Somaliland sun – The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), is concerned by the exacerbate disruption to Somali media including harassment and defamation of civic leaders, business communities by the federal government/
This concern addressed to the international community was raised by both NUSOJ and the Somali Independent Media Houses Association (SIMHA), in a joint statement released in Mogadishu
Read the verbatim excerpts of the joint statement below
JOINT STATEMENT
To: Whom it may concern
CC: The Federal Government Of Somalia, the governments of the USA, UK, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, the United Nations, European Union, African Union, League of Arab States and all concerned international partners of Somalia.
Subject: JOINT STATEMENT
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an independent national journalists trade union that legally represents the Somali journalists and the Somali Independent Media Houses Association (SIMHA), an association that has a membership of more than 20 media stations in Somalia issued the following joint statement to address serious rising disruption to Somali media including harassment and defamation of civic leaders, business communities, Somali diplomatic communities, international diplomatic communities, donor community and public figures by two individual spoilers, Omar Faruk Osman and Dahir Abdulle Alasow, the owner of Waagacusub.com website. The unfounded and libellous attacks, which these individual spoilers subject to the above mentioned communities, complete violation of the fundamental principlesof ethical journalism, locally and internationally.
The Somali Media Fraternity –
Express concern over the use of the media as a tool to extort, harass, defame and terrorize the civic leaders, business community, donor communities, Somali diplomatic communities, international diplomatic communities and public figures We further condemn the use of violence in the media.
Regret the impact upon all those effected by the violence, including Finnish Foundation for Media and Development (VIKES), American International labor solidarity Center, Somali Embassy in Kampala, various government institutions, Center for Community Awareness, Dahabshiil Money Transfer among others entities.
Declare that such use of violence on behalf of the media for extortion, harassment and defamation is an offense and such acts have no space in the Somali media nor that of the global fraternity.
Reaffirm the media’s role in promoting pluralism, good governance, accountability, transparency and justice in line with the universally accepted code of ethics in journalism, opposing all forms of violence.
Recognize any act that promotes intolerance or hatred in the media aimed to terrorize, defame or to gain money against the public, should be regarded as an offense and is counter to journalism and media professionalism.
Commit to show solidarity and support to all those affected by the violence in the name of the Media in their course in seeking justice in the courts of law.
Remain concerned about the continued offenses and violence against the media donor communities by Omar Faruk Osman for personal gains on behalf of IFJ and his associate Dahir Abulle Alasow who he facilitated in getting IFJ press card to conduct and publish libellous and defamatory articles against the public in general with the purpose of blackmailing or gaining bribery money, an act against the professional and ethical conduct of journalism.
Call for the president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Jim Boumelha to desist and cease in his support and encouragement of Somali media spoilers who defame and harass not only individuals but also entities and donor community, while demanding bribery money.
Call for the Federal government of Somalia to investigate the murder of the renowned teacher late Abdullahi Ali Hussein Aka “Ano-Gel” and the motive behind naming him as a journalist – a profession he did never practice his lifetime.
Call for the concerned International organizations to show solidarity to the Somali media in their struggle to save the media profession from damaging disruption.
Call for all International organizations to inform themselves of the real threat to Somali media by individual spoilers and to ensure continuity of institutional knowledge so that opportunities are not presented to the spoilers through institutional ignorance.
Remain available to provide documentary evidence that will inform interested parties of the false, self-serving and fraudulent nature of the claims made by the spoilers.
Done in Mogadishu, Somalia on October 17, 2015
For More Information, Please contact
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Zobe Building, KM5 area, Wadajir District,
Mogadishu, Somalia,
Office Line: Tel: +252 1 859 944,
Email: nusoj@ymail.com or nusojsomali@gmail.com
Website: www.nusoj.org.so
Follow us on Twitter: @NUSOJ_Somalia
Follow us on Facebook.com/NUSOJSomalia
Somali Independent media houses association (SIMHA )
KM4 area, wadajir District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 61-5080800 /+25261-5576080
e-mail: newsletter@simha.so , simhamedia@gmailcom ,hassangesey@gmail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@simha.so
Internet: http://www.simha.so
Follow us on : SIMHA_SOM
Editors Addendum
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an estimated 49 radio, print and television reporters operating within Somalia died in the period from the start of the civil war in 1992 to 2013.[1] The CPJ estimated that the majority were locally-based (73%), male (96%), broadcast journalists (45%), worked on the radio (65%), and were non-freelance (82%). Most were assassinated (65%), while covering primarily war (49%) and political stories (55%). A number also received threats prior to their deaths (22%). The sources of fire were largely political action groups (50%), mainly Al-Shabaab; the assailants’ affiliations were unknown in only 22% of the cases.[1] As a consequence, the country was described by Al-Jazeera as the most dangerous place in Africa for working journalists.
