21/02/07 (B383) LDDH : Somalie / Ali Mohammed Omar, présentateur de Radio Warsan a été exécuté par balle. Appel en anglais du réseau EHAHRD.


Le Président

DIFFUSION D’INFORMATION
DU 20 FÉVRIER 2007

Meurtre intolérable
du Journaliste Somalien
Ali Mohammed Omar
à Baïdoa.

Ali Mohammed
Omar, présentateur de Radio Warsan a été exécuté
par balle.

QUE DIEU
TOUT PUISSANT GARDE SON ÂME EN PAIX

Depuis l’occupation
du sud de la Somalie par les Forces étrangères, l’insécurité
des journalistes, ainsi que, les pressions et menaces sur les Journalistes
indépendants, sont à leurs apogées et sont révoltantes.

Il est très dangereux
aux mass médias d’informer voir de parler des tueries par bombardements
des civils Somaliens non seulement à Mogadiscio mais aussi dans plusieurs
villages par l’artillerie et les chars éthiopiens.

Ce terrorisme d’Etat
récent et quotidien est inadmissible, avec tous les dangers qu’il
représente et ne peut que faire boule de neige dans l’atrocité
des destructions de toutes les grandes villes de notre Sous-région.

M.
NOEL ABDI Jean-Paul

_______________________________________________________

EAST AND HORN
OF AFRICA HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS NETWORK

Public Statement

EHAHRD-Net Index: SOMA
003/005/2007 (Public)
19th February 2007

KAMPALA:
MURDER OF SOMALI JOURNALIST HORRIFIC-EHAHRD-Net

It is with profound
dismay that the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (EHAHRD-Net)
has received information about the gruesome murder of a Somali journalist
Ali Mohammed Omar (25).The demise of Omar is one among several deplorable
incidents involving Somali journalists, making the country one of the most
dangerous for media operations within the sub-region.

According to reports
received from the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), a founding
member organization of EHAHRD-Net, Omar was short in the head as he headed
home from the town of Baidoa . At the time of his death, he was a presenter
and technician at Radio Warsan, one the region’s most independent radio
stations.

"It is very sad
indeed to see that journalists in Somalia continue to be the target of murder
elements. There’s no society in contemporary world that can survive without
these information agents and therefore, it must be the duty of the whole
Somali community and indeed the international community, to ensure that
journalists receive maximum security. Besides, the work of journalists is
clearly highlighted in various international human rights instruments, leaving
no room for compromise about observance of media freedom.

As a Network, we demand
that the Transitional Federal Government traces the perpetrators and brings
to book," says Hassan Shire Sheikh, Chairperson EHAHRDP/Net

APPEAL:
EHAHRD-Net appeals to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG)
in Somalia
to:

Investigate into Omar’s
murder and ensure that the perpetrators are
brought to book.

Take necessary measures
to ensure adequate protection of journalists in
appreciation of their constitutional obligation to gather and disseminate
news and information

All Network members
across the sub-region should condemn this act of
lawlessness and appeal to the Somali authorities to immediately cause
redress.


Please send appeals to;
The
Somali Charge d’Affaires in Kenya, asking for them to be forwarded to
Somalia’s President, Col. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed: TFG charge d’affaires,
Mohamed Ali Nur, PO Box 623-00606, Jabavu Road, Hurlingham, Nairobi, Kenya

Email: mali@somaliembassy.co.ke

Salutation: Dear
Sir

For
further information, please contact
Tumusiime
Kabwende Deo

Press Officer, +256-712-075721
Regional Coordination Office
EAST AND HORN OF AFRICA HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS PROJECT (EHAHRDP)

Human Rights House, Plot 1853, Lulume Rd., Nsambya
P.O. Box 11027 Kampala, Uganda
Phone: +256-41-510263(general)/ext.112
+256-41-267118(direct)
Fax: +256-41-267117
E-mail: ehahrdp@yahoo.ca,
hshire@yorku.ca
Website: http://www.yorku.ca/crs/AHRDP/index.html