Somaliland: Journalists Discuss Media Challenges, Relationship with Government in a SONSAF Organized Meeting
Hargeisa, 01 Feb 2014 (SDN) –Journalists in the country have discussed the prevalent status of their trade, relationship with the government, major difficulties encumbering private media houses and Development of strategies to negate them.
The journalists also reiterated on the need for harmonizing the very many journalists’ welfare organizations into one solid and strong body, during a one day gathering at Maansoor Hotel in Hargeisa, organized by the Somaliland Non State Actors Forum-SONSAF on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by the head officials of Media Houses in the country, media organizations including SOLJA, USJ, WIJA as well as officials from Tvs, websites, lawyers, veteran journalists and officials from civil society organizations.
The chairman of Somaliland Non – State Actress Forum (SONSAF), Mr. Mostaphe Sa’ad Dhinbil, has said while addressing to the participants “The main aim of this conference is only concerned on how media houses and their journalists will discuss and then uncover the problems and challenges faced. There is a clear need to understand and support the media sector to help address some of the problems the country’s journalists face.”
”SONSAF aims to strengthen non-state actors in Somaliland and that Media institutions in the country are part of this network. We engage in every current issue that needs to be discussed and to have a dialogue to address and get a viable solution. This meeting will be a preliminary to an Assembly which will be held soon that will be attended by media stake holders. We are always committed to what is good for the media houses and journalists.” Chairman of SONSAF added.
While addressing to the participants, the Chairman of the Somaliland Journalists Association-SOLJA Mr. Hasan Mohamed Yusuf who thanked SONSAF for taking the initiative of probing avenues of enhancing the proper and confrontation free news and information provision in the country also apologized for a press statement castigating the Forum released by his organization.
My presence here is testimony to the fact that SOLJA is wholly supportive to the inventiveness of SOINSAF in designing joint strategies to deter further acrimonies between the government and media houses in Somaliland”
Chairman Yusuf was referring to a Monday evening statement released by SOLJA a castigating SONSAF for interfering in issues that are not in its preserve after the later body extended invitation to print and electronic Media houses for the way forward brainstorming meeting held today the 30th Jan in Hargeisa.
Speaker after speaker among them the head of SSJW and Chief Editor of Hatuuf group of newspapers Mr. Yusuf Gabobe, Chair of WIJA M/s Ayaan Abdirizaq and Kadar Akule of the new Union of Somaliland Journalists stressed on the need for concerted efforts to ensure that media laws are implemented to the letter and Journalists perform ethically.
After tea break and begin of plenary debate the first coup in the country for over 40 years took place when Hussein Ali Nuur a long time journalist currently editor of Republican a weekly English newspaper and AP Stringer who upon arguing that the oratory courtesy of the rich Somali language will ensue with non-accomplishment of objectives removed the SONSAF designated facilitator.
True to the adage “Wisdom and Experience Comes with Age” once on the seat Hussein Ali Nuur managed to bring the meeting to cohesion thence timely completion assisted by his suggestion that each participant jot down recommendations and a committee appointed to collate them for presentation during the planned next parley.
SDN Hargeisa