Propaganda in the War in Somalia (2006–2009)

Last updated
Flag of Somalia.svg
Flag of Ethiopia.svg

Even before the beginning of the War in Somalia (2006-2009) there were significant assertions and accusations of the use of disinformation and propaganda tactics, classed as forms of information warfare, by various parties to shape the causes and course of the conflict. These include assertions of falsification of the presence or number of forces involved, exaggeration or minimisation of the casualties inflicted or taken, influence or control of media outlets (or shutting them down), and other informational means and media to sway popular support and international opinion.

Contents

Low literacy rates in Somalia, estimated at between 17% and 19%, also greatly impact the effect of propaganda within the country (see related article on literacy in Somalia).

Claims of propaganda

Referring to the UN Security Council resolution to support IGASOM, a Kenyan diplomat said, "Unfortunately, the [U.N.] resolution was sponsored by the United States, and it will be used by the Courts as a propaganda tool. But at least there's a window." [1] Muslims also were considered to believe US claims of Al Qaeda activity was part of a propaganda campaign waged by Washington:

In her most blunt assessment yet, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer last week accused the Islamic council of being controlled by "East Africa Al Qaeda cell individuals."


Islamists dismiss such allegations as Western propaganda, though some concede that the council is struggling to strike a balance between its moderate and fundamentalist factions. [2]

Al Qaeda, for their part, have not been silent on the issue. On July 1, 2006, a Web-posted audio message purportedly recorded by Osama bin Laden urged Somalis to build an Islamic state in the country, and warned all nations that his al Qaeda network would fight against them if they intervened there. [3]

External powers such as Ethiopia and Eritrea have also been accused of propaganda to drum up domestic support for the conflict. [4] [5] Eritrea even claims the assertions it has troops involved in Somalia is part of a disinformation campaign being waged against it by Ethiopia. [6] Once the TFG and Ethiopian troops advanced into areas previously controlled by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), there were allegation of rape, robbery and massacre committed by the Ethiopian troops which the TFG claimed were false accusations by ICU supporters for the consumption of Human Rights organizations. [7]

Claims of troops and casualties

One of the greatest debates has been over the presence or quantity of troops of the various external powers involved. There were various claims of involvement of Ethiopia before its open admission of presence in Somalia, as well as speculation and arguments about the quantity of troops both before and after the admission. One claim by the ICU put the number of Ethiopian troops at 35,000. [8] Ethiopia consistently insisted it had a "few hundred" advisors in the country until it increased its admission to "3,000 - 4,000." [9] Independent claims put Ethiopian strength at anywhere between 8,000 and 20,000. Eritrea consistently denies presence of any troops in the country, though the TFG and Ethiopia both consistently accuse it of having up to 2,000 troops in Somalia. Other assertions include a wide range of other nations contributing troops, from Uganda to Islamic nations from which mujahideen have volunteered.

Casualty reports have also conflicted, where one side might claim to have lost only a few troops while the opponent claimed to have inflicted hundreds. The positions of advance have also been disputed, such as one report where the ICU claimed to be within 10 km of Baidoa; the government denied the ICU had advanced that far. [10] Such claims and counter-claims have been common in the conflict.

Media manipulation and repression

Media manipulation, including the arrest of journalists (such as the September arrest of Radio Simba journalist Osman Adan Areys [11] ) and journalist union leaders, [12] has been an issue in ICU-controlled areas of the country. The ICU also shut down East Africa (Mogadishu) and HornAfrik (Kismayo) radio stations. [13]

On the other side, the TFG was accused of shutting down FM Radio Warsan in Baidoa in 2006 and again in January 2007 [14] [15] and arresting numerous journalists attempting to report on Ethiopian troops in Baidoa. In November 2007, the federal government and Ethiopian troops were crawling down of freedom of press.[ citation needed ]

On January 15, 2007, the TFG closed the radio stations for Shabelle Radio, Horn Afrik, IQK, and the television station Al-Jazeera in Mogadishu, without stating a reason. [16] [17] Later, it was said the radio stations had ties to the Ayr clan, which supported the Islamic Courts, and, according to government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari, had broadcast reports about government soldiers: "They said our soldiers were looting the markets and harassing people, which was totally untrue... They are using the media to undermine the government. They have been doing this for months." [18] An employee of one of the broadcasters said the government "doesn't want free media that really give people the real information. They want distorted information... they don't want us to say the Ethiopian armies are supporting the government." [19] The media ban was lifted the next day, on January 16. [20]

Iran Media

The Iran state funded news agency, Press TV, [21] has been accused of spreading propaganda by Ethiopians, using the term "intentional errors" to describe reporting on several issues from a pro-Insurgent point of view, a claim taken up by many media organizations in the west. [22] [23] [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baidoa</span> City in South West, Somalia

Baidoa is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mogadishu (2006)</span> Battle of the Somali civil war

The Second Battle of Mogadishu was fought for control of Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu. The opposing forces were the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT), and militia loyal to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The conflict began in mid-February 2006, when Somali warlords formed the ARPCT to challenge the ICU's emerging influence. The ICU's influence was largely generated by wealthy financial donors who sought to enable the Islamic Courts Union to seize power in the country to bring stability. The battle is referred to as the Second Battle to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades-long Somali Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic Courts Union</span> Former legal and political organisation in Somalia

The Islamic Courts Union was a legal and political organization founded by Mogadishu-based Sharia courts during the early 2000s to combat the lawlessness stemming from the Somali Civil War. By mid-to-late 2006, the Islamic Courts had expanded their influence to become the de facto government of most of southern Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War in Somalia (2006–2009)</span> Armed conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia

The Ethiopian occupation of Somalia, also called the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia or the Ethiopian intervention in the Somali Civil War, was an armed conflict that lasted from late 2006 to early 2009. It began when military forces from Ethiopia, supported by the United States, invaded Somalia to depose the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and install the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The conflict continued after the invasion when an anti-Ethiopian insurgency emerged and rapidly escalated. During 2007 and 2008, the insurgency recaptured the majority of territory lost by the ICU. At the start of 2009 Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia, but became re-involved several years later to counter the growing strength of Al-Shabaab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive</span> Phase of the Somali Civil War

The 2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive is the period in the Somali Civil War that began in May 2006 with the Islamic Courts Union's (ICU) conquest of Mogadishu from the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) and continued with further ICU expansion in the country. Following the outbreak of the war on December 21, 2006; by December 24, direct Ethiopian intervention in the conflict in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was no longer denied by the Ethiopian government. The Eritrean government denied any involvement despite Ethiopian claims to the contrary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Baidoa</span> 2006 battle of the Somalia War

The Battle of Baidoa began on 20 December 2006 when the Somali transitional federal government forces (TFG) allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union (ICU) forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.

Various international and local diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the Somali Civil War have been in effect since the conflict first began in the early 1990s. The latter include diplomatic initiatives put together by the African Union, the Arab League and the European Union, as well as humanitarian efforts led by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) and the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Beledweyne (2006)</span> Battle in Somalia

The Battle of Beledweyne occurred on December 24 to December 25, 2006, when Ethiopian troops seized that Somalian town from Islamic Courts Union fighters, according to some news agencies. Beledweyne is 100 km north of Baidoa, the seat of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Jowhar</span> Battle during the War in Somalia

The Battle of Jowhar took place during the 2006 Somali War between the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces for control of the town of Jowhar. It began on December 27, 2006, when retreating ICU forces regrouped near their stronghold of Jowhar. It became the last major town and strategic stronghold of the ICU to fall to Ethiopian and TFG forces before the latter overtook Mogadishu two days later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall of Mogadishu</span> 2006 takeover of Mogadishu by TFG and Ethiopian troops during the War in Somalia (2006–09)

The fall of Mogadishu occurred on December 28, 2006, when the militaries of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Ethiopian troops entered the Somali capital unopposed. It came after a swift string of TFG and Ethiopian military victories against the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which had its headquarters in Mogadishu before it fled south.

After two decades of violence and civil war and after the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia captured Mogadishu and Kismayo, the TFG attempted to disarm the militias of the country in late 2006. According to the UN/World Bank's Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) coordination secretariat, "the total estimated number of militias [militia members] to be demobilized is 53,000." In 2005, they estimated that "there are 11–15,000 militia people controlling Mogadishu ."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ras Kamboni</span>

The Battle of Ras Kamboni took place during the Somalia War (2006–2009) fought by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces for control of Ras Kamboni, a town near the Kenyan border which once served as a training camp for the militant Islamist group Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya.

Yusuf Mohammed Siad Indhacade, aka "Inda'ade" was a Somali and former Minister. In 2011 he was a General in the Somali National Army. He hails from the Ayr sub-clan, part of the Habar Gidir, which is a branch of the Hawiye clan. For a short period he was Somali Minister of Defence (Somalia).

The timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2006 is set out below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 timeline of the War in Somalia</span> List of events

The timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2007 is set out below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

The 2009 timeline of events in the Somalia War (2006–2009) during January 2009 is set out below. From the beginning of February the timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present) is set out following the conclusion of the previous phase of the civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali civil war (2009–present)</span> Present phase of the Somali Civil War, concentrated in southern Somalia

The Somali civil war (2009–present) is the ongoing phase of the Somali civil war which is concentrated in southern and central Somalia. It began in late January 2009 with the present conflict mainly between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops and al-Shabaab militants who pledged alliegence to al-Qaeda during 2012.

Mustafa Haji Abdinur is a Somali journalist and radio correspondent. He was awarded a CPJ International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Linda Nchi</span> Kenyan military operation (2011–2012)

Operation Linda Nchi had the Kenya Defence Forces enter southern Somalia beginning in 2011. The Kenyan government declared the operation completed in March 2012, but its forces then joined AMISOM in Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2012 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

References

  1. ↑ McCrummen, Stephanie (2006-12-14). "Regional War May Loom in Africa". The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  2. ↑ Renewed fighting edges Somalia closer to civil war Chicago Tribune
  3. ↑ Bin Laden releases Web message on Iraq, Somalia USA Today
  4. ↑ Post details: Ethiopia is the play ball of mafia and CIA propaganda Nazret.com
  5. ↑ Eritrean government: running out of propaganda tricks American Chronicle
  6. ↑ Eritrea: Country Does Not Have Troops in Somalia Shabait.com
  7. ↑ propaganda war during the somalia civil war
  8. ↑ Somali Islamists Threaten Ethiopian Troops Archived 2006-12-20 at the Wayback Machine Voice of America
  9. ↑ 3 sides prepare for battle in Somalia Associated Press
  10. ↑ Somalia: PM says Islamists lost in the clashes Archived 2007-01-17 at the Wayback Machine SomaliNet
  11. ↑ SOMALIA: ICU authorities censor radio station, detain journalist Committee to Protect Journalists
  12. ↑ NUSOJ leaders released on bail, documents confiscated Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine NUSOJ
  13. ↑ SOMALIA: Mogadishu radio station shut down IRIN
  14. ↑ Somalia: Govt. shuts down Radio Warsan in Baidoa Archived 2008-07-25 at the Wayback Machine SomaliNet
  15. ↑ Somalia govt shuts down independent radio station Archived 2007-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Somalia: Govt. closes Radio stations in Mogadishu". SomaliNet. 2007-01-15. Archived from the original on 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  17. ↑ "Somali FM radios including Shabelle and Aljazeera TV are shut down". Shabelle Media Network. 2007-01-15. Archived from the original on 2007-03-24. Retrieved 2007-01-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ↑ Gettleman, Jeffrey (2007-01-16). "Somalia's Transitional Government Shuts 3 Radio Stations". New York Times . Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  19. ↑ Olivia Ward (2007-01-16). "Somalia silences Canadian voices". Toronto Star . Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  20. ↑ "Somalia lifts broadcast ban, rules out peace talks". 2007-01-16. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  21. ↑ Iran expands role in media, via satellite and in English
  22. ↑ Press TV sometimes reports errors as true
  23. ↑ Press Media reports the "propaganda of pro-ICU media outlets in Somalia "
  24. ↑ Ethiopians claim Iran's Press TV propaganda against Ethiopia
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.