Mogadishu 24 April,2009 :: The Somali Journalists Rights Agency (SOJRA) to day broadly reveals the current situation of state of press freedom in Somalia which is a devastating one, with a lot of worry. Many Somalia media are not able to report about the events as it is, because of fear of persecution.

All regions of the country have experienced the worst press freedom violation, and an attack of journalists is definitely violating their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and press.

At beginning this year 2009, the existence and occupation of Somali journalists have been in risk from corner to corner in Somalia, the Somali journalists rights agency (SOJRA) observed, documented and reported on plentiful luggage’s of harass against journalists, media professionals and media stations.

On 01 January, in this year a journalist Hassan Mayow Hassan was killed in Afgoie town, South Somalia by well known criminal who was one of the soldiers of the region of the transitional federal government administration.

On 16 Friday January SOJRA Welcomes with the safely and an conditional release of Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi, freelance photojournalist on Thursday night 15 January after 146 days in custody by kidnappers who abducted him with Canadian journalist Amanda Lindout and Australian journalist Nigel Brenan on 23 August 2008 at Elasha Biyaha area between Afgoye district and the capital of Mogadishu. Whereas other his two foreign journalists are in captivity.

It is great mourning for Somali Media as the UN special envoy for Somalia gave wrong definition about the Somalia media’s tough peace role in the country by comparing it with Radio Mille Colline which supported or incited the Rwanda Genocide.

The special envoy Oulad Abdalla said the Somalia media are just like Radio Mille Colline because they are inciting the insecurity, instead all the international human rights and media are appreciating and reporting the insecurity that the Somali media is operating.

Ould Abdalla has never sent a condolence statement to the families who lost their beloved ones. But he started responding angrily to the Somali media which reported about the incident by naming them as radio Mille Colline in Rwanda.

Somali media is mourning about the wrong definition made by the UN special envoy Ould Abdalla and is trying now to know whether the special envoy is inciter of the killings of innocent Somalis or a peace envoy?

Somali media role in the peace process in well known by all Somali people including the newly elected Somali president H. E President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed who in his first speech thanked the Somali media for their role in the peace and security of the country and requested their effort to be doubled.

The media issued a communiqué that composed four articles:

Not to host the Islamic awareness direct from the Mosque to the radio centre organized by Somali Ulumos, as it was used into political issues and out of its agenda here in after it is decided to send the journalists and cover it then release it after while editing.

Not to accept any press conference holding through telephones, Since the Ethiopian troops have moved out and was the cause of organizing press conference holding by phones thus for Islamic forces and any one wishing to have a press conference have to request from administrations of the media centers. Then will be sending a journalist, even though regions.

Not to interview a person whom the society does not know him in the politics or the issue that he/she is talking about, As well as having no known rank and name of famous and not to propagate a new group or person whom cannot voting any additional profit to the society. All sides agreed that people to be referred should be the famous known leaders and not to make a famous in our centres for a person not bringing any profit for the society.

Finally has agreed that to make strong any one operating for the peace issues and not host to the society for news can create problems and unit-peace issues.

Since the above articles are implemented the media centres was opposed a press conference holding through telephones organized by a part of the Mukawama and other political groups reasoning that people whom was spoke was not appropriate leaders.

As well as on that day the director of Shabelle radio was also injured with his hands and all Somali journalists feel fear some of them decided to flee the country and seek place of safety.

On Saturday, 7 February 2009, a man with table knife attacked a journalist Hassan Bulhan Ali who was the director of Abudwaak radio based in Abudwaak district in Galgaduud region of central Somalia.

The attacker, who is known in the district of Abudwaq, stabbed Hassan Bulhan five times at a difference sides particularly the abdominal edges and chest at a tribal reconciliation meeting in the district.

SOJRA planned to bring Hassan Bulhan in Nairobi, Kenya as he cannot be treating in Galkayo and for moment he is in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with Somali Coalition for Freedom of Expression (SOCFEX).

On 9th April, 2009 the Somali Journalist Rights Agency (SOJRA) condemned the closure of Mandeeq Radio Station in Balad-hawo district of Gedo region by Alshabab Islamic militia group in Balad-hawo district.

The Al-Shabaab officials stated that the Radio will remain off air for 24 hours and must present to Al-Shabaab all their programs that they have been airing and the agenda of the every day program. After talks between Al-shabaab and the administration of the radio Mandeeq rear on the air later than two days.

SOJRA condemned unlawful arrest of journalist Muhyadin Hassan Mohammed in Baidoa of Bay region.
 
Al-Shabaab forces arrested Muhyadin Hassan Mohamed, who is reporter of Radio Shabelle in Bay regions, from his home on Friday night, April 17, 2009.

Al-shabaab accused the journalist of reporting “false news” against their work and actions in the region. Although was released next day.

While the current situation of state of press freedom in Somalia is a devastating one, Nur Muse Hussein, known as “INJI”, was wounded after when he was trying to cover up fighting in Beledweyn between militias loyal to Hiran Regional Administration and Hisbul Islam, an Islamic movement that operates in southern central regions of Somalia.

Attacks, intimidating and harming of the journalists violate their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and press.

Conclusion SOJRA will also planning to bring in Nairobi a journalist Yassin in order to threat him in Nairobi for an operation of bullets existing in his right leg.

For that reason the Somali Journalist Rights Agency (SOJRA) is kindly requesting and call the national unity government of Somalia to run off no hesitation about its purpose to force its authority, implement the commandment and act against all those who mischief freedom of information.