Grave ambiance extremism emerges crosswise Africa
Wrote by Daud Abdi Daud Dimbil
Despite, Africa suffers and faced many challenges like poverty, climate change, droughts and lack of proper water and health as well as insecurity. Now the time is continuing to be ruthless one with a lot of worry and the most dangerous challenge that Africa will face on the coming season is common insecurity and civil unrest due to the religiously motivated violence, which is new phenomenon habit and gloominess in Africa at moment.
Take a few minutes to remember what had happened in Kampala city on July, 2010. Near by 100 people of world cup fans die in Uganda blasts at that time. These bombs were definitely targeting world cup crowds. Similarly, have take some seconds to remember the continued blasts against Kenyan civilians although later on Kenyan authority decided to join the fight against the violent extremism activities regionally.
In general, Africa has two radical Islamist organizations better known as Shabab and Boka-haram. Shabab is an al Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia that has waged war against the country’s weak transitional federal government since 2007.
Government of Nigeria is still continue the struggle for peace in Kano after a wave of attacks claimed by Boko Haram more than 160 dead and raised fresh fears of civil unrest. Boko-haram has a close relationship with Shabab in Somalia and 35 shabab fighters were joined Boko-haram on September, 2011 including prominent figures of shabab trainers according to some reliable sources.
The President of Nigeria honorable Goodluck Jonathan is battling the worst crisis of his nine-month tenure as the violence has raised fears of an all-out civil war in Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer.
The most radicalism trader group in Africa is operating in Somalia although Somalis finally strive for lasting peace and defeated Shabab by any means in many parts of Somalia but Shabab still continue sporadic fighting’s against the government a long with AMISOM troops in across south and central Somalia.
The power of Shabab died in Somalia when after African Union peace keepers started operating in Mogadishu and Somali media decided to raise campaigns against the religiously motivated violence in the country. This caused the death of 40 journalists since 2007 while others forced to leave the country after been threatened and intimidated.
Although, coverage in Somali media of peace and development based topics, is extremely limited. There is few number of UN funded radio stations based outside the country. Somalia has many young journalists, but their reporting interests are predominantly political, in particular reporting on inter-ethnic fighting and the civil war.
The chief editor of the BBC-Somali service Mr. Yusuf Garad Omar who is a close relative of Shabab founders especially the American’s killed late Aden Hashi Aiyrow and the current chief member of Shabab Shekh Hassan Dahir Aweys started airing falsehood and defamatory stories against the UN funded Bar-kulan radio based in Nairobi, Kenya.
The attention of the audience by members of the BBC Somali service to harm and damage the reputation and credibility of the radio Bar-kulan has earned amongst its growing audience.
The UN funded radio Bar-kulan became one of the best radio stations listened and got good reputation and fasting and incredibly growing audience with its staff paid in accordance with the international labor standards, while the BBC whose listeners were declining due to its sectarian policies, leading the BBC’s most respected and renowned journalists leave the job and was gradually losing its audience, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) research.
Radio Bar-kulan played a historic and vital role on the fight against violent extremism activities and the reduction of religiously based violence as well as piracy activities over Somalia.
BBC-Somali service sought in presenting such falsehood and defamatory reports against radio Bar-kulan to its audience, an opportunity which could initiate the recovery of its lost audience. NUSOJ said
Probably, Mr. Yusuf’s approach is out of BBC’s projects outline and this comes after when Somalis strive to find a lasting solution to decades of conflict through better media coverage locally and at global stage. It comes also after when UK government convened a high level and well prepared diplomatic conference on Somalia on February 23, 2012, which made a positive impact in terms of the enhancement of the international community’s support to the political, security, humanitarian and developmental effort in Somalia.
“Intolerable acts of terror will neither advance Africa’s development nor earn Africa respect among the community of nations. It must stop. There is need to establish both local and international mechanisms to look into the root causes of such cruel behavior be it terrorism, cattle raiding or other. IFAPA (The Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa) stands ready to support every initiative led by the IFAPA Commissioners in Kenya, Nigeria and South Sudan including those of other organizations addressing the fundamental root causes of these conflicts. We encourage consultations among the religious communities, the law enforcement agencies and the government that will promote peace and reconciliation..”
Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko – in a statement reacting to the acts of terror in Kenya, Nigeria and South Sudan
Obviously, without better media coverage no one could report the daily atrocities from the radical groups in general by the way, the African religious leaders and distinguishable faith traditions in Africa needs to increase community awareness about the violent extremism with the help of the African media professionals to avert religiously motivated violence continentally.
Africa is a vast continent of incredible diversity, physical beauty and rich natural resources. Despite a tragic history of colonialism, economic exploitation and post-independence struggles, African peoples have demonstrated a spirit of determination and courage in their quest for a better future. In settings where violence, extreme poverty and life-threatening disease are very real threats, the need for non-violent change is particularly urgent.
Finally, I have to say. “The grim time and terrorism actions are common catastrophes in human goodwill and development, Africa is under the both horrors currently”.