Mogadishu (RBC) As a journalist and a citizen of Somalia, I have been following the draft media law that has been submitted by the Ministry of information and adopted by the cabinet ministers on July. The Somali journalists suggested many articles needs to be amended before the parliament ratifies, because it would curtail press freedom.
I opposed and I am one of the journalists who extensively researched and made deep analyses in discussions on the TVs, radio interviews and social media especially in my blog.
Articles, 5,6, 26 and 28 are against international media standers, freedom of opinion and expressions and international human rights law, but The discussions and amendments about the draft media law are still going on and we hope that all remaining suggested articles would be amended.
After meeting with the journalists and media houses both President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdi Shirdon Sa’id acknowledged that something is fundamentally wrong with the draft legislation.
On the other side of this matter, there have been an emails circulated in recent days by individuals most notably, Farah Lamaane who was the former news editor of Bar-Kulan Radio. In reference to these emails I would like to shed light on that Lamaane is fighting against Steve Turner, deputy director of AU/UN information support team who was the former director of Bar-Kulan and Eng. Abdirahman Yarisow – the senior advisor and spokesperson to the President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed who replaced Lamaan when he was forced to resign. That is why Lamaane is circulating unnecessary emails.
It seems that Farah Lamaane and his one month old NGO (Concerned Somali Journalists) does not represent the Somali journalists and the independent media houses that are operating in Somalia.
As Farah Lamaane is fighting with Bar Kulan he does not have to blunder his confrontation against UN support to independent Somali media with the Somali media law. Farah Lamaane is also supported by Omar Faruk Osman who has been claiming that he is the leader of National Union of Somali Journalists. Both of them are seemingly trying to dismantle the UN led efforts in Somalia, including Bar-kulan Radion and also the Somali ministry of information which accepted the critics from the Somali media and promised that it would remove all the concerned articles in the draft media law.
The key question is: When do these two men become friends? I remember that Farah Lamaane never recruited even one journalist who worked with Omar Faruk or member of his organization in his tenure as head of the Bar-kulan Radio.
Bar-Kulan is a UN funded radio and maintains professional journalism standards and journalists working there are the best paid among the Somali journalists .Anyone can make research about that.
In my opinion, Somali journalists have their say about the draft media law and it is not necessary that these individuals mix up with their personal interests with the Somali media and its future. Rift between individuals have absolutely nothing to do with the Somali media law and we have to know that this issue critical and needs deep thinking.
Somali journalists in the country and in the diaspora are grateful to international donors, especial media and human rights organizations including Doha Centre, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and RSF who have generously contributed to the Somali journalists.
It has been estimated that there are 400 orphans and widows of the gunned down journalists are in Somalia, so i would like to urge international organizations to assist these families. They need to be offered a hope and chance of a good future.
Finally, I would like to advise the Somali journalists to unite among themselves and solve their differences in a good manner. Remember we are already damaged by the superfluous divisions and the large number of different organizations that we formed which caused the restriction of assistance from the International donors.
By: Farah Ali Blue
Somali Journalist
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