Mobile Phones and Conflict: Is there a link?

January 19, 2006
5 MIN READ
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By Shiv Raj Bhatt

I was so disappointed with my mobile set a few months ago when the government blocked mobile services. On the 100th day of the new regime, I handed over my mobile set to my daughter, who was just one and half year old then. My daughter was very happy with her mobile, so was I. This way, I thought I would be able to overcome my frustrations. In fact, I was actually delighted when my daughter talked over the mobile set saying haayo (hello) and some other words, which I couldn’t understand. But, the mobile set had turned irreparable when mobile services reopened. Buying another set was the only option. With a very heavy heart I bought a new set. On Thursday, the government once again repeated the same tactic and no one knows how longer it will go.

The first question which hit my mind was why did the government ban such a useful service at the first place. I repeated same query to some of my friends who are serving at the security forces. They all had very unique answer. They said mobile telephone had a strong link with the conflict and ambush explosions. They claimed that incidence of ambush explosions had significantly reduced after the closure of mobile services. And conflict, explosion, and encounters all increased significantly with the reopening of the mobile telephony in the country. Now, anybody could guess what may have led the government to take such a decision.

But I was not satisfied and tried to go beyond their arguments. I started to look for a proper answer. As usual, I started first by google search. But it was hard to find literature on relationship between mobile and conflict (or other dimensions of it like ambush explosion). However, luckily I found some literature on interrelationship between conflict and globalization (mobile may be one instrument of it). Therefore, I started to read.

In most writings, globalization is portrayed as a phenomenon embodying either most of the world’s ills or promises. The idea could be broadly divided into two: the liberal model and the structuralist model. The first model claims that an open economy leads to a higher level of economic development that in turn leads to peace, both directly and through the promotion of democracy. On the basis of this theory, it can be argued that mobile phone as an instrument of globalization (and, of course, openness) reduces the conflict including incidences like ambush explosions.

In contrast, the structuralist model blamed that an open economy is more likely to lead to increased conflict. According to this theory, the penetration of trade and foreign capital into peripheral economies leads to the exploitation of local human and natural resources, and to a transfer of profit back to the imperial centers. This process results in impoverishment, inequality and injustice that in turn fuels conflict. Therefore, as an instrument of globalization, mobile phone increases the intensity of conflict thereby incidences like ambushes and encounters.

Both models are well argued. But the kind of relationship I was looking for was neither supported by liberal or structuralist model. Therefore, it became very hard for me to work out a relationship between the two.

Then I turned to my book shelf and picked up a copy of the Human Development Report (HDR) that compiles data on mobile phones as well as on conflict. HDR shows that in the year 2000 cellular mobile subscribers per thousand stood at 751 in Norway, 717 in Sweden, 670 in Netherlands, 526 in Japan, and 398 in USA. This list goes further and it is not needed to say that the incidences of ambush explosion or conflict are minimum in these countries. On the other hand, per thousand cellular phones is less than 1 in Nepal, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Burundi where the explosion and conflict are so pervasive.

After reading these facts and figures, it was very hard to believe on security personnel’s arguments. Perhaps, the best way out would be to not only resume mobile telephony services immediately but also extend it to the grassroots level (We should in fact emulate the Grameen mobile model of Bangladesh that has strongly helped in poverty alleviation– the root cause of conflict). Such initiatives will definitely help in peace building in a sustainable way through reduction of poverty and inequality. Please try to find alternative methods to reducing conflict and explosions rather than curbing the very rights of people.

Is anybody listening?

(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to [email protected] and your comments/suggestions to [email protected])