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Media and Conflicts in Somalia. Cases of the attacks on the Press in Somalia Somali Media Landscape press freedom campaign for Somalia freedom of press in Somalia is in hazard

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	Somali Journalists Discussing the future of the press in Somalia

Somali journalists’ Meeting on “How Can Be Strengthened the Protection of Somalia’s Freedom and Press”

(Special focus on the new administration of Somali Federal Republic)  

 DECLARATION

 16 October 2004

 We, the participants from the press and the civil society entities of a meeting on “how can be strengthened the protection of Somalia’s freedom of press”, organized in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 16 October 2004, by the Somali Journalists Network (SOJON);

We express our genuine welcoming to the outcome of Somalia National Reconciliation Conference in Nairobi, Kenya;

 We also express the need to put into practice the Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

 We state that the establishment and existence of free media is vital to the development of Somali people;

 We consider that all types of direct and indirect censorship are unacceptable;

 We condemn the harassment, arrest, torture, suppression and murder against journalists;

 We invite all international and national organizations concerned to make special effort to get free and independent Somali media;

 We advise all concerned groups to put in practice the points protected in this declaration;

 We express our sincere thanking to the Somali Journalists Network (SOJON) for organizing this meeting;

 We Declare That:

1. Journalists should make self-regulation, and should attract the public confidence, in order not to give the State the power to repress the press.
2. The State should not try to know to news sources, and the press should keep the social responsibility.
3. The State should not discriminate all media existing in the country, either state-owned or private media.
4. State-owned media should have editorial independence as open public service.
5. The Government should not ignore the participatory role of journalists in drafting the national constitution and the media law.
6. Actually independent journalists’ organization should be strengthened, and there should be no obstacle to the existence and the establishment of independent journalistic organization.    
7. Foreign journalists are like local journalists for the freedom to work professionally with any media institution and to travel to any place in the country.

Participants:

1. Jamal Abdullahi Shuriye, Director, Forum for Peace and Governance (FOPAG)
2. Ali Iman Sharma’arke, Director, Horn Afrik Media Inc.,
3. Abdulkadir Ali Abdulle, Director General, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
4. Abdi Dahir Dirie, Director, Forum for Peace and Governance (FOPAG)
5. Abdirahmaan Saalah Aadan, Somali Independent Newspapers Association (SOINA)/ Waddani Newspaper
6. Mohammed Barre Haji, Chairman of the Supreme Council, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON).
7. Hinda Omar Isse, Chairlady, Somali Women Journalists Association (SOWJA)
8. Ahmed Mohamed Ali, Chairman, Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRDN)
9. Fadumo Osman (Fadumo Forto), Vice chairlady, Peace and human rights Network (PHRN)
10. Ahmed Dini Hassan, Executive Board, Somali Peace Line
11. Qasim Moge Abdalla, Board Member, Isha Human rights organization
12. Abukar Ali Abdirahman, Executive Director, Somali Democractic Association for Protection of Journalists (SODAPOJ)
13. Yusuf Ali Osman, Director, East Africa Radio
14. Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
15. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamud, Deputy Director, Somali Media Centre (SMC)
16. Abdullahi Hassan Ahmed, Head of News, Radio Banadir
17. Dr. Hersi Haji Olosow, Executive Secretary, Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRDN)
18. Abduwali Ibrahim Garyare, STN radio
19. Mohamed Ibrahim Isak, Secretary of Administration, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
20. Abdirashid Ali Ainanshe, Mogadishu Business Community 
21. Qamar Salad Omar, Somali Press Freedom Violation Monitors
22. Ahmed Mohamud Dhi’isow, Somali Journalists Club (SJC)/Xamar Newspaper
23. Qadra Mohamed Elmi, Secretary, Somali Women Journalists Association (SOWJA)
24. Abdikarin Hassan, Coordinator, Somali Youth development Network (SOYDEN)
25. Hashi Abdulle Abikar, Commissioner, Somali Scouts Association
26. Abdinasir Yusuf Moallim, Secretary of Labour and Ethics, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
27. Abdifatah Mohamud Ahmed, East Africa Radio
28. Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
29. Ali Moallim Isak, Secretary of Public Relations, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
30. Abdirashid Abdullahi Haydar, Secretary of Finance, Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)