Is silencing the media in the interest of Puntland administration?
By Abdi Dirshe
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Robert Merton’s “functional analysis” theory explicates the effect of mass media in a society. One can draw from that analysis that one of the major objectives of the mass media is the collection and distribution of information, thus the media plays an important role in shaping the socio- economics and political realities of any society. Mass media also holds society together and it also serves the political system. The information provided by the media becomes sometimes the only contact many people have with their governments, hence the Mass media may well determine important issues that affect society— in this respect it is equally true that the media may also set the "agenda".
Retrospectively, the administration of Puntland took advantage of the available mass media such as VOA Somali service and the BBC Somali service to propagate and use them as a tool to disseminate information to its people as well as to use the media as a forum to deliver its more than a decade of relative peace, development, democratic governance and its political stability to its Diaspora community outside of Puntland and to the international community.
With that backdrop, the current administration led by President Abdirahman Faroole is alleged to be embroiled in corruption and mismanagement of government funds. Additionally, the relative peace is slithering away slowly as the number of killings has increased since the new administration was sworn in January of 2009. With this latest controversy the Puntland administration is taking a very hard line approach and is jeopardizing its relationship with the media. This administration has also taken an all war at the media by imprisoning journalists and banning them from reporting important news from the region. Its latest scuffle with the VOA Somali service is a classic example of a government that is out of touch.
It is ironic that the Security Minister General Abdullahi Samatar and the deputy Minister of Information Abdishakur Adan wrote a separate letter on October 1 claiming the VOA reports from Puntland were “negative” and instigated instability in the region, this entire shenanigan stems from a VOA interview of Sheikh Sayid Khalif, a religious leader who allegedly opened a branch of the religious group Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama’a in Puntland, though in the interview the Sheikh divulged of being a supporter of the Puntland administration. Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama’a is a non-militant, moderate Sufi group with considerable influence in the region, even if there is logic in the claim made by the minister that they were concerned of potential insecurity in the region- that logic is bereft of moral responsibility, when the administration without due process embarked on an arbitrary measure that contravenes Puntland’s constitution and is a serious affront to press freedom in the region.
The Minister can learn from the “functional analysis” theory, as the VOA interview served the security interest of the Puntland society when the interviewee Sheikh Sayid Khalif was arrested few days later, of course assuming that he was a threat to the stability of the region as the government claims. This latest controversy surrounding the Puntland administration received strong reaction from many including the reputable Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ) which condemned the action taken by the government and is demanding the suspension of VOA from the region be lifted immediately
The point is this government instead of strengthening this hard earned democracy and leading its people to prosperity is reverting backwards by suppressing the freedom of expression in the region and consequently, this will impede any potential progress in the region with respect to freedom of expression and democratic governance.
Abdi Dirshe
Is an activist, a Union organizer and an independent researcher; He is the current chair of Somali Canadian Diaspora Alliance and can be reached at [email protected]