YABAROW IS OBSESSED FOR TRABILISM AND UNDERMINING CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES
Unfortunately every newly established institution carrying the whole name of Somalia is being developed just to appease some sort of tribal sections in Somalia. Despite the collective name of Somalia is shown on the top of every of these institutions; so far there is no concrete indication that there assignment is to heal Somali’s perpetually cause, in fact it is not only harming the pre-existing scramble but it is also boiling a new one. Most Somali Media editors, particularly Abdurrahman Yabarow, is a great contributor to the growing mistrust among Somalis as a whole and Somali politicians in particular, if he is not the main source of that dishonest. Somali Medias with the exception of insignificant numbers do generally propagate the interest of just one tribe or even one family and deliberately set aside to promote what might really bridge the gap between Politicians whom by them self adopt a habit of an endless political deadlock and continuously fighting for personal interest and therefore project a self image over one another.
Media in general is a tool for using both to promote the national interest of one’s own country and to mislead any perceived enemy in abroad. To achieve such goal countries mostly do hire experts in the field as to materialize that goal. A short historical glance would perfectly enlighten the idea that Medias are just serving chiefly to preserve the national interest of any country. Form 1950s till the 2007 VOA Somalia was being aired and adjourned along with the circumstances of America’s national interest in the East African region. It was the period of Abdallah Isse when a Somali -voice was first heard through VOA at a time when he rented it only one hour to spread the message of SYL throughout the country[1]. Obviously, America’s national interest was carefully calculated under the leadership of Abdullahi Isse who he might be capable of promoting it. After almost four decades VOA-Somalia was again aired to report the operation of UNITAF (Unified Task force, led by America) during early years of 1990s. However, exactly right after America’s relevance to the Somali issues were faded away in 1993; it was consciously closed and stopped its broadcasting. Fascinatingly it was again 2007 when VOA Somalia was intentionally re-opened at the wake of Somali’s Islamic Court Union late in 2006 regarding with their performance as a strong and liable union across Somali’s Southern regions. As a result of their successful; America echoed that this group may pose a potential threat to America’s national Interest in Horn of African Region, as to contain as well as to fumble them US State department assigned again VOA Somalia to propagate a false perception upon them and therefore to protect America’s really interest in that region.
With the reference of above realities, the strategies of Medias always include the spread of propaganda through both national and private channels but that propaganda must be reflective of positivity with the avoiding of creating a hostile environment within the co-workers in any field of the national domain. In the case of VOA- Somalia; Yabarow has transformed that positivity and the legitimate propaganda to a negative and illegitimate one and he serves for, as anyone else can observe, just an interest of nonfigurative individuals. In addition, Yabarow ‘s administration has been experiencing an internal upheaval since he has become chief- editor of VOA Radio which can be a concrete evidence for his short-sighted less tentative characteristics. For less than four years he has lost more than a dozen of his renowned correspondents’ right around Somalis which was attributed by the mischievous treatment to his colleague. It has been further observed through Somalis’ other media channels spreading disrespectful comments aimed at the chief editor of VOA-Somalia.
On the other hand, the Radio was recently initiated and still in the period of gaining and building a reputation as to attract a wide range of Somali listeners. Unfortunately without even getting its maturity it has dramatically lost thousands of Somali listeners in Horn of Africa. It is no doubt the possibility of fading away America’s soft diplomacy in the region of Horn of Africa which is its initially inception and this weakening would keep going on unless and until the chief- editing position is set to be rotatable. More interestingly is at the time of VOA Radio was opening when it was immensely applauded by Somali listeners who were deeply disappointed by the availability of just one source of International and national news which was BBC Somali. Similarly it has also received wide attention among all Somalis because of its breaking the BBC monopoly that lasted more than half-century, but it seems now that all these enthusiasm have swiftly declined due to the unpleasant attitude of top and middle level managers so that BBC is becoming once again a reliable source and that is also exactly why some of well-known Somali Media veterans whom as soon as VOA started its broadcasting were heard their voices through it but with in a weak rushed back to their former employer.
More deliberately which of course is too much surprising would be, when chief-editor and his small fellow conduct a debate among Somali Politicians visa-vise hot and current topics. For instance, with considering of its most recent debate on 3rd April this year; about former friends but currently are strong adversaries, Sheikh Sharif and Sharif Hassan, the President and the Speaker of the Parliament respectively; the host of that debate was openly provocative against one man while the other man was intended as a sympathized. No doubt this habit is shared by most of currently VOA Somali broadcasters including the chief editor. He himself has so many times campaigned for the current president and at the same time disrespected so many more politicians in the TFG. A good example is the interviews based on the selected individuals whom their views on some politicians are widely known and therefore have never been contacted to any other person carrying different views about Somali current issues. No one can deny the fact that most of Somali politicians do occur on the same line when it comes at doing the art of politics with the luck of a well recognized administrative and a genuine political background. Another remarkable example could be felt when Yabarow ordered to one of his team to contact a former Somali president on 14th April; Abdullahi Yusuf,now living in Yeman for asking him how he would be thought the controversial high- level consultative meeting in Nairobi organized by the United Nations but rejected to attend the president and his prime minister. At the beginning of his comments the former president said to the interviewer, “Adeer Shirka aad ii sheegtay ….. (the meeting you have informed me)” which was a trusted evidence that the elder have not known anything about that meeting but just was informed by the interviewer because of only the Speaker of the Parliament attended that meeting and anybody knows the confrontational relationship between the two during Yusuf’s tenure in the office. Abdurrahman Yabarow has vigilantly tried to bring Abdullahi Yusuf in the current conflict within the TFG.
Many Somalis have taken to mean this as a new impediment strategy for an already truncated Somali state. May more even went further by saying that Yabarow has made VOA a house for a tribe which is likely not to be so if he won’t occupy the seat; therefore it is now horizontally believed that it is not only speaks for only one tribe but also campaigns for one family.
As a result of Yabarow’s editorial policies he may alienate many Somali sections therefore would prove counter-productivity which later on could have an implication for his consolidating of this position. With respect of these facts, he should have to immediately begin for reviewing his way of broadcasting and let alone the president himself campaigns for his own self and stop representing and sympathizing by one individual . It was not Yabarow’s propaganda that put him to be a president. For selecting a certain individuals for programs as well as propagating negative views and intentionally marginalizing the rest would not only bring for Abdurrahman Yabarow to attain bad image but also facilitates the end of his term. Clearly such tactics would never promote confidence building measures among Somalis but further widens the existing gap with-in-Somali citizens.
A.Suleiman
"Didiinglay dhamaateih"
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