Somalia: Time for Pro-People Public Relations

The struggles facing Somalis keep droning on and on, and so many development issues are shelved simply because there is still a jagged security barrier for nearly half the country. The good news is that this week UN leaders have met with Somali Transitional Government officials in Istanbul to hammer out another list of goals and commitments. This is, however, another political deja vu.

Nearly everything's been tried in Somalia and yet the powers of militant Islam (the radical "Shabab" youth militia controlling much of the south, and a handful of opposing militias wanting milder versions of the same thing), the champions of clanism (yes, a few clan-based warlords are still holding on), and that transitional government still cannot work things out. So what has not yet been done or done well enough?

Somalia, based on my work in the field there, appears to be the only country in the world in which the government has not made a successful attempt at a pro-people public relations campaign. Sure, former President Abdullahi used to talk about Somalis working together despite clan. And the current transitional leader, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, follows suit in the most common themes of Somalia: Islam and unity. But the transitional government, partly because of its lack of a charismatic leader and lack of energy after grueling meetings with long-winded ministers and exhausted diplomats, has time and again let tremendous opportunities for reuniting its people, in terms of rhetoric, pass.

For example, while the government is bureaucratizing quietly, the Shabab radical militia is taking over nearly half of the country while miraculously getting away with (a) lobbing mortars into civilian areas, (b) banning World Food Programme food aid, and (c) banning recorded music. Mortars, no food aid, and no music!? And yet the Shabab has still generated wide public support?

The last thing Somalia needs right now is a blowhard spouting bullshit about unity; what I mean is a strong voice for change. They need a Somali Lumumba or Mandela to speak with a confident voice to all Somalis that it is time for one government for all the diverse opinions, but one government which does not mortar civilians, ban food aid, prohibit music, or permit corruption or clanism. Rather, the leader will promote a government that promotes Somali freedom, government responsibility, and a country that enjoys its incredible resources rather than squandering them.

Meanwhile, it is only the Somalis in diaspora who seem to be generating this kind of peaceful pride with concerts and websites for Somali tourism, trade, and culture. Really, Somalia has incredible beaches, beautiful landscape, and could be running travel tours which would rival Kenya's and offer supplied manufacturing more efficiently than many other markets. But the country needs a united leadership with a voice that will paint the portrait of where they are all going.

Wow, okay, I'm starting to sound like an undergrad who just finished reading Franz Fanon. But seriously, everything's been tried in Somalia except for the pro-people PR they have missed since the days of the dictator. The leadership should be undermining the Shabab militia's support by painting them as the socio-paths they have proved themselves to be. I hate to say it, but the tremendous substance achieved in the Istanbul talks might only succeed if backed by the right kind of PR.

Photo credit: Daniel J Gerstle