Somalia: IFJ Condemns Blind Violence Against Journalists

The International Federation of the Journalists (IFJ) today strongly condemned the bomb attack against eight journalists on Tuesday, 29th June 2010, the injury of another journalist on July 1st and the arrest of two journalists in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia.

“We condemn these senseless attacks which had caused lot of injuries, to innocent civilians including those of our colleagues” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa office. “It is a stark reminder of the dangers the Somali media are exposed to in their daily work. We demand an urgent reaction from the Transitional Government to ensure their protection.”

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, there was a powerful bomb explosion last Tuesday at a police school in Abdiasis district of northern Mogadishu during a press conference held by an Al-Shabaab spokesman. In the deplored attack eight (8) journalists have been injured.  Four of the injured journalists have been identified as: Muse Mohamoud Jisow, Ilyas Ahmed Abukar, Abdinasir Idle, and Abdirisak Elmi Jama. One of the injured journalist told NUSOJ that the people who bombed the scene knew that a press conference was taking place and that journalists were in attendance.

NUSOJ has condemned the attack as a wasteful and cowardly act that only targets the harmless journalists. The Union called also on all parties in the conflict in Mogadishu to cease hostilities and to desist from taking their bloody conflict to the journalists and un-armed civilians.

On Thursday July 1st 2010, during a heavy fighting in Mogadishu between Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Islamic extremists Al-Shabaab, Farah Abdi Warsame, photojournalist with AP news agency was wounded, while Mustafe Haji Abdinur, reporter of AFP news agency and Yusuf Jama Abdullahi (known as Yusuf Djibouti), freelance cameraman were arrested by TFG police after they were seen taking pictures of wounded Farah Abdi Warsame and were both held at the headquarters of Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

“Warring sides have made it their habit to bombard or attack places with a congregation of journalists ostensibly to eliminate their enemy’s claims of political gains. But we must remind them of their responsibility to protect journalists and civilians” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary-General.

The IFJ renews its call for an international and urgent action to stop the massacre of the Somali civilians, including journalists. The Federal Transitional Government have to release immediately without condition the arrested journalists and must also endeavour at all cost, to protect human lives and make the country safe for all and sundry.

For more information contact the IFJ at   +221 33 867 95 87, +221 33 867 95 87

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide.

- June 30, 2010 by IFG

.................

Source: africa.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-condemns-blind-violence-against-journalists-in-somalia  (accessed on 01.07.2010)