We the Somali journalists are condemning the kidnapping of the Universal TV director Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Ali (Jekey) who was abducted by unknown gunmen, those were armed with pistols and their faces masked. We are also demanding his release unconditionally.

It is really unacceptable to us seeing our colleagues being killed and kidnapped every other day while they are doing their duties of covering the events that is occurring different places across the country.

We are also requesting whoever kidnapped our colleague that they should release him without any demands.

We also wish to see our colleague being released while he is safe and sound, it is really worrying us a lot and we are stunned that we don’t really know why the gunmen kidnapped our colleague, although there have been attacks, killings and abductions against the Somali journalists recently.

We the Somali journalists do work one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to work. Four our Somali colleague journalists were killed in Somalia in 2009 alone.

Elsewhere, individual journalists face a wide range of problems preventing them from doing their jobs. From direct attacks by the authorities and others to the use of libel laws, we the Somali journalists face often insurmountable obstacles to fulfilling the tasks that are so necessary for the defence of human rights.

Journalists in Somalia continue to face targeted killing, death threats, arbitrary detention and intimidation by all parties to the conflict. There were some 30 detentions of Somali journalists (lasting between four and 115 days), and journalists suffered more than 30 death threats, two killings and several injuries in 2008, with no means of bringing perpetrators to justice. Since the beginning of 2009, there have been several attacks and killings

Nur Muse Hussein of Radio Holy Quran was shot in the leg in Beletweyne on 20 April 2009 when he was covering fighting between the local government and armed militia in the area. Hassan Bulhan Ali, Director of Radio Abudwaq, was knifed five times in the abdomen by a single attacker in Galgadud on 7 February 2009 at a clan reconciliation meeting.

Three men with pistols killed Said Tahlil Ahmed, Director of HornAfrik in Mogadishu, when they shot him four times in the head at Bakara Market in Mogadishu on 4 February 2009. He was on his way with other media directors to a meeting with local al-Shabab.

Hassan Mayow Hassan, with Radio Shabelle, was shot twice in the head after being stopped at a roadblock by a local government-affiliated militia and died in Afgooye on 1 January 2009 on his way to cover armed conflict in the area.
And now the director of Unversal TV has been kidnapped and his kidnapping has increased our worries and safeties but we will never give up our coverages and promoting the freedom of press no matter what happens.

Written by Abdi rahman Hussein Fure (British)

Three Somali journalists were injured in Mogadishu by mortar shells during a press conference called by Al-Shabab, witnesses said on Sunday.
The journalists Abdinasdir Nor Gedi, Mohamed Abdi Nahar, and Bashir Qalif Gani were injured in Ifka Halane area where al-Shabab officials were holding a press conference after they sized Stadium Mogadishu from government soldiers on Sunday.

The sound of gunfire and mortars can be still heard in Mogadishu where heavy fighting is ongoing.

Separately, more civilians started to flee from the fighting areas in Mogadishu. Residents said the displacement was the largest since the withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops.

It was days before when Journalists Nur Muse Hussien, known as Nur Inji was wounded in Hiiran Region, central Somalia.

Somali journalists were concerned the situation of Nur Inj, since he is still in Hospital, and wished him quick recovery.

Unidentified militias were the last 3 years targeting Somali journalist. January and February the year two Somali Journalist were killed in Mogadishu and afgoie.

www.wariyaha.com

Every year the third of May is allotted to be commemorated the day of freedom of press or the world free press day; This year’s World Press Freedom Day, Sunday 3rd May 2009, marks the 18th anniversary of the 1991 Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media throughout the world, adopted at UNESCO seminar. The Declaration affirms that a free press is essential to the existence of democracy and a fundamental human goal. This is day which means a lot to many growing journalists those who have potential in their careers.

In most modern democratic societies, the importance of the press (which includes electronic and print media) to the sustenance and nourishment of the democratic system is no longer a subject of debate.

The press is therefore regarded in those jurisdictions as “the Fourth Estate”, the first, second and third estates being government, parliament and the judiciary, respectively.

There are many speeches that the participators of this great day of journalism say while commemorating this day and most of them are the outrages and atrocities against the journalists and their rights, like wise the violation committed by individuals who are always against not seeing this celebration to happen.

This day also the participators discuss way of enhancing the freedom of speech freedom of expression and the independence of the media. Working together and we must promote access to information. We will continue to protect, defend and promote media freedom as we have always done. However, we reiterate that the media, like all other institutions, must be transformed. Like all institutions into the world, it must strive to reflect, gender and content. Together as a nation, we must work to build a media that is free, diverse, critical and independent a media that can inform, entertain and empower all our people.

In Somalia many journalists have been brutally murdered and while other were forced to leave the country if not they will be executed, some of them have received threats through phone calls, some were beaten a day light when they failed not to follow what they were dictated to say. Most of the Somali prominent journalists are now exiled living abroad with harrowing situation some of them couldn’t even get their livelihood because most of them are desperate and fled from Somali by not knowing where to flee but have their minds to seek where they can get a peace and feel at last safe and sound.

In Somalia this day is not always given the priority because if some one violates and murders a journalist he is not going to be brought in court and let the justice serve, it is mostly agreed this because of there has not been effective government in Somalia for the last eighteen years,

This also led that many journalist were killed and the threats that journalists receive increase rapidly for the last 8 years, there were also pressures that media houses have been getting from the current governments where some of the media houses were forced to shut down while others maintained to work with difficulties they daily face and vowed no matter what happens that they will promote the freedom of the press.

There are also other reasons why this day is not commemorated well in Somalia as follows:

1. Less knowledge of the media studies and ethnics for Somali journalists and the society as well.

2. Former government which has not given any priority enhancing the learning of journalism and its ethnics, which has been controlling the country with iron fist for 21 years.

3. There has not been effective government for the last 18 years in Somalia after the former government was toppled.

4. Organization of media activities don’t give any attention towards Somalia media organizations who are in need of getting seminars and trainings.

So if you deeply comprehend the articles that I have mentioned above, you will easily get the right answer why this day is not commemorated well in Somalia.

Written by :-Abdirahman Hussein Furre (British)

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