Mogadishu 14 August,2009 :: In Somalia, there are more than 40 media houses, and about 400 journalists, but unfortunately most of them work on the basis of their clan political agendas and lack the required professionalism in the today’s media world.

The media owners play vital role for poorness of the Somali media as they don’t pay their staffs. Some female reporters became sexual victim for their bosses as there is no good payment and heavy unprofessional duties or even fear of job discharge (Dismissal).

Some media owners demand sexual deal before they employ poor Somali girls who are in need of jobs, thus many media owners enjoy this opportunity regularly.

This issue was in the heart of the issues discussed in SOJRA meeting in Nairobi last months which attracted the attention of its staff.

The lack of independence of the Somali journalists and poor capacity or poor professionalisms became the major obstacle to establish a proper collaboration and network within the media sector of Somalia.

In generally, the Somali media could play a vital role for the reconciliation in order to return law and order in the country Somalia but because of the above said problem they lost their role and it is still a lost sector of the existing role.

Many journalist and other important Somali civil servants were killed in the country and the media itself failed to identify the criminals who are killing the elite people, just because of their poor professionalism and SOJRA started since was established to investigate all the cases for journalists been murdered, abducted and assaulted since 1991 until now .

The fact is that some media house were created by individuals who are after the politics ad some other who are jus open media houses to support their clans.

Most of the current media houses were established after the collapse of Somali central government in the year 1991.

Among the clan owned media houses was radio East Africa belonged to a known person in the Somali politics Mr Bashir Raghe. The radio used to broadcast a program called Samaale that was making the Darod clan and other small clans out as Somali citizens. It airs daily that Darod is not Somalia and was encouraging Hawiye Clan that they should not accept Darod as being Somali people. The radio used to interview one Somali historian.That Radio was shut down by the Islamist in the year 2006.

The way the current Somali media works.

Many reporters who are not paid by their employers ask for many by the people they are interviewing, reason is very clear that they are not getting the payment they deserved.

This caused the vanishing of the required information, as the interview they are making is not the real one that could display the real issues the audiences needed.

Different media houses operate where their clans are and they support their clans political agendas, thus, most of the reports they are releasing is not based the facts they were supposed to air and televise or write.

Another important issue that Somali journalists organizations that claim they are helping Somali media reforms systems are also not the right ones as they are thinking about their clan issues.

SOJON, currently known as NUSOJ was established by a young Somali journalist from Somali minority clans but he was later chased away by his colleagues of Hawiye clan just because he is from a minority clan and now they are enjoying his idea “Intellectual Rights”.

Journalist from minority clans are among the important victims in the Somali media, as they are not even in the organization who support the Somali media and the only one they established were sent away by the big clans.

Poor Somali media that existed in Somalia last two decades.

Among them there were two radios n Mogadishu early 1990s, one was supporting Ali Mahdi Mohamed former Somalis political rival of late General Aideed and the other one was supporting Genaral Aideed. Both radios were making propagandas against the two warlords and the reporters are the same ones who are still reporting the current media houses with the same mind. 

However SOJRA would like to underline in this report that the major problem that are  challenging the Somali journalist is clans, lack of payment while female journalist are sexual victim and lack of professionalism.

Trainings and capacity building is urgently required, also media owners should be accountable for the lack of payment of their workers especially the female reporters.

Reporters from minority clan are also important victim for media owners and organizations.

Establishing of Somalia media network system will also be helpful for the improvement of their capacity of knowing the truth in Somalia.

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