SJS Calls for North Western State of Somalia to Revoke Universal TV Ban and Advocates for Media Freedom in Southwest State
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 4 March 2024 — Recent developments concerning media freedom in Somalia and its autonomous region, North Western State of Somalia, have spotlighted significant challenges. The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is keenly aware of these issues and thus makes a firm appeal to North Western State of Somalia’s leadership: lift the prohibition on Universal TV and cease detaining journalists who dare to question governmental conduct. Simultaneously, it calls on officials from Somalia’s Southwest State to permit independent media to effectively cover matters of public importance.
Let’s set the scene: on 27 February, a directive issued in Somalia’s Southwest State commanded three local media outlets—Arlaadi Media, Voice of Baay and Bakool, and Radio Warsan—to suspend their planned Ramadan radio contest. This peculiar order came from Isak Hassan Mohamed, who, at that time, was the chairman of the youth committee in Baidoa’s district administration. With rapid political tides, he was soon swept up to the role of a Southwest State Assembly member, following an appointment on the same day. The question isn’t just about the contest; it’s about the silence that creeps in when independent voices are stifled. No rationale accompanied the prohibition, an echoing reminder of the unspoken expectations of conformity.
Does the shadow of competition threaten the establishment? Perhaps so. SJS has learned from Southwest State media insiders that the state had already outlined a separate Ramadan radio contest. The independent media’s potential to draw larger listenership seemed to spark discomfort within official circles—a common fear when the public’s ear starts tuning elsewhere. This was later resolved, with the contest finally going on air without further hurdles on 1 March.
Meanwhile, whispers in the corridors of the Southwest State Assembly say preparations are afoot for upcoming elections, yet the details—particularly a date—remain as elusive as mist. On a curious 27 February, the assembly orchestrated the re-election of Dr. Ali Said Faqi as the Speaker of Parliament, alongside the replacement of 11 assembly members. Independent media? Curtailed. The state’s embrace grew tighter, allowing only its own outlets the privilege of coverage. A strategic move indeed—one wonders, whose narrative truly benefits from such an arrangement?
The tension doesn’t stop there. On 25 February, North Western State of Somalia’s Togdheer Governor, Mohamud Ali Saleban (Ramaax), flexed his authority, detaining three journalists in Burao—Said Ali Osman of Sky Cable TV, Ayanle Ige Duale of Sahan TV, and Abdiasis Saleban Sulub of KF Media. Said Ali Osman had dared to question Governor Ramaax about his links to local clan militias during an interview. In a scene somewhat dramatic, the governor, refusing to entertain the query, exited the view of the camera. Was this merely a walk away from a challenging question or an emblematic retreat from transparency?
Insight into the intertwined web of politics comes from knowing these militias—SSB and G36—were reportedly absorbed into the North Western State of Somalia army on the President’s watch. Duale and Sulub faced detention for their Facebook revelations about the destruction of water reservoirs—reservoirs vital to a drought-stricken Togdheer. Their accusation: the powers-that-be were demolishing these lifelines under the guise of land legality. Despite the arrests, these journalists saw freedom after 24 hours, uncharged but no doubt wary.
The saga unfolds further with Universal TV. On 12 February, a closure order from North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Information pinpointed a Universal TV news report. The report raised critical points about North Western State of Somalia’s position amidst international forums, specifically President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro’s UAE visit—a move seen by some as infringing Somalia’s territorial sanctity. The gavel fell hard; accusations of breaching agreements were levied, and the TV’s presence was extinguished, a telling act of silencing dissenting voices.
Universal TV representatives, the air tinged with determination and perhaps a hint of frustration, conveyed the ongoing shutdown within North Western State of Somalia as of early March. Hopes still ride on North Western State of Somalia lifting this punitive ban so that free press may once again surface. The stakes are high—not just for journalists, but for everyone who values democratic ideals. As SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin remarked, “The press isn’t just a mirror to society; it’s the voice of reason that shapes it. We must nurture it, not negate it.”
In conclusion, beyond the immediate grappling of local journalists with these issues lies a broader dialogue on media freedom—an invaluable asset in any democracy. “We call on Southwest State to prepare a seat for independent media at the electoral table,” echoed Mr. Mumin. Isn’t it time for transparency to have its due moment in the sun?
Edited By Ali Musa Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
