Somalia journalists condemn rebels’ shutdown of radio station in Mogadishu

Bartamaha (Nairobi):- The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Thursday condemned the order issued by an armed insurgent group, Hisbul Islam, to shut down indefinitely a radio station in Mogadishu.

Militias from Hisbul Islam stormed the premises of GBC radio on 14 April 2010 and ordered the radio to go off air without advance notice.

NUSOJ said the action was the latest in a series of attacks against the media in Somalia.

The radio, founded in mid 2006, is based in Huriwaa neighbourhood, north of the capital, an insurgent held area and was part of the radio stations that complied with the music ban following an ultimatum from Hisbul Islam on Tuesday.

At least 14 independent radio stations halted their music programmes for fear of their safety and security. The insurgent group considers music as un-slamic.

“Hisbul Islam militias came to the radio station and ordered us to cease operations for an indefinite time,” said an eyewitness journalist who spoke a condition of anonymity. “We don’t know why all these are happening. We have to walk out of our workplace.”

NUSOJ said the reason behind the closure of the radio station was not yet known, and the Hisbul Islam group that issued the order did not comment. The radio station was off air late Wednesday.

Besides the recent music ban by Hisbul Islam, Shabaab insurgents also banned the foreign broadcasts of the BBC and VOA in the areas under their control with immediate effect, accusing them of violating Islam and spreading Western propaganda.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible to the act of shutting down the radio. This is an act to intimidate and finally hijack the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

“Violent acts against the independent media are intolerable as the media freedom continues falling under constant threat of the insurgent groups, [which] practise gross violations against the press only to dominate the media freedom in the areas they control in southern Somalia,” said Osman, who called for “solidarity and unity among journalists” and “immediate and unconditional resumption of the radio operations.”.

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Source: pana