If there is one thing that the world’s depots, tyrants and dictators have in common it is a loathing and hatred of the Press. The media in its diverse forms; newspapers, radio, television and the internet is viewed with barely concealed suspicion and often outright contempt. Journalists are either seen as the enemy or as individuals who need to be lent upon, intimidated or corrupted into silence, docility and servility. Such is the hostility from many quarters, not just from the political classes, that those who take up such a career run very real risks. In short journalism is an extremely perilous business.
The work of journalists in Somalia (including Puntland) is vitally important, but incredibly dangerous. A new report issued by New York based NGO, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) entitled Getting Away With Murder (CPJ’s 2011 Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and killers go free) makes particularly disturbing reading. Somalia is ranked 2nd place in the world when it comes to violent crimes against journalists remaining unpunished, only Iraq has a worse record.
Journalists endeavouring to operate in Mogadishu face the daily threat of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and murder. In a city that has been at the mercy of competing warlords, and the extremists such as Al Shabaab and Hirz-Al-Islam being a journalist means a life spent perpetually on the frontline, whether out on an assignment or at home with your family. The chaotic Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has shown little desire or ability to protect those endeavouring to keep journalism alive in the failed state. There is some evidence that the TFG has actively endeavoured to thwart and stifle independent journalism that reports the woeful daily situation for the vast majority of people left in Somalia.
Siad Barre’s regime viewed journalism with intense suspicion and engineered a situation where the only journalism permitted was that which functioned to spout propaganda for his regime. A direct consequence of this is that politicians, the military and business leaders expect journalists to be mere mouthpieces for their interests rather than for society as a whole. Far from being respected as a central pillar of civil society journalists are views with suspicion by those competing for power and this makes their position all the more vulnerable.
In 2009 four Somali journalists were killed, these included an attack by two unidentified men in broad daylight in Bakara Market on Muktar Mohammed Hirabe, Director of Radio Shabelle and his colleague Ahmed Omar Hashi, News Editor. Muktar Mohammed Hirabe (48) was shot four times in the head and killed and Ahmed Omar Hashi was left seriously injured. What happened on 7th June prompted Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO to condemn this attack on the two Somali journalists:
“I condemn the murder of Muktar Mohamed Hirabe. This killing, and the wounding of Ahmed Omar Hashi in the same attack, constitute an intolerable breach of the basic human right of freedom of expression and of citizens’ right to be informed. It is essential for the return of peace and democracy to Somalia that those in positions of authority do all they can to end these unacceptable attacks on media personnel. It is also essential that measures be taken to punish the culprits of these crimes.”
To date no one has ever been tried and punished for this crime.
2010 saw the publishing of a key report by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ): The Untold Tales of Deep Misery, Somali Journalists and their Precarious Work. This report did much to elucidate the dire situation faced by journalists operating in Somalia today. Journalists are routinely bullied and threatened by their employers, inadequately trained, protected or compensated, with many poorly paid and others not paid at all. Owners of media organisations feel they can act with impunity as the Judiciary is invariably manned by individuals imbued with a deep mistrust of journalism that borders on prejudice and paranoia. With low salaries often paid in arrears bribery has become a fact of life. Editors are often nervous of taking a strong and independent stance for fear of alienating powerful ‘patrons’ and clients. With beatings and bullets around every corner it is no wonder that some journalists have finally decided enough is enough and have left Somalia altogether.
The local NGO Somalia Media Women Association (SOMWA) is doing remarkable work to encourage greater participation in the media. Like their male counterparts women are face danger on a daily basis. On 13th March 2011 Samira Mohammed (Radio Voice of Peace) was hit and injured by a stray bullet in the Hodan district of Mogadishu. In the same area sports reporter Ahmed Hassan (Radio Simba) was hit by crossfire whilst covering a football match. Some weeks ago a stray artillery shell struck the office of Xog-ogaal (an independent daily newspaper) in the Bakara Market area. When not dodging bullets and shells, journalists have to contend with routine harassment from the authorities. The Transitional Federal Government seems to fear independent media almost as much as it does Al-Shabaab. The Somali Government in March moved to close Kulmiye Radio much to the ire of Associated Somali Journalists (ASJ). In April 2011 the current director of Radio Shabelle (Abdirashid Omar Qase) along with the radio station’s news editor (Abdi Mohamed Osmail) were arrested and held for four days by the National Security Agency of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia because the radio station had reported that President Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was unable to visit parts of the country due to the security situation. Local and international condemnation of their arrest ensured their unconditional release without charge, but this incident gives a fascinating insight into the disturbing mindset of those in positions of ‘power’. Only last November the remarkable work of Radio Shabelle was recognized internationally when Paris-based NGO Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders) awarded the radio station with the prestigious Press Freedom Award. Such courage and determination is heartening as it demonstrates that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword or in modern parlance the AK47 and the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG).
Whilst the greatest perils face Somali journalists operating in Mogadishu there are still problems and difficulties elsewhere. In the relative peace of Somaliland, those in the media are still struggling to secure their rights and recognition. In January 2011 the three year sentence and 6 million Somaliland Shilling fine (US $900) handed out to Mohamud Abdi Jamu, the Editor of Waheen (an independent newspaper) for supposed defamation of a regional Police Chief and the Somaliland Electricity Agency raised serious questions about the Judiciary’s understanding of the constructive role an independent and responsible media can play in a truly democratic society. Privately those nations keen on recognizing Somaliland have serious reservations about the independence of the Judiciary and its ability to champion freedom of speech over the power of vested interests. Mohamud Abdi Jamu had dared to investigate nepotism, something which clearly upset people in high places. Further cases are pending relating to other newspapers such as the Hargeisa Star, Ogaal, Saxafi and Yool. As recently as 22nd March 2011 two journalists, Mohamed Abdinur (Somali Channel TV) and Mohamed Shaqale, a reporter (Universal TV) were attacked in Las Anod by Somaliland troops for filling reports which the Somaliland army took exception to. The former journalist was arrested and the latter has gone into hiding. There is a similar picture in Puntland where Liban Abdi Farah, a reporter for the Somali Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) was arrested on 19th March and detained in Galkayo when he went to report on a bomb blast.
Independent and responsible journalism is essential for any open and truly democratic society. If the Somali people are to survive and prosper they must work campaign to put in place safeguards that protect the media. This may require Legislative Leaders to receive specialist training on how to draft new laws and handle cases related to press freedom, for on current evidence rulings are invariably reactionary and largely hostile to a democratic and free press. When one examines the work of individuals such as Dahir Alasow of the online media outlet www.waagacusub.com one can quite see why journalism matters and why earlier this year he was declared ‘The best Somali Investigative Journalist of the Year 2010’. We need journalists to keep doing what they do best. Their courage and dedication deserve our admiration and respect.
Mark T Jones
Source: The Somaliland Press
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