity, freedom and value of the private media but social media, which is more personal, is still is out of the governments’ full control.
Consequently, this article is going to discuss how the social media contributes to the ongoing border disputes between Puntland and Somaliland.
Background of Puntland and Somaliland conflict
The territorial conflict between Somaliland and Puntland stems from the geographical alignment of colonies (British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland) and the collapse of the Somali central government that led to the establishment of more state administrations and federalism system of government.
The dispute started in 1998, when Puntland was formed as an autonomous state of Somalia and declared that the eastern region of British Somaliland (Sool, Sanaag and Buhoodle district) as part of its territory.
Somaliland’s government has roots in the British system, but it is more fundamentally based on the clan structures of the Somali people, its dual nature being foundational to its success. It dominates Isaaq clan, but the eastern reaches former British Somaliland, however, belongs to the Darood clan, which dominates Puntland. In 2007, Somaliland’s forces seized Lasanod, capital city of Sool region from Puntland, and after that the conflict mushroomed rapidly to the border. Again in January 2018 Somaliland took control of Tukaraq town of Sool region, which lies 80 km from Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland state. Source: Wikimedia commons. The map: Shows the boarders claimed both administrations but not completely ruled. Somaliland forces are now in control of Tukaraq though both Puntland and Somaliland deployed troops close to Tukaraq in anticipation of a further military confrontation.
Despite the serious conflict situation and tension in the area, the two communities are not divided but rather they share businesses, intermarriage, and move from side to side but the politics and politicians divided.
Internet growth The telecommunication companies are privately owned and thus seek profit. The communication sector flourished significantly over the past decades, having fundamental importance to the people and the local economy. It has nevertheless some implications. According the below table, the number of people using the Internet in Somalia has risen extremely in recent years. According to the estimation of Internet World Stats in 2017, Somalia has almost 1 million of Internet users. That means 7.9% of the population. Seventeen years ago, only 0.1% was using Internet, in other words, from 2000 up to 2017 Internet users rose up to 449,900.0%. In respect of increase use of Internet and its importance, how many of that (449,900.0%) are teenagers with no use of other skills, maturity, and profession and in a position to analyze the truth in what is posted?
Population Internet user Internet user Penetration (% Internet growth Facebook
(2017 Est) in 2000 in 2017 Population) % 2000-2017 subscribers in 2017
11,391,962 200 900,000 7.9% 449,900.0% 900,000 Somalia Source: Internet World stats, 2017
For the growth of the technology and accessibility of the Internet, social media is coming up as a fast growing tool to reach out to people especially the youth, but the internet, communication sites and other technologies are omnipresent in our society, from mobile telephone systems to satellite television and Internet broadcasting.
Lower smartphone price is driving a digital revolution in Africa and especially in Somalia. The number of smartphone connections across the continent almost doubled over the last two years, reaching 226 million (GSMA report, 2016). According to GSMA report, Selling prices have dropped from an average of $230 in 2012 to $160 in 2015, and now it becoming cheaper than that. This availability of technology simplifies more the adolescent and young people to access Internet and as he/she accesses the Internet for sure using of Social media will become easier. In Somalia at household level the secondary school children are all technological engaged using Internet, have Facebook, whatsapp and so on as a platform for sharing information but what this paper emphasis in how many unverified information/posts they receive? For example clanism in Somalia is a conflict factor and like an insurance so as the person receive a post chattering his/her clan immediately his emotion will going there.
Facebook usage
Facebook is one of the fastest growing social media, capturing thousands of users every day and the most popular social networking site in Somalia. People use it to upload photos and share video contents, send messages and keep in touch with friends, family members and colleagues. No eye can blind its positive impacts, but on the other hand it has also affected the society in a negative way.
According to Arab social media report (ASMR) produced by Dubai School of government, the majority of Facebook users in Somalia (75%) are youth of 15-29 years old, who are not aware of its negative impacts, posting easily harmful messages, violence, propaganda, disseminating warfare information which fuel further clan conflicts.
The concern is not the use of Facebook but its effect to security, social life and reconstruction of the country.
Evidence 1. Snap shots of recent posts Below are examples of thousands of conflict inflamer messages that were posted on the Facebook
Figure2: “When Majeerteen is fighting with Sacad clan Figure 1: “The Isaaq clan satisfied to fight with and fail, they always siad ‘we are your in-laws please Majeerteen a sub-clan of Darood, do you think you can stop then’ what do you think they say to Isaaq boys? I get recognition to that! Incase Majeerteen will fail they think they may say we are all from Arabs please stop Deeq will not be part of Daarood anymore”. Said then”. Said Ayub Ahmed Husen Gessod
Fiture4: “Garowe is not far, we are in few KMs, and Figure3: “Mr President Abdiwali Gaas, traditionally or will reach soon. Please add me friend of historically I can’t accept to be victim of other Somali Somalilanders”. Said Siyaasi somalilander man so, either fight or resign. Such thing was not in the Darood history and will never be”. Said Jibril Heres
Conclusion Social media is a double-edged sword, and everyone who uses it is responsible to critical think about the negative consequences of the content and information shared with the community especially during the conflict times.
We need our people to better the way they uses social media. People should utilize its positive power for development, social cohesion, peace building, and to improve the quality and standard of life, instead of spreading evil and aggression within the people and the country.
The most sensitive contents the Somali people commonly post in Facebook is about clanism, since the clan is the only insurance that people have. Other issues include digging up past conflicts, colonial territories and outstanding political and social measures to mobilize the civilians. During this research we identified that youth are both senders and readers/followers of the Facebook, as well as victims of conflict.
The other important thing is that Somalia is country in a post conflict period, and thus needs reconstruction in terms of government institutions and human capacity; Facebook might be a useful tool for building peace, mobilizing people positively, and building mental capacity of the public, particularly the young generations
Recommendations a. Government • The Somali federal government and its member states need to adopt some sort of social media regulations in providing some of its guiding services to the public given the wide reach of the platform. • The relevant authorities must monitor social media, which has become a breeding ground for hate messages and warfare information whereby people are defamed and inflammatory remarks are made. • The government should develop and setup civic education and awareness towards sensitivity and the positive use of social media b. Public users • The Somali social media users should share knowledge and develop educational materials and programs that encourage critical thinking in both proactive and reactive online activity. • The Somali Internet community should work together to address the harmful consequences of online hatred. • The Somali Internet community should encourage other interested parties to help raise awareness of the problem of cyber hate and the urgent need to address it.
References 1. Internet World Stats. (2017). Internet users statistics for Africa. Published 2018 at: https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm 2. GSM association. (2016). The mobile economy in Africa. GSMA intelligence, p.13-14 3. Arab Social Media Report. (2011). Facebook usage: Factors and analysis. Dubai school of government, v.1, 8.