I personally use my time on social media to mostly discuss Somali issues with other like minded Somalis. It inevitably leads to discussions about Somalia and the misery that plagues the country. The misery of course being Al Shabaab. I find asking myself, the war that the terrorists have waged in Somalia started many years ago, but when did the war against the global Somali diaspora begin?
We do know that initially Al Shabaab desired to target diaspora Somalis with their terrorist propaganda for the purpose of recruitment. This of course eventually failed. The whole approach to global terrorism has indeed attracted more foreigners than actual Somalis. This is an important point. Somalis that deeply appreciate their cultural and religious heritage as well as their unique history will not find any favor with Al Qaeda and the charcoal fueled terrorists.
This does not mean that some gullible Somalis did not swallow the lies that were fed to them by the terrorists. These type of Somalis can be very staunch supporters of the Shabaab and its war ideology, but would be easily mistaken for moderates if you only took a glance at their accounts.
They are somewhat subtle and not very direct as you would expect from staunch Al Qaida supporters. Therefore it is important to expose and educate Somalis that believe terrorism against Somali civilians can be excused or worse, forgiven. It is for this purpose i believe it is important i explain to the best of my abilities how to spot and confront the Al Shabaab sympathisers on social media.
Discuss with the suspected sympathiser
If you suspect someones sympathies lies with Al Shabaab, then your first action should be to open up a discussion. Ask this person relevant questions regarding Al Shabaab and the terror they daily commit in Somalia. Sharing articles and pictures that illustrate the violence they commit daily is helpful in getting the discussion started. If the person at one point states that he/she believes Al Shabaab should get amnesty and that they "after all are Somalis", that person is at this point a confirmed sympathiser.
Look at the suspected sympathisers history
If the person has rejected the discussion and doesn't wish to engage, then you should calmly respect that decision. The other way to learn about this persons attitude toward Al Shabaab is to have a look at his/hers posts or tweets relating to Somali politics. It is not unusual to find Somalis that express anger with the Somali government for having such a lax attitude regarding corruption, security and other issues.
This in itself is not indicative of someone supporting Al Shabaab. However if that same person believes that only Al Shabaab is a credible alternative to the government, then you are obviously dealing with a Sympathiser.
"It's AMISOM"
Perhaps one of the most common arguments used by sympathisers is that the AMISOM deployment to Somalia is the reason Al shabaab wrecks havoc in the country. This argument is false and should be confronted head on. Every Somali person that is not currently suffering Alzheimer's knows that the stated reason for AMISOM entering Somalia was because of the threat Al Shabaab posed to nearby countries. The bombings and kidnappings occurring in Kenya before the deployment of their forces is one such example.
Take action against the sympathisers
Once you have confirmed that this person is a sympathiser for Al Shabaab, you should take the following actions.
- Shame the sympathisers and make them fully aware that you don't tolerate their views.
- Discredit the sympathisers petty arguments, and counter them with the truth.
- Inform the sympathisers own Somali followers that this account supports terrorism against Somalis.
I hope this has helped you understand how to keep your fellow Somalis safe from enemy propaganda. Help mentally liberate your fellow Somalis on social media.
Only if Somalis would look at themselves first as Muslims of which there are 99.9%, shun clan politics then unite under Islamic Sharia, they would be very far by now. Of course neighboring countries and their paymasters would not like that. Ask yourself how many countries are in Somalia soil to fight just one group......
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