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Challenging Hate Speech on Social Media: The case of Nigeria

By
Mohammed Ibrahim
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Hate speech on social media has been blamed for widening divisions between ethnic, religious, and tribal groups in Africa’s most populated country.

“The definition we use for hate speech is really the general definition,” said Giselle Lopez from PeaceTech Lab.

“Which is speech that attacks a person or group, on the basis of their race, their gender, their ethnic origin, their religion, or sexual orientation.”

“Hate speech is a problem – a serious problem – not just in Northern Nigeria, Nigeria as a whole,” said Abdulazeez Abdulkadir, a social media user in Northern Kaduna.

“Because on a daily basis, when you go online, look at the social media – the kind of things you read – from a religious angle, from an ethnic angle, we have a lot of ‘ethnic profiling’,” he said. “When you see people who have never seen each other before profiling each other just based on the name, or based on their assumed faith the opposite belongs to.”

“Sometimes you have people in a circle – or clique – the people that follow you are probably people that think like you, so when you post these things they “like” or make comments to further encourage such speeches,” said social media user Mustapha Bulama, also of Northern Kaduna.

“I think it’s majorly because of peoples’ insecurities,” said Halima Bashir, another Nigerian social media participant. “I think sometimes they want to feel ‘among’, or they want to feel like they have something to say but I think it’s a terrible thing.”

Hate speech has been identified as a contributor to actual violence, even if it doesn’t directly refer to it.

“Even if it’s not directly calling for violence, from what we’ve seen, it’s still worrisome and it can still escalate tensions,” Ms Lopez said.

“Some people don’t sit down to verify the facts of anything,” said Mr Bulama. “The moment they get a message and it says share – they just share, and it keep going around, and that also led to a lot of anger, a lot of hate – it kept spreading so I think mainly the problem is lack of regulations.”

What do Nigerians believe could reduce hate speech?

Opinions on the ground vary on what could reduce hate speech online in Nigeria, from education to criminalization, with a controversial proposed law entering the debate.

“I think people need to be educated – civic education,” said social media user Abdulganeeyu Abdulrahman Giwa. “They have to be given responsibility to know the importance of the country in which they live in, know the importance of peace, to know the negative aspects of conflict, or war, or whatever it is – to know what hate speech can cause.”

“Until you have a law – a concrete law, you cannot say the government is serious about it,” said Mr Abdulkadir.

“I think that the owners of social media themselves, or the people who work with them, should be able to restrain these things,” said Ms Bashir. “For instance, when passing on comments that have plenty [of] hate things in it, words that you think might be offensive, shouldn’t even be allowed to go online.”

Christmas Market brings hope to South Sudan Refugees

By
John Oryang
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South Sudan Refugees have created a Christmas market near their settlement in Uganda, to reach out to local residents.

Nearly 2.5million people have fled South Sudan, and will be struggling this Christmas. UNHCR organizers of a market in Kampala district, northern Uganda, hope selling hand-made crafts will help generate revenue for refugees and bridge divides with local residents.

“When the war broke out at home, my sister was killed,” said refugee Banza Biligo. “This forced me to flee with my children into Uganda. It is here that I started working with beads, I needed to support my family.”

Refugee Betty Doro said income is very hard to obtain and that she hoped the market would help.

“I’ll buy some things for Christmas,” she said. “I’ll be also able to buy meat, for my kids.”

Ugandan shopper Rosette Komugisha said she was glad the market was established.

“Our neighbors are coming in across our borders because they find some kind of shelter and sustenance – I mean they are here to survive,” she said. “So I am glad that our policy encourages that support.”

Another shopper, Pamela Abonyo, said the personal connection with the sellers helps raise awareness.

“The thing I like most is that each tent is identified by a camp,” she said. “So you can have conversations with people and actually talk to them about their experiences.”

“[Becoming a refugee] can happen to anyone – I don’t think anyone wants to leave their home. The best – the one thing – we can do as Ugandans is to welcome them.”

“Ugandans are very welcoming,” said UNHCR Senior External Relations Officer Joyce Munyao Mbithi. “They have an open policy – they say ‘these are our brothers and sisters, they are welcome’.”

The Making of Mandela

By
Peace News Staff
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Editor’s note: This story is the first of a series of profiles on peacebuilders throughout history.

Nelson was born “Rolihlahla” Mandela, which means “troublemaker” in Xhosa. His parents were illiterate, and he herded cattle. When he was 12 his father died, leaving him feeling “cut adrift”, but Mandela inherited his father’s “proud rebelliousness” and he grew up listening to stories of ancestors’ valor during wars of resistance.

He studied law, became an activist for equal rights and fought against the apartheid government in South Africa. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, and his cell on the infamous Robben Island was only 7ft by 8ft.

Twenty-seven years later he was released, but rather than seek revenge, he chose reconciliation. He negotiated an end to apartheid and organized a multiracial election, going on to become South Africa’s first black president.

He was called the “Father of the Nation”, and was renowned for his mischievous sense of humor, as well as his stubbornness and loyalty. Throughout his presidency he emphasized peacebuilding, even using the 1995 Rugby World Cup to mend divisions.

Springbok Captain François Pienaar, famously said of the opening match that “…when the final whistle blew this country changed forever”.

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela

Marathon for Peace (Baghdad)

By
Mustafa Nader
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Earlier this year, Baghdad residents participated in the second Baghdad Marathon for Peace. Peace News photographer, Mustafa Nader, was there to capture the event.

Part of the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative’s program, Sports against Violence, the organizers said they hoped to spread values of non-violence to young people. The idea was launched by a group of Iraqi activists using sport against violence as a tool for community- and peace-building.

More than 1100 people ran together in the streets of Baghdad, nearly 300 of which were women, to say that another Iraq is possible. Local authorities assisted with security clearances and logistical support in preparing for the event. The marathon included three jogging paths; a 3km course for people with limited fitness and the elderly, a 9km track for moderate fitness levels, and a 21km athlete’s course.

Marathon coordinators said the concept is to find a common dialogue between participants, unify the efforts of civil society, and plant the seeds of peace in youth culture in Baghdad.

The Rohingya: Can Reconciliation Be Achieved in Myanmar?

By
Peace News Staff
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Over 600,000 Rohingya have been driven out of the Rakhine State in Myanmar since August 25th, in response to Rohingya militants attacking police posts. Now a new deal may allow Rohingya to return, with observers such as Pope Francis calling for ethnic reconciliation, but experts warn repatriation cannot be rushed.

Ronan Lee, a Myanmar expert at Deakin University, told us from Yangon that the divisions within Myanmar have been building for years.

“The Rohingya are an ethnic minority – they’re overwhelmingly Muslim – and described as the Rohingya Muslims, and Myanmar is an overwhelmingly Buddhist country, and the Rohingya have found themselves considered by the authorities of Myanmar to be a group that – despite their centuries of heritage in Myanmar – considered not to be entitled to citizenship.”

At Anjumanpara border crossing in Bagladesh, UNHCR officials are providing care for the thousands of refugees who have fled.

“When they started to set our villages on fire, they told us to leave,” said Rohingya refugee Abdul Hakim. “We were told if we stayed, they would kill us.”

“Here it is very crowded but at least we can sleep in peace,” said Said Amin, a Rohingya refugee. “Back home, there was space, but we were not safe.”

The UN’s High Commissioner of Human Rights has described the situation as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and a 2015 report by the International State Crime Initiative warned of the de-humanizing of the Rohingya population.

“Prior to the current crisis – which people would have seen harrowing images [of] on television – what had occurred was that the Rohingya rights to – that they vote, their right to move between one village and another without official permission, their ability to access education, or healthcare, or get a job – these basic human rights were severely curtailed or restricted by the authorities,” said Mr Lee.

So is there hope for reconciliation?

Under international pressure, Myanmar has agreed to repatriate Rohingya refugees, but reconciliation will not be an easy road.

Previously, the Rohingya lived alongside the ethnic majority, the Rakhine, in Myanmar.

“I was there doing research in 2015,” said Mr Lee, “and I was amazed at that time, how willing the Rohingya in particular were, to co-operate.”

“I was surprised too at how many ordinary Rakhine – not elite politicians – but how many ordinary Rakhine were prepared to express a similar view. They both said they understood that they were both better off when there was co-operation between the two communities – when they could trade together, when they could basically have friendly relations with each other.”

“It is critical that returns do not take place precipitously or prematurely, without the informed consent of refugees or the basic elements of lasting solutions in place,” said Adrian Edwards, from UNHCR.

“The future of Myanmar must be peace,” Pope Francis said during his recent visit to Nay Pyi Taw, “a peace based on respect for the dignity and rights of each member of society, respect for each ethnic group and its identity.”

Cover Photo: Courtesy of UNHCR

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