Condolence Letters to NUSOJ
Rwanda Journalists Association wants killers of Somali Journalist arrested
The Rwanda Journalists Association ,(RJA) condemns , in the strongest terms possible , the seemingly well-coordinated murder of the vice president of the National union of Somali Journalists , (NUSOJ), Nasteh Dahir Farah , and calls on the international community to bring to book the killers of Farah , with immediate effect.
In a press release issued in Kigali this afternoon , the president of Rwanda Journalists Association , Mr. Gaspard Safari , said the killing is yet another pointer to the sad situation that the media in Somalia finds itself in.
« We can not tolerate a situation like this. the killing is targeted and intended to suffocate the media in Somalia. Impunity breeds criminality. The killers of Farah must be sought out and prosecuted. As the Rwandan media , we join our colleagues from all over the world in condemning this barbaric act ‘’ , Safari said in a release copied to all media in the country.
The Rwanda Journalists Association urges the African Union and other regional groupings to move in and bring calm in Somalia. For Africa to stand by and simply watch as Somalia degenerates further into political hopelessness is tantamount to conspiracy and complicity. Inaction is no option and the criminal murder of Farah is testimony to this.
The Rwanda media fraternity once again sends condolences to NUSOJ, Farah relatives and family and all friends of late Farah.
UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES
Office of the United Nations Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia
Springette, Off Lower Kabete Road, lst left after Spring Valley Police Station, P.O. Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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Tel. (25420) 4183640, 4183642/3/4; Fax (25420) 4183641
Statement from the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator on the killing of Somali Journalist in Kismayo, Somalia.
Members of civil society in Somalia – in particular the media – have been singled out for attack and assassination. It is with great dismay that I express today, on behalf of the United Nations and its partners working in Somalia, shock and disappointment that another Somali journalist was brutally murdered over the weekend. Nasteh Dahir Farah, was fatally shot on Saturday 7 June, by unknown gunmen. Mr. Farah had been working for the BBC and the Associated Press. He was also the vice chairman of the National Union of Somali Journalists.
Somalia is the Africa’s deadliest country for journalists and is the second-most dangerous place in the world for the media to work. Seven journalists were killed in 2007 and with the death of Mr Farah, nine have been killed in 2007-2008. He is the second reporter to be killed in Kismayo this year.
It’s a tribute to the dedication and courage of journalists such as Mr. Farah, that despite the fact that members of the media are frequently targeted, harassed, arrested and killed in Somalia, he continued his work. Sadly, his dedication cost him his life. We extend our condolences to his family, colleagues and the wider Somali civil society.
Mark Bowden
UN Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator
9 June 2008, Nairobi
Sudan Journalists Union
08/06/2008
بيان من الاتحاد العام للصحفيين السودانيين
الاتحاد العام للصحفيين السودانيين يحتسب السيد/نائب رئيس اتحاد الصحفيين الصوماليين الذي لقي مصرعه في .مقديشو
والاتحاد يدين تلك الجماعات التي تستهدف الصحفيين الذين يعملون في مناطق شديدة الخطورة يطالب الحكومات والمنظمات بضرورة ملاحقة القتلة والمجرمين الذين يستهدفون الصحفيين,
Dr. Mohialden Titawi
President of Sudanese journalists Union (SJU)
Presedent of EAJA
UGANDA JOURNALISTS UNION
CONDEMNATION OF KILLING OF SOMALI JOURNALIST
KAMPALA - MONDAY - JUNE 9 - 2008
The Uganda Journalists Union (UJU) would like to join the world journalism fraternity to condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the assassination of Somali Journalists’ leader.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Vice President Nasteh Dahir Farah, was gunned down by gunmen southern town of Kismayu .
We believe this and many other incidences in Somalia targeting journalists are a planned and orchestrated move to silence voice of dissent, and to perpetrate violence of innocent people.
The international community should come out now and find a lasting solution to the people of Somalia and, especially ensuring that journalists are spared from bloody, senseless and indiscriminate killings.
Uganda Journalists Union therefore calls on all peace loving people in the world to help Somali journalists out of this predicament that makes Somalia the worst humanitarian situation on the globe.
“Somali journalists are human beings that must be protected like the rest of the journalists in the US, Europe, Asia and Africa,” said Stephen Ouma Bwire, General Secretary Uganda Journalists Union.
The rule of law must be instituted and the journalists who have tried to highlight Human Rights violations in the “Horn of Africa” should be allowed to play their roles since they have no political inclination. The Somali people are entitled to the truth on what is really happening in their vicinity.
The Struggle must continue……. Allutta Continua.
SIGNED
Stephen Ouma Bwire
GENERAL SECRETARY
UGANDA JOURNALISTS UNION
PO BOX 26650
KAMPALA
KENYA UNION OF JOURNALISTS
KENYAN JOURNALISTS CONDEMN KILLING OF SOMALI JOURNALIST
Tuesday 10, 2008
The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has learnt with utter shock and dismay of the brutal attack and killing of the Vice-President of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Nasteh Dahir Farah.
The KUJ joins the world journalism fraternity to condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the assassination of the Somali Journalists’ leader, and in calling on the UN Security Council and the international community to move in and ensure the safety and security of journalists in Somalia.
“We note with utter dismay that yet another murder is a journalists who is the messenger of truth in as many months in the troubled Somalia. We are aware that gangs and criminals who would want to perpetuate anarchy have turned the barrels of their guns onto innocent and unarmed journalists with much abandon in the troubled country of Somalia. It is a high time the world community moved in to stop this madness,” said KUJ chairman Tervil Okoko.
Information availed to KUJ indicated that Nasteh was gunned down by unknown people in the southern town of Kismayu.
“This is not only barbaric but also primitive and unforgivable. We have lost a colleague and a friend who would have otherwise been going around his duties feeding the world with information. However, we as journalists will not allow the barrel of the gun to silence us. We must move on even with greater determination and vigilance. We must protect the truth even if it means paying with our own lives,” Okoko added.
KUJ would like to urge the UN Security Council, international bodies and the neighbouring countries to move with speed and restore law and order in Somalia. It also called on the same organisations and bodies to come up with a system that would safeguard the security and safety of journalists working in the country.
“We believe and concur with our colleagues from Uganda and the entire Eastern Africa region that the killing of Nasteh and many other incidences in Somalia targeting journalists are planned and orchestrated by people whose main aim is to silence the voice of truth and to perpetrate violence on innocent people,” Okoko said.
“At this juncture, we join our brothers and sisters at NUSOJ, Nasteh’s family members, friends and relatives in mourning the death of the slain leader.
The Struggle must continue……. Allutta Continua.
SIGNED
Tervil Okoko Tom
Chairman
Kenya union of Journalists
