Somalia: For good society Journalists sacrifice
By Mohammed Nuxurkey – Somali’s developing independent media landscapes is seemingly falling back once again after a stark of latest violent awful attacks on media professionals in Mogadishu and other parts of the south Somalia, with an estimated 15 journalists killed this year alone, 2012 is the deadliest year for journalists according to New-York based committee to protect Journalists (CPJ).
The country has still a small developing world of journalism wealth with young aspired and experienced journalists on the ground to bring some further new changes in a country shattered by a decade of war and disastrous famine after the collapse of former military ruler of late Mohamed Siad Bareh in 1991.
But the latest notorious incidents in what the journalists say is, “the worst tragedy in years” is making the job too difficult to do independently by the journalists here. On September 20 at least four journalists were killed on two consecutive days after twine suicide bombers targeted a journalists frequented cafe restaurant in the heart of capital Mogadishu not so far away from the statehouse, killing dozens of civilians including three journalists and wounded six more reporters.
Abdisatar Dahir Sabrie, Liban Ali Nor both from the national TV and Abdurrahman Yasiin director of an independent Voice of Democracy radio (VOD) were buried in Mogadishu later on next Friday morning.
As many of the media community attended the funeral of their late colleagues, there was still more bad news this morning, three armed assailants attacked Hassan Yusuf Absugeh a reporter for private (radio-Maanta) which connotes as (Today-radio). He was leaving the office when he died from repeated shots. Only after a week later was the decapitated body of Abdirahman Mohamed found beheaded in Mogadishu’s Huriwaa district on Thursday afternoon. The next Friday gunmen killed Ahmed Abdulah Fanah reporter for SABA news agency.
Mohamed Ibrahim is the secretary general for the national Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and takes his imagination of this year’s miracle impact.
“In contrast with the past several years, 2012 has a new face, it became the bloodiest year for journalists we counted 13 journalists being murdered since January this year. Journalists are being targeted or pursued because of their processional work”. There is yet another terrorizing death threats along with the assassination attacks on journalists, also the common atrocities in such hostile environments like suicide bombings are what makes many messengers distressed. Among those frustrated is Ahmed Haadir an online magazine editor and freelance writer.
“Yes this has real effects, indeed I just remember the big goals once we had first as I and other fellows starting the work, we were non-profit or volunteers, I knew that Journalism is not making good money but good name, now things sound very sad, threats squalls near you if you wish to be a celebrity, we just hide our names because of security, I suspect every one passing along me”.
As being a witness of Somali’s troubled journalism incidents like now renowned suicide bombings of April 4 in the national theatre and the 20 September in the café, Sahra Abdullah is a female reporter for local Royal TV in Mogadishu she tells for VOA how her attention become after the death of late latest journalists.
Calls for investigation
“There is yet no one to be brought to justice in this cases, for this reason we call the new president to do more, by investigating and insure the criminal killers to hold them accountable” Mohamed Ibrahim of NUSOJ said.
Attacks deteriorated after the country started to end the transitional task moving into a permanent strong governance for the next four years, as mounting independent media outlets with fresh trained and untrained journalists routinely taking the way forward the number of total killed is running 26 journalists since 2007.
The perpetrators of most slain journalists yet remain unknown but Alshabab claims conspiring many assassins of murdered journalists, while other political functions are not investigated to the appalling intentions.
But some media outlets strive to disseminate the news after long repressed with, assassinations, station closures, looting, and strict bans of an entertainment programs such as music and songs during the few years of Alshabab controls in parts of the capital Mogadishu before leaving the city last year.
