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Garowe in Putland
The mass media and Somali history
Somalia is the one of many African countries which have experienced the devastating legacy of colonialism.
Independence for Somalia came in 1960. The Somali Democratic Republic existed from 1960 until 1969. On October 21, 1969 a new regime under the dictatorship of Siyad Barre took over the government.
Under the Barre’s dictatorship freedom of expression and the press were brutally suppressed. Some of the mass media became mouthpieces of the Barre regime.
The Somali population suffered hostility, injustice and a loss of their basic human rights.
As a result a number of opposition revolutionmary groups emerged throughout Somalia in the 1980s.
By the late 1990s the opposition groups were waging armed resistance to the Barre regime. In early 1991 the Barre’s regime was overthrown by the clan-armed militia.
Almost immediately after the overthrow of Barre civil war broke out in the country. The administration was destroyed, a situation that prevails today. Somalia is run by sub- clans and rival clan militias who control their own territories in the country.
At the present, some of the clans have tried to form a unified administration and government for the whole country as well as to restore peace, law and order.
The Puntland Republic of Somalia, where I live, has an administration that hasd managed to restore and maintain relative peace, law and order.
The mass media after the Somali civil war
In the absence of an effective Somali government, private mass media have been established in different parts of the country and they enjoy relative freedom of the press with little or not restrictions.
An number of locations in Somalia have their own private media services: journals, websites, radio and TV stations.
One major drawback is some of the mass media are created to serve the interests of the clan leaders and warlords. Where clan leaders and warlords are fighting against each other the mass media are used as tools for propaganda.
In Puntland Somalia the mass media include both print and electronic media. These are found in towns like Bosaso, Garowe, Galkacyo, Laascaano where they provide services that include radio, TV, Internet and email access
There is 10 radio stations in Puntland: three each in Bosaso Galkacyo and Garowe and one in Laascaano
There are many Internet service companies who offer telecommunications and wireless with high speed internet access.
Puntland has one TV station which is based in Bosaso.
In a conclusion all the mass media in Somalia are privately owned.
We can say information system of Somalia is highly improved after civil war. extend their coverage.
The African Star 2006
Story written by;
Hawa Dualle Adem
AVU journalism student,Puntland State University (PSU) Garowe
