Somali Government Accused of Muzzling Media

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Text of press statement in English on "government curbs and threats to freedom of independent media in Somalia" by Somali independent Shabeelle Media Network website on 20 February

 

Shabeelle Media Network is deeply shocked and dismayed at the restrictions and threats directed at the freedom of local media by the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

 

The National Security Agency of the Transitional Federal Government have officially ordered the independent radio stations in Mogadishu not to report on anything that the government doesn't need to be reported.

 

Gen Nur Muhammad Mahmud (Nur-Shirbow), the deputy chief of the Somali national security department, who chaired the meeting with the local media representatives, read the following articles;

 

1- You cannot report about the Somali government and Ethiopian military operations in the capital as they are considered top secret;

 

2- You cannot report about the civilian population fleeing the city under any circumstances;

 

3- The remnants of the Islamic Courts Union are directly responsible for the explosions and violence in the capital Mogadishu;

 

4- As there is an emergency state in place in Somalia generally, there is no so-called freedom of expressions'

 

5- The government will nominate editors for these three radio stations and you must cooperate with them.

 

During the closed meeting with the directors of Shabeelle, HornAfrik and Banaadir Radio Stations at the head quarter of NSA, General Nur-Shirbow threatened the directors that part of the martial law imposed on the country, government soldiers can shoot and kill everyone they want.

 

Abdimalik Yusuf Mahmud, chairman of Shabeelle Media Network said that the conditions set by the National Security Agency of the transitional government as totally unacceptable and a clear oppression against the freedom of speech.

 

"It is crystal clear that the independent media in Somalia is under attack by the transitional federal government so the international community, which invested millions of dollars in the formation of this government in the peace talks in neighbouring Kenya, should interfere the matter and help the media free of government oppression," said Mr Mahmud in statement he issued.

 

The transitional government has many times oppressed the freedom of the independent media in Somalia since it relocated to the country after it was formed in Kenya.

 

The government has a history of detaining journalists, closing radio stations and threatening the entire freedom of speech in Somalia.

 

© 2007 BBC Monitoring Africa. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

 

 

Source: BBC Monitoring Africa

[Kashafa]

I like this part -->

 

During the closed meeting with the directors of Shabeelle, HornAfrik and Banaadir Radio Stations at the head quarter of NSA, General Nur-Shirbow threatened the directors that part of the martial law imposed on the country, government soldiers can shoot and kill everyone they want

Comedically insane if it weren't all too real. Shoot and kill everyone we want. Murder with impunity. Whaddayaknow.

 

And they speak of peace and stability. Choke on your barf, Benedict.

[Wisdom_Seeker]

^

These people are uncivilized scavengers, they know nothing about martial law, democracy or even peace. They are mentally deficient. Their intellect is that of the vermin. Imagine the people who support men that are this dense, they must be super dense.

 

They don’t want the truth to be told, because the truth is what sets people free.

[Wisdom_Seeker]

oops