Somali Journalists Demand Prime Minister to Call Deputy Minister of Information to order
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Friday October 04, 2013 - 02:40:27 in English News by Super Admin
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Press Release:-----
National Union of Somali Journalists
(NUSOJ) and Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ) have watched with concern the
spate of power abuses by the Deputy Minister of Information of Somali Federal
Government Mr Abdishakur Ali Mire.
The
latest being an organization of security operatives by Deputy Minister of
Information to intimidate and arrest journalists and their leaders in a bid to
silence outspoken and critical journalists who came out to criticize obnoxious
media law.
ASOJ
and NUSOJ are dismayed that Mr Abdishakur Ali Mire did not only violate,
dishonor and abandon the constitution of Somalia and national office he is
holding but is laboring to deny lasting media freedom.
Deputy
Minister of Information is reported to be working as a project agent for foreign
institutions in a move to impel for foreign organizations interests and to
degrade independent media of Somalia. Mr Abdishakur adapted to disgrace
recurrently credible voices in Somali media in exchange of personal benefits
from foreign entities.
One of
the hallmarks of any emerging democracy in Somalia is respect for fundamental
rights and the rule of law. Violation of this time-honored value by Mr
Abdishakur Ali Mire constitutes not only a breach of trust, but also an
invitation to anarchy and enmity between media community and government.
It is
all the more worrying when this violation is done by a deputy Minister of the
Federal government who ought not only to hold out himself as the protector of
citizens rights, but a key ambassador of the new federal Administration.
The
Deputy Minister is advised to stop playing self-seeking politics with media
freedom and journalist rights, especially risked media workers that do not have
the wherewithal or access to protection and slush funds from foreign organizations.
Rather
than embark on a campaign of calumny against the media houses, journalist
organisations and their leaders and a laborious attacks against the independent
media, Somali journalists advise the deputy Minister to immediately toe the
path of honour by recognising rights of journalists, discontinue undermining
independent media, end dividing media and stop serving foreign agenda at
expense of Somali journalists.
NUSOJ
and ASOJ are saddened by the fact that for most of his tenure, Abdishakur Ali
Mire has been embroiled in a fight against independent media instead of growing
the media sector, and urge Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdoon Saaid to call the
Deputy Minister of Information Mr Abdishakur Ali Mire to order before he does
incalculable harm in the name of the government.
By Nusoj General Secretary Omar Faruk Osman
and Asoj Chairman Dahir Alasow
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Somali Journalists Demand Prime Minister to Call Deputy Minister of Information to order
Press Release:-----