Via Drinking from Home, via commenter Alan, this story of how the BBC ignored a massacre committed by Islamic Courts’ men in Somalia.
I have been deeply suspicious of the BBC’s Somalia output for a while now: lots of spin about how the Islamic Courts were bringing the smack of firm Government. This report, “Taming Mogadishu” ,for example, describes how “restaurants are opening, business is booming – and people are proud to show off to visitors their new-found security.”
And all with a wave of the magic Islamic wand, no doubt. The author describes how “Trials are swift and punishments public: publicity is their policeman.”
How very snappy and euphemistic.
Meanwhile, the Somalinet website which has published this criticism of the BBC may not have very good English, but its points are stark enough:
“Many believe BBC Somali service has always been partial and inaccurate while though minority, many think it is actually part of Somalia’s problem.”
Perhaps even more worryingly,
“SomaliNet has a concrete prove with images that shows BBC Somali Service management going out of their way to suppress other news agencies who reported a different version of one of their reports”
Precisely what this last point means I can’t say for sure, but it doesn’t sound at all good, while it does sound like the BBC I’ve come to know and, well, not like.
Also not reported by the BBC, an anti-Islamist rally in Somalia.
[By the way, I don’t know much about the Somalinet website, but I do know it carries articles favourable, as well as unfavourable, to the Islamic Courts.]
‘Hmmm…anyone want to bet on the likelehood of the BBC having on its payroll anyone who’d pen a fulsome tribute to Hitler, Apartheid South Africa or the Confederacy ?’
No just Stalin, Mao, and most Middle Eastern despots.
John Reith
“I didn’t read it like that.”
That is kind of irrelevant, isn’t it? That is how it read, however you read it. The fact that you are unable to understand the nuances, or that you can think of some ridiculously unfeasible excuse, does not mean that the BBC is innocent in intent. I am a sh/t stirrer of long experience, and that was clear and deliberate sh/t stirring from the BBC with a clear anti-american intent.
The British Broadcasting Jihad
A motion against the BBC Somali Service radio was introduced in the Puntland Parliament on Monday in Garowe, the Puntland capital. Some 8 Puntland legislators introduced the bill to ban the BBC Somali Service from operating in Puntland regions. Sources said another 22 lawmakers supported the motion and a debate opened.
The Puntland MPs voted after the debate, with more than 35 lawmakers voting to have the BBC radio banned from operating inside Puntland.Lawmakers who proposed the motion accused the BBC Somali Service • the radio with the largest reach inside Somalia • of being partisan and pro-Islamic Courts, to the detriment of Puntland and other political factions.
Back to SOMALIA.
For a recent summary and critique,
see: “The British Broadcasting Jihad”
by Melanie Phillips, ( 8 Nov. ) at:
http://www.melaniephillips.com