The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
delivery <strong>of</strong> the much needed humanitarian aid <strong>to</strong> vulnerable groups. In<br />
addition, the religious groups have applied extreme measures like the<br />
amputation <strong>of</strong> limbs <strong>and</strong> beheading <strong>of</strong> individuals – both men <strong>and</strong><br />
women – in public spaces in order <strong>to</strong> instil fear in those who may commit<br />
crimes against civilians. <strong>The</strong>y also target anyone who works for <strong>and</strong><br />
provides support <strong>to</strong> the current TFG. Even local NGOs that rely on external<br />
support are a target.<br />
While the majority <strong>of</strong> Somalis admire the ability <strong>of</strong> these groups <strong>to</strong> reestablish<br />
security in an area which once was lawless <strong>and</strong> extremely violent<br />
under the control <strong>of</strong> warlords <strong>and</strong> their armed militias, they do not<br />
support their methods <strong>of</strong> amputation <strong>of</strong> limbs <strong>and</strong> beheading. Moreover,<br />
the civilians under the control <strong>of</strong> armed religious groups are expected<br />
<strong>to</strong> provide moral <strong>and</strong> financial support, <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> contribute <strong>to</strong> the religious<br />
groups’ “just” war against the government <strong>and</strong> the international peacekeepers.<br />
If they resist, they may be labelled as trai<strong>to</strong>rs, <strong>and</strong> punished<br />
severely. But the TFG <strong>to</strong>o wants <strong>to</strong> gain the support <strong>of</strong> the public, <strong>and</strong><br />
may take drastic action against those suspected <strong>of</strong> being supporters <strong>of</strong><br />
the armed opposition. For instance, in Mogadishu, whenever the opposition<br />
groups fire at government forces, the AU peacekeepers retaliate<br />
with sophisticated weapons, <strong>of</strong>ten killing or displacing innocent civilians,<br />
<strong>and</strong> destroying property. <strong>The</strong> injured <strong>and</strong> displaced people continue<br />
struggling <strong>to</strong> access basic health care, food <strong>and</strong> water. This cycle <strong>of</strong> violence<br />
intensifies the suffering <strong>of</strong> the Somali people <strong>and</strong> makes reconciliation<br />
impossible.<br />
Prior <strong>to</strong> the collapse <strong>of</strong> the state <strong>and</strong> the on-going violence, the media<br />
as an institution had been state-controlled; there had been no independent<br />
media in Somalia. However, the collapse <strong>of</strong> the Somali state us h -<br />
ered in the establishment <strong>of</strong> private <strong>and</strong> independent websites <strong>and</strong> also<br />
radio <strong>and</strong> television stations run by ordinary people all over Somalia, <strong>and</strong><br />
thus provided journalists with the space <strong>to</strong> establish <strong>and</strong> run their own<br />
media without state restrictions. While the majority <strong>of</strong> the journalists<br />
who worked for the earlier regimes have fled the country, new journal -<br />
ists, including women, have emerged who, although they have no adequate<br />
journalistic training, have been running most <strong>of</strong> the radio <strong>and</strong><br />
television stations that have emerged since the collapse <strong>of</strong> the state,<br />
143