Abdullahi Gardhuub, the newly appointed Al-Shabaab information officer in Belet-Hawo town today convened a meeting of journalists in the town and read to them a number of edicts that the Al-Shabab wants to be implemented in the media. The edicts are as follows:

  • Music should not be aired
  • All music that has often been used to advertise any commercial product or for an advertisement program should be replaced by what they call Islamic songs or “Anaashid”.
  • That the information officer cannot be telephoned by the media or used as a source even if 1000 people are killed in the town, unless the officer himself calls the radio station or journalist and orders them to report as he wishes.
  • That Al-Shabaab and its leadership have sworn in the name of Allah, that if any journalist or media house airs information against the Islamic administration, they shall be killed.
  • That journalists and media houses must not refer to Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jama (a rival religious grouping) as religious clerics. That the media should, instead, refer to them as “Suufis” or grave worshipers.
  • That in the event that the government forces and the Al-Shabaab are fighting, the media should refer to the Al-Shabaab as “Mujaahidiins” or martyrs.
  • That the media in the region cannot report any information from outside the border town.
  • That the media is not allowed to interview any “Murtad” or “infidel” as they refer to any member of the transitional federal government.

NUSOJ condemns the edicts in the strongest terms possible as they could lead to media blackout in the region. The journalists are currently worried about how to comply to these stringent and unreasonable edicts that go against the international norms and freedom of expression.

Similar rules had been imposed two weeks ago on Radio Markabley in Bardhere town in the same region.

—
For further information, contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, tel/fax: +252 1 859 944,
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org

–~–~———~–~—-~————~——-~–~—-~
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is a national union representing Somali journalists to promote and protect freedom of the press and the interests and rights of journalists. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Freedom of Expression exchange (IFEX), Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA). NUSOJ is partner with Reporters without Borders (RWB).
-~———-~—-~—-~—-~——~—-~——~–~—