Rush to Judgment and the Distortion of Facts: Reading the Monitoring Groups’ Report

[xiinfaniin]

The recently leaked [confidential] report prepared by the Somalia-Eretria Monitoring Group (SEMG) represented an opportunistic and propaganda feast for some of Somalia’s fledgling media groups, whose major attributes include the lack of ethics and professional management. In that regard, these media groups, call them propaganda organs for sectarian political objectives, wasted no time to distort some of the facts and feasted on them like a vulture does on a carcass. Some of the follow up pull backs by some of these media groups in 20-20 hindsight is no consolation.

 

http://wardheernews.com/public_html/Articles%202012/July/17_SEMG_Report_faisal.html

[xiinfaniin]

Mr. Matt Bryden wasted a lot of ink on mere pocket change while looking the other way when it comes the real corruption that is prevalent in foreign capitals exercised by non Somalis, Matt himself included.

[ElPunto]

Not much of an analysis. What facts were distorted? And what judgements were rushed to? I didn't see much of that in the article except a defense of the PM. If he wanted to defend the PM - then maybe the title ought to have reflected that.

[xiinfaniin]

Perhaps you did not follow the initial reporting of the SEMG report. Somali portals ran on a spree , and some of them were forced to correct their initial reports.

 

Matt is a biased man and his agency has no credibility in the eyes of many Somalis.

[ElPunto]

^Perhaps the author should have cited a few examples then.

 

Agree about Matt.

[Carafaat]

Loool@ defending corruption in the TFG. He is biased, they rush to judgement, they distort facts, etc. Xiin are they not corrupt then?

[Mustafe]

^ No they are not corrupt. Are you crazy?! We have not had a corrupt Somali leader since 1950, what in the hell are you talking about sir?

[LANDER]

What Xiinfanin ment to say was Matt Bryden is in favor of recognizing Somaliland and therefore any other fair assessments concerning Somalia in his capacity with the United Nations SEMG should be considered as 'bias' by all Somaliland detractors.

[burahadeer]

^^ and if againest somaliland you'r the greatest man alive according to xiin:rolleyes:

[Homunculus]

The foreign aid structure is conducive to corruption. When you give a truck load of money to amateur statesmen and expect them to distribute it to needy people, it is inevitable that they will look out for themselves and their family,.

[Raamsade]

I think what this article attempts to elucidate is the need for more naunced and sophisticated approach to corruption and governance. People too often make spurrious connections or correlations where none exist.

 

For example, most people will you that the reason many African countries have poor governance is corruption.

 

The truth is little bit more complicated.

 

For one thing corruption is by-product of poor governnance not the other way around. So the antidote to corruption is better governance. But more importantly, corruption is not a hinderance to economic and political progress. The greatest example of this is China.

 

China had the lowest corruption measures prior to embarking on economic reforms in the late 1970s. Since then China's economic rise was accompanied by corruption to the point that it got so bad the Chinese government had to resort to draconian measures such as executions to curb corruption. Since there is a demonstrable, positive correlation between economic progress and corruption in China, would it be appropriate to state corruption causes economic progress? Of course not. So why establish the reverse relationship in countries with poor economic growth?