Press Release

Women Journalist in Action (WOJA), extends condolence to the family, friends, and Somali media workers for the killing of Bashir Nor Gedi, which marked the 19th Octobar 2007.

Bashir Nor Gedi, Acting Chairperson and the vice chairperson of Shabelle Media Network, was assassinated at his home in the Wardhigley district of Hamarjadid neighborhood, on 19 October 2007, by unknown gunmen, according to his wife and his relatives.
The assassination of Bashir Nor Gedi seemed to be a premeditated attack, according to his family members and an eyewitness. He was the eighth media person killed in Somalia since January 2007.
Bashir was also a well known businessman.
“That was an intentional killing that has political motives”, said Fardowso Sh. Hassn, WOJA Chairlady. “It is totally intolerable and sent a clear message to each media person that his or her life was at risk because of his or her media activity. We have been appealing to political groups to end the killing of media people, but no group listened. Now is the time for the international community to take urgent actions instead of issuing statements expressing its distress and condemnation.”
Shabelle Media Network had recently been experiencing attacks on its journalists and its premises. Several senior journalists of the radio station have fled Mogadishu.
WOJA appeals for immediate the release of three journalist who are now held hostages in Mogadishu.
a Canadian Amanda Lindahout, an Australian Nigel Brennan and a Somali Abdifitah Mohammed Elmi, their fixer are held hostages for ransom since August this year, when they were kidnapped near Mogadishu.
The kidnappers demand $2.5 million of ransom and threaten to kill them if the ransom is not paid.
Lindhout and Brenan are freelance journalists working in Somalia and Elmi was working as a fixer for them when they were kidnapped.
“We are very concerned about the security of our colleagues held hostages and deeply grieved by those killed in Somalia in midst of their work. We urge the negotiation party to take care of the safety of the journalists in hostage” said WOJA chairlady Fardowso Sh. Hassan. “We also extend our condolence to all the relatives, friends, colleagues and Somali people as whole for the killings of all media workers, who were targeted for their profession. May Allah rest their souls in peace.”
A state of anarchy has raged in Somalia since 1991, following the ousting of former dictator Mohammed Siad Barre. In the midst of years of chaos, observers say the press has long remained vibrant despite harassment, beatings, imprisonment and increasingly, death.

Please give us your kind hand so as to continue the Activities that we are defending the Rights of the Somali Journalists TO WHOM IT MY CONCERN My name is Daud Abdi Daud, the Executive Director of Somali Journalists Rights Agency (SOJRA).
I work in the field of Somali Human Rights particularly Journalists Rights and Freedom of Expressions in Somalia. I have been working this Task for about two years. Albeit, I established this Agency on November 2007, as generally I have been in the field of the Media for about sixes years. It is my first time to afraid of my self after I have been sent a mobile message of threatened killing from Somali Islamic Insurgents after they accused me that I am involving activities against Islam and therefore they threatened to my family in Mogadishu and Galgaduud in Central regions of Somalia. I do not know why they threatened me apart from my professional skills that I am defending the Rights of the Somali Journalists. I am certainly that I will continue my profession until I live. I therefore Know that The Islamists killed some of the Somali Journalists among them including Nasteeh Dahir Farah who was killed in the Coastal Town of Kismayo in southern of Somalia. It is possible that this threatening is relating the recently SOJRA’s condemnation against the destruction of the Church of Kismayo http://www.www.ojr.org/ojr/people/SOJRA/200810/1539/ and as well as the condemnations that SOJRA sent the Islamists captured the Kismayo Town who had meetings pressure the Somali Journalists in Kismayo and as well our condemnations and speaking and presentations the situations of two foreign Journalists who were kidnapped in Somalia on August 23 2008 who are currently in the hand of the Kidnappers as the kidnappers have yesterday threatened to kill them if ransom not to be paid by their native countries. Finally, I am kindly requesting you to assist me how to survive my self, as I decided to move from Kenya to other country since Kenya is neighbored by Somalia. I believe that this request is in line with your noble objective and I therefore hope that you will respond positively. Best regards Daud Abdi Daud SOJRA Executive Director
Tel: +254 733 893 841
Email: daauud27@yahoo.com
daauud@sojra.org

Mogadishu: 04 October Condemnation of the destruction of the church in Kismayo

The Islamists who captured Kismayo the portal town of south Somalia destroyed a church built in Kismayo to Mosque on 29 September, 2008.

SOJRA is strongly condemning this action and encouraging the people of Kismayo not to use that place as Mosque.

“SOJRA is also encouraging the local community to respect other religious” said Daud Abdi Daud SOJRA’s Executive Director., SOJRA understands that is not an idea from the Somali people ordinary citizens as the church was there for long time 40yrs and a above. He added.

SOJRA would like to express its position which is to stop this rude action by any means possible.

The Islamists also destroyed Mogadishu church during 2006 when they were controlled.