UNITED STATES PSYOP IN SOMALIA (4/4)

Herbert A. Friedman

UNOSOM II PSYOP

The PSYOP transition from UNITAF to UNOSOM II was not a smooth one. Lieutenant Colonel Charles P. Borchini, the Commander of the 8th PSYOP Battalion and the PSYOP Task Force hired and trained local Somali reporters and journalists, translators, artists, broadcasters, radio producers, and printers so that after the U.S. Army personnel from the 4th PSYOP Group returned to Ft. Bragg and the UN took over, the transition would be seamless. The UN seemed to agree. In February 1993, two UN officials recommended that the operation use the Somali civilian staff with the addition of some UN employees as supervisors.

In March, the UNOSOM II staff surprised everyone by requesting that there be no change in the PSYOP staffing, and that the U.S. Army personnel remain.

In April, the Central Command still planned to have the 4th PSYOP Group redeploy back to the Continental United States. Meanwhile the State Department approved the United Nations request. LTC Borchini reduced the military manpower to the absolute minimum and shipped all non-essential equipment home. At the same time, the UN assigned a single US Army officer to supervise the PSYOP organization.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Admiral Jonathan Howe visited the PSYOP Task Force on 3 May 1993, the night before the change from UNITAF to UNOSOM II was to take place. After seeing the complexity of the operation, he requested more UN personnel that same evening. Meanwhile, LTC Borchini left four noncommissioned officers to supervise the operation until the UN was ready to take full control.

UNOSOM II Leaflets

The official code numbers for the UNOSOM II leaflets are partially known. All start with the letters CH followed by a number. The highest number that I am aware of is 40, but I have at least six with unknown numbers, so there could be more than 40 standard airdropped leaflets. Like the UNITAF leaflets most are fairly crude pen and ink drawings. Some are in color, some not. Some of the more interesting leaflets are:

CH3

Leaflet CH3 depicts a white dove of peace being crushed by a fist labeled "USC/SNA" ("United Somali Congress / Somali National Alliance"). Text on the back is:

The people of Somalia are striving for peace, but USC/SNA is bringing armed conflict back to serve their own greedy purposes. Only the Somali people can break the grasp and return peace to the country. Embrace peace and bring Somalia back to prosperity and security.

CH5

Leaflet CH5 depicts a Somali woman showing her children where to hide as armed gunmen pass by on the other side of the street. Text on the back is:

Citizens of Somalia. To insure the safety and well-being of all Somali citizens, UNOSOM II asks that if at any time violence or military actions commence in your area, you immediately leave the area or seek the nearest available shelter.

CH6

Leaflet CH6 depicts a street with happy civilians walking and shopping in peace. Some citizens enter a building where one of the civilian charity agencies that donate food to the Somali people is located. The text on the back is:

Along with UNOSOM II came the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), bringing food and aid for the people of Somalia. Do not allow this beneficial relationship to be destroyed. When stability returns to Mogadishu so will the NGOs. Cooperate with the UN and continue the progress that has been made toward improving the lives of all the Somali people.

CH31

Leaflet CH31 depicts a Somali walking along a road toward a beautiful city with a signpost that says "progress." He pulls a camel that bears the Somali star. Text on the back is:

The answer to Somalia's problems lies within you. The world community will continue to donate its vast resources to the restoration of Somalia, but relief efforts are being hampered by a few individuals. We must work together to end the violence and create a safe secure environment for the relief and restoration of Somalia.

CH10

Leaflet CH10 depicts General Aideed at the left and a woman holding her dead husband at the right. Text on the back is:

On 19 June at 1240 a.m., four gunshots were fired by Aideed bandits VIC of K-4. The Aideed bandits were In a white car that shot bullets into a group of innocent Somali people who were in the streets by the Saudi Relief Agency compound. A number of innocent Somali casualties occurred due to this ruthless action by the Aideed bandits. This proves to the Somali people that Aideed is an enemy to the Somali people and the entire world.

UNOSOM asks the assistance of the Somali people to catch the bandit Aideed so that he may be tried by an international court so that the whole world will know of the criminal acts that he has committed against the Somali people.

CH12

CH12 also depicts the Somali warlord. Text to the left of his sketched portrait is:

To any Somali citizen. UNOSOM is offering a reward to any citizen who provides information leading to the arrest and apprehension of Mr. Aideed, former chairman of the USC/SNA. Information should be provided to UNOSOM force headquarters at gate eight, or Mr. Aideed can be delivered to force headquarters.

The identical message is on the back to the left of a second sketch of Mr. Aideed, this one bareheaded.

The N.Y. Times of 11 June 1993 stated that the United nations is offering $25,000 for the arrest of General Aideed. It says that 500 posters and 60,000 leaflets have been prepared and disseminated.

CNN reported that helicopters dropped "wanted" leaflets showing a drawing of Mohammed Aideed from 22 to 24 June 1993. The English word "wanted" and the Somali words "Raadin Abaal Marin" were on the front of the leaflet. The back had a message offering an unnamed reward for Aideed's capture.

The NY Times of 24 June 1993 mentions the United Nations military campaign against Mogadishu warlord and clan leader Mohammed Farah Aideed:

American gunships bombed the clan leader’s weapon depots and Radio Mogadishu, the site used for General Aideed’s broadcasts, and then ground forces were deployed on 17 June to attack his headquarters. Today the United nations dropped tens of thousands of leaflets over Mogadishu that offered a reward of an undisclosed amount to any Somali who turned General Aideed in or provided information leading to his arrest. Bold letters across the top of the bright yellow posters bearing a sketch of General Aideed proclaim him to be ‘wanted.’ Some Mogadishu residents are collecting the posters as souvenirs.

General Zinni noted in Battle Ready that bombing Aideed's radio station wasn't necessarily a good idea:

The months to follow would show that the UN failed to learn this lesson. Instead of countering Aideed’s hostile media blasts in kind, they tried to close down his radio station. Freedom of the press has to work both ways; we don’t shut down the radio stations just because we don’t like what is broadcast. The resulting confrontation was the opening of the violent war between the UN and Aideed.

CH18

Leaflet CH18 depicts an armed helicopter taking aim at a pile of munitions. The text on the back is:

UNOSOM II has taken and will continue to take decisive steps towards reestablishing stability in Somalia. These actions are not directed against any clan or group, but against those who continue to use violence. This destruction of unauthorized weapons and the facilities that contain them will help move Somalia forward intro a new era of stability and peace.

CH19

Leaflet CH19 depicts a UN helicopter firing rockets and destroying a Somali armed "Technical" vehicle. Text on the back is:

UNOSOM II will not tolerate any actions which threaten the safety and security of the Somali people or UN personnel. Response to these attacks will be stern and direct. UNOSOM II is determined to end the violence and ensure the restoration and rehabilitation of Somalia.

CH21

Leaflet CH21 shows a mother and two children looking at a young man holding a grenade. The text is:

Some of Aideed's supporters are using innocent children to attack UNOSOM troops. These selfish criminals do not care about the Somali people or their safety. They care only for themselves. Parents protect your children! Do not allow them to be used by others to commit violent acts. Children are the future of Somalia. Assist in the capture of these criminals before any children are injured or killed as a result of these ruthless acts.

CH33

Leaflet CH33 has a nation building theme. It depicts citizens walking happily down a peaceful street where shops are open and children play. Text at the top is, "Tomorrow's future will be prosperous if..." and at the bottom, "We work together!" The text on the back is:

The world community will continue to donate its vast resources for the restoration of Somalia. We must work together to end the violence and create a safe environment for all the people of Somalia. The answer to Somalia's problems lies within you!

CH40

Leaflet CH40 depicts a Somali "technical" armed vehicle firing a rocket. Text on the back is,

Citizens of Mogadishu! Recently the criminal elements of the SNA and its illegal leadership have launched indiscriminate rocket attacks of the citizens of Mogadishu. These attacks have resulted in numerous casualties among innocent citizens. This must be stopped. UNOSOM forces will take direct measures to destroy these rockets and the personnel firing them. We seek your assistance. Report these criminals to the Somali police force or UNOSOM II forces.

Reuters reported on 9 September 1993 that UN helicopters dropped leaflets over Mogadishu warning of eminent military activities. Women and children were warned to stay indoors after dark.

UN Chronicle,June 1993 lists the four phases of UNOSOM II. Military support of relief activity and the disarming of factions would continue. Operations would be extended into Northern Somalia. Once all of Somalia was under control, the military presence would be scaled down and some civilian government supported. In phase four, the military forces would be reduced. UNITAF already occupied 40% of Somalia with 37,000 troops. The UNOSOM II force of 20,000 troops was considered sufficient to control the rest of the country.

The September 1993 issue of UN Chronicle reports on the death of Pakistani peace-keepers:

Twelve of the soldiers were helping to unload food at a feeding station when they were foully attacked by cowards who placed women and children in front of the armed men. On 17 June, UNOSOM raided the headquarters and weapons stores of the SNA/USC faction to deprive General Aideed of weapons and tools needed to intimidate the Somali people.

In the June 1944 UN Chronicle, the headline is "Mandate for UNOSOM II revised. Coercive methods not to be used." The Council on 18 November 1993 in its resolution 886 had asked the Secretary-General to provide a future strategy for UNOSOM II. In the wake of five months of violent confrontations between international peace-keepers and as armed Somali faction, including a 5 June ambush of a Pakistani contingent which resulted in 24 deaths and street fighting in October during which 18 American soldiers lost their lives."

Like UNITAF, UNOSOM II broadcast on the radio and published a newspaper with the same name. Instead of Radio RAJO (Radio Hope), UNOSOM used the name Radio MANTA (Radio Today). The radio station was operated on shortwave by the United Nations staff in Mogadishu. Radio Manta began broadcasting on 4 May 1993 following the handover of the international operation in Somalia from the US-led Unified Task Force (UNITAF) to the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). It broadcast news, inquiries about missing persons, songs, plays and poems. The station transmitted in the Somali language from two 600-watt shortwave transmitters. Their schedule was as follows: 0415-0500, 1000-1045, 1100-1145 and 1300-1345 on 9540 kHz. The station also broadcast at 1600-1645, 1700-1745 and 1900-1945 on 6170 kHz. The radio signal was not strong enough to reach all over Somalia.

Maanta Newspaper

UNOSOM II continued the UNITAF policy and produced the newspaper Manta, (sometimes written as "Maanta"), written by Somalis but edited by the United Nations staff. This paper was distributed in Mogadishu.

I spoke to a Special Forces trooper who served in the 8th and 9th PSYOP Battalions from 1989-1994 and worked on both the UNITAF newspaper RAJO and the UN newspaper Maanta. Both were printed on high speed Risograph machines. He still grieves for five Somali civilians who delivered the newspapers throughout Mogadishu. During one of their delivery runs, they were stopped by a group of gunmen who opposed the UN campaign. The five were executed on the spot. He said:

They may not have been soldiers, but they believed in our cause.

A second member of the 8th PSYOP Battalion who served in Mogadishu from January to October 2003 added:

I have my own memory of these men. Two of them in particular stand out in my mind. The leader of our deliverers was a gentleman we referred to as “the Colonel.” He was older and always carried a walking stick and claimed to have been trained in the United States when there was a legitimate Somali Army.

The second man is the one that still bothers me to this day. I don't recall his name, but he was a young man about 18 or 19. I dip Skoal (a smokeless tobacco), and agreed to buy Skoal for him if he would stop chewing khat (a mild narcotic). When he came to pick up Maanta for the day he would make sure that he had a great big plug of tobacco in his mouth, and I would make sure that he had been laying off the khat. About two weeks later the slaying occurred. I can still picture his face in my mind.

Victor K. Bolena was a Sergeant (E-5) assigned to the 8th PSYOP Battalion from 1990 to 1994 as a 97E Interrogator and Korean Linguist. He arrived in Somalia April 1993 and departed October 1993. He remembers:

We had a very tight knit group and we worked practically non-stop to keep up with demands of the United Nations staff and managing the couple dozen Somalis working for us. A few of us were awarded a United Nations commendation medal by Lieutenant General Bir prior to our departure. The day that our delivery crew was executed was an extremely sad day for all of us.  I think about those men often.  Everything you wrote was correct to the best of my recollection except that I remember that our lead deliveryman was referred to as “the Major” and not “the Colonel.”

One of my favorite PSYOP products was the Aideed “Wanted” poster.  We were actually just toying around with the Old-West wanted poster motif when one of our senior Somali translators told us that we should use it since Somalis love American Western movies.  It took some convincing but the United Nations staff eventually approved the poster and we ran with it. 

This may be the poster mentioned by William J. Durch in UN Peacekeeping, American Politics, and the Uncivil Wars of the 1990s, Macmillan, 1996. Durch says:

Admiral Howe printed and distributed a wanted poster that offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of General Aideed.

Thomas K. Adams adds in US Special Operations Forces in Action, Taylor & Francis, 1998:

The initial response was a counteroffer by Aideed of one million for Admiral Howe’s head.

If nothing else, Aideed apparently had a sense of humor.

Radio Rajo, the voice of the Unified Task Force, was changed to Radio Maanta (Radio Today) with the handover of command from the US-led Operation Restore Hope to UNOSOM-2 (UN Operation in Somalia Phase 2) on 4 May 1993. It broadcast only in Somali and has two short-wave transmitters which with a power of 600 Watts. Their schedule is as follows: 0415-0500, 1000-1045, 1100-1145 and 1300-1345 on 9540 kHz, 1600-1645, 1700-1745 and 1900-1945 on 6170 kHz.

Conclusion

Major General S. L. Arnold talks about the U.N. Accomplishments in an article entitled "Somalia: An Operation Other Than War," Military Review, December 1993. He says:

The cycle of starvation in Somalia has been broken. Except for some isolated incidents, the food emergency is over. Factions have turned in many of their crew-served weapons, and disarmament talks are being conducted. Marketplaces have opened and are thriving, while many displaced persons and refugees are moving back to their homes, villages and farms…We have come very close to establishing the right environment to enable the Somalis to arrive at a ‘Somali solution.’ The last obstacle is the warlords. They must join together, combining their power for the collective good of all, or individually, they must lose power. Only then will Somalia be on the road to full recovery.

LTC Borchini adds:

Operation Restore Hope focused international attention on the challenges faced by military forces as they applied their combat talents and training to support different humanitarian objectives. The soldiers of the 4th Psychological Operations Group (ABN) readily adapted to the demanding requirements of the challenge. Based on their experiences in Somalia, they are better prepared to face new opportunities to use their unique skills in operations around the globe. The devastation and loss of life in Somalia humbled our soldiers, but having witnessed how PSYOP directly contributed to that country’s first tentative steps toward peace and reconstruction has also strengthened their readiness to participate in future peacekeeping operations.

The United States Army in Somalia says:

The United States entered Somalia in December 1992 to stop the imminent starvation of hundreds of thousands of people. Although it succeeded in this mission, the chaotic political situation of that unhappy land bogged down U.S. and allied forces in what became, in effect, a poorly organized United Nations nation-building operation. In a country where the United States, perhaps naively, expected some measure of gratitude for its help, its forces received increasing hostility as they became more deeply embroiled into trying to establish a stable government. The military and diplomatic effort to bring together all the clans and political entities was doomed to failure as each sub-element continued to attempt to out-jockey the others for supreme power. The Somali people were the main victims of their own leaders, but forty-two Americans died and dozens more were wounded before the United States and the United Nations capitulated to events and withdrew.

The author encourages interested readers who may have additional information or personal experiences with Somalia and Operation Restore Hope to write to him at sgmbert@hotmail.com.

Note: In September of 2008, I received a request from Cedoca, the Documentation and Research Centre Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons of the Belgian agency that is responsible for the processing of applications for asylum. They asked me if I had any information that would be helpful in the case of the asylum applicant General Morgan. What role did General Morgan did he play in the peace talks? Where is he at present? Is his militia based in Southern Ogaden (Ethiopia) and is his family living in the United States? I explained that I simply wrote about the military aspects of the war and have no special knowledge of the current whereabouts of the players. The request would indicate that Morgan is attempting to find amnesty in Belgium.

Source : http://www.psywarrior.com/SomaliaHerb.html