A media climate to represent reality
View(s):We are all slowly but surely getting used to the idea of living in a Democratic Republic. Again. Some of us – a whole generation – have not lived in one. Ever. Others remember – and yearn for – a return to the good old days. If ever they were. A few claim that these are the good old days. That they will never return; that we will never have it so good again. Even fewer claim that things are not as they seem. I suspect they aren’t. Behind it? Reality!
A timeline of media events – or social media mini-events – or social non-events – might help us understand this. A timeline as yours truly experienced it. In thirteen days leading up to ‘today’.
1 Feb
I am unaware of special presidential orders issued by gazette empowering the government to call out the military to perform police duties. Bliss to float in such ignorance.
2 Feb
A post on Facebook by a friend awakens me – arouses interest – sparks off a chain of events. He points out these special orders, repeatedly issued by the previous regime, lapse today. The social media activist in me – in you also, dears – posts an enthusiastic hope that the powers that be now have taken the high road that will return the country to civilian administration. That status surprises with joy dozens, scores, of my Facebook-friends. They like that post. I am beside myself with glee.
3 Feb
The cup is dashed from my lips. While we slept, the incumbent commander-in-chief has acted. He has not forgotten the special presidential powers. He has not opted to let them lapse. He has renewed them. I edit my post to reflect that reality. The likes keep coming in. Folks have read the post, not the edit. I add a retraction. The likes don’t cease or desist. Humankind cannot bear too much reality.
4 Feb
I watch the Independence Day parade. There is a march-past, but the military hardware is conspicuous by its absence. No tanks, no field artillery, no fly over. What’s going on here? Is the Prez trying to enjoy the best of both worlds? An extension of police powers to the military to placate the hardliners, the chauvinists, the nationalist psyche, the majority with a minority complex – while at the same time, a clearly intentionally engineered civilian commemoration to mark our liberty that stays away from aggrandized militarism? Social media is silent on other salient developments. But mainstream editorials can scarce contain their joy at other steps in the ‘right’ direction – Demilitarization of public spaces (in the deracinated capital, if not the ethnically tense periphery); Appointment of civilian governors where military governors once ruled the roost; Decommissioning of brevet-colonels; Etc.
5, 6, 7 Feb
Ruminations of the ramifications of all of this continue apace. Mainstream press reports on the more salutary aspects of the government’s low-key Fourth of February show. Hardly on social media. Rants and raves apart – and these, few and far between – the majority of Facebook is moving from Cloud Coup-Coup Land to a demi-paradise, this other Eden. We are in love – again – if ever we were – with the ideas, ideals, inspirations – of liberté, egalité, fraternité.
8 Feb
Roundups of the week that was don’t fail to record that the state’s official position on defence is that it will not demilitarize the north of the country. Few realize that this was promised in the coalition’s election manifesto; Fewer recall that it was – or should be – or can be – or must be – part of the 100-day programme. Reality is beginning to slip among the slippery soil of realpolitik now? Or are we misremembering things? Again? If ever we recorded them right, reported them right?
9 Feb
A Facebook friend – something of a social media activist – or ‘hacktivist’ – tags me in a comment on civic-minded action on the part of parts of civil society. The Bar is up in arms that the Army is not back to barracks. Just when we were wondering where the Armour-Bearers of the Bar Association were… Who had previously championed the return of the country to civilian administration – Quiet, they had been, in the run up to 2 and 4 February! Don’t they check social media? Aren’t they on Facebook?
10 Feb
I write this piece ‘today’, which you are reading ‘today’.
11 Feb
I submit my piece.
12, 13, 14 Feb
All hell breaks loose. The security forces are not confined to barracks! The country has not been restored to civilian administration! The military are being unconscionably enrolled in a propaganda war to maintain the status quo of the powers that be! But that’s on Facebook, isn’t it? And we all know that social media can no longer record, report on, hope to reflect, reality!
15 Feb
It’s almost two weeks since the Special Presidential Orders by Gazette Notification were issued. We’re still reading the mainstream press on how the country is being transformed by Democratic Republicanism. That’s true. Everywhere. Well, almost. Except on Facebook-nation. And even there – in a population smaller than only China and India – people are more gulled than gullible.
Liberté. Egalité. Fatigué.