SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE DAUD AWEIS, MINISTER OF INFORMATION, CULTURE AND TOURISM IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA DURING THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS
1. Your Excellency The Prime Minister, Mr. Hamza Barre, fellow government officials, members of parliament and other political leaders, media practitioners, scholars and civil society advocates . . . Good Morning. It is my pleasure and that of my ministry to welcome you to this national conference on preventing the spread of misinformation, disinformation and fake news. Conferences such as this one is essential at a time when these three vices are at an all-time high, thanks to the digital revolution.
2. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is said that ‘A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still wearing its boots.’ And that is the situation that we constantly find ourselves in on a daily basis as the line between truth and untruth continues to be blurred by enemies of progress who seek selfish ends as opposed to the common good.
3. The United Nations defines misinformation as false or inaccurate information such as rumours, pranks or insults while describing disinformation as deliberately malicious and misleading content such as hoaxes and propaganda aimed at spreading fear and suspicion amongst populations. These vices are a global challenge as it becomes harder and harder for people to distinguish fact from fiction in this fast-paced digital environment.
4. In our country, Somalia, misinformation, disinformation and fake news have had dire consequences, threatening national cohesion, inciting violence, hate and instability and even worse, greatly hampering the government’s war on terror. Terrorists, like the rest of the world, are now leveraging technology and social media in spreading their propaganda and inciting fear among citizens. The spread of religious propaganda to justify their illicit activities is especially harmful.
5. We continue to urge law enforcement agencies and The Judiciary to play their role and ensure that these enemies of cohesion, peace and national progress are brought to book as we continue to work towards a peaceful, terror-free, conflict-free Somalia.
6. Ladies and Gentlemen, the spread of fake news, misinformation and disinformation and their effects goes against the very fabric of humanity as well as Somali, Islamic and African culture and tradition. It, therefore, becomes important for Government, media practitioners, scholars and civil society players to come together and embark on initiatives to enlighten the masses on how to distinguish fact from fiction. The Government cannot do this on its own. Professionals such as you who are gathered here today are key pillars in combatting these vices right down to the grassroots.
7. At National Government Level, initiatives such as the Government Communication Office – GCO – have strengthened and streamlined government communications regarding the anti-terror war with the help of Islamic Scholars, the business community, youth leaders and defectors from Al Shabaab. The National Strategy for Public Awareness and the Open Theater of the Ministry of Information Initiatives have also served to narrow the gap between Government and citizens by making government information more accessible and reducing opportunities for misinformation, disinformation and fake news to take root.
8. The country’s Public Broadcasters also continue to play a crucial role in stemming misinformation. Today, there are two national TV stations that are dedicated to updates surrounding the anti-Al Shabaab war, while the number of audiences for national radio, TV, newspapers and the national news agency continue to grow in leaps and bounds since operations commenced 10 months ago.
9. Ladies and Gentlemen, the war against misinformation, disinformation and fake news cannot be won by government and top officials alone. It is the patriotic duty of each and every citizen to champion peace, stability and development in our country. Citizens, especially those on social media, should cease making comments and spreading content that undermines the government’s anti-Al Shabaab war. Support for these terrorists’ activities goes against the latter and spirit of national and Islamic Laws, humanity and the national psyche.
10. I urge all citizens to use the internet, and especially social media, responsibly. These are powerful communications tools, and they should be used to build the country, not to its detriment. Freedom of expression should be tempered with responsibility and patriotism.
11. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I wish us fruitful deliberations as this conference kicks off and look forward to homegrown solutions to combatting misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
Source: Somali National News Agency