Somalia, a country in Africa with the capital, Mogadishu. Mogadishu has been bearing scars of decades of fighting. The country has been usually involved in civil war. It is comprised of a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia was created in 1960 when the two territories merged. Since then its development has been slow.
The region remains flawless with no effective administration or institution in place.
Federal government of Somalia, the first permanent central government was formed in the start of the civil war but due to the absence of power residents reverted to local forms of conflict resolution consisting of civil, religious and customary laws.
The main few regions in Somalia are: - Somaliland , Puntland and Galmudug who emerged for the process of decentralization. Radical group such as Al-Shabaab battled with the groups for the control over the country.
The media environment in Somalia varies significantly from region-to-region, with different conditions in the unstable parts of Somalia.
Somalia’s new provisional federal constitution, adopted by the National Constituent Assembly in August 2012, provides, Freedom of Speech. However due to violence in the country, journalist face restrictions on the reporting in practice. No freedom of information to guarantee access. Many cases are resolved outside the court either according to Xeer (customary law) or Islamic law.
Somalia is considered having the most literate in Africa anda country where power has overtime been abused more constantly. Media has been used and misused; often to manipulate, control and inflame tension, hate and conflict. This shows the media’s role in shaping Somalia’s present and future.
Without a central government since 1991; making it the longest running instance of complete state collapse in postcolonial history. This development is been driven by the evolving role of business groups, traditional authorities and civic groups.
Al-Shabaab means the youth and has been banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK They are building a media empire and creation chaos in Kenya. Though they use social media; they have been a group always against and killing journalist and shutting down the media outlets in Somalia.
The Somali government recently shutdown two independent radio stations, accusing them of inciting violence among Somali’s.
Latest news from the BBC – Blast near airport in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, linked to the Al-Shabaab.
Journalists in all regions receive no or low pay. Many media outlets prefer to hire cheaper, less skilled workers the ones who ask for more pay are threat to be replaced.
At least six journalist and media workers killed this year with continuing reports of further targeting and harassment.
No doubt; journalism is in deep trouble in Somalia along with the media; but this is one of the country where journalist have risked or resisted more in the face of appalling attacks. Many people fled but they still have a large number and some even say that they would rather die defending the freedom of Somali media.
Journalist need to learn their rights because some of the media owners do not know the laws of media and some of the journalist don’t know the ethics of journalism and thus people have faith that one day this country will be a land of opportunities.
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