English PDF - East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders ...

22Journalists on the Frontline of Human Rights DefenceIn August 2006, a car travelled by the leaders of the National Union of Somali Journalists wasambushed on the road to Mogadishu from Baidoa. The driver of the car Madag Garas was killedwhile the vice president of NUSOJ supreme council Fahad Mohammed Abukar was injured onhis right hand.Since the war between the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and the Alliance of Restoration of Peaceand Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) started in Mogadishu in February, journalists came undergrowing pressure to operate self-censorship. Media outlets, particularly the electronic media,were deeply divided in reporting the war and the news from the warring sides. The radio directorstightened their control on news put out by their stations because some of them were supportingthe warring sides in different ways.Media legislationsThe Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) recently announced that it is in theprocess of drafting a media law. NUSOJ approached the Ministry of Information to get generallyaccepted media law by all stakeholders. The Government accepted to open dialogue with otherstakeholders such as the media community, human rights activists and lawyers. TFG recognizesthe National Union of Somali Journalists, and registered it as an independent trade unionorganization for journalists.In October, the Islamic Courts Council proposed 13 rules to standardize the media. The mediacommunity in Mogadishu asked to be given time to discuss it, and to get back to them, and theconsultations are currently ongoing.Somaliland, which declared itself an independent republic from Somalia, has a media legislationwhich allows for media freedom and the establishment and existence of journalists’ associations.But the Somaliland opposition parties accuse the ruling party of not allowing establishment ofindependent radio stations.Testimony of Omar Faruk OsmanSecretary General, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)In 2002, as a press freedom advocate, I came under threat from security police staff of the formerTransitional National Government after the Government officials saw my energetic role in thejournalists’ community to protest robustly and change speedily a draconian media law that theMinistry of Information had proposed to the Transitional Parliament for endorsement.Colleagues informed me that I was being sought by the police on the orders of senior officialswithin the Transition Government either to kill me if I tried to escape or arrest me. I was alsosought at the office of the former Somali Journalists Network where I was the Secretary General. Iwent into hiding for 91 hours, but thanks to the International Federation of Journalists that broughtme to Nairobi.But being out of my mother country did not discourage me to continue my dedication of defendingthe human rights of journalists. I was a target to a number of threats anonymously and openly, butas a committed person and a believer in the Almightily Allah, I did not diverge from my route and Inever thought to move away. For instance, the last unidentified death threat stated that I would bekilled within 48 hours.