Hayaan Media Development Center (HMDC) has today described the ban by the Al-Shabaab militant group on the listening of British Broadcasting Cooperation and Voice of America’s programs in the areas of under their control as in violation against the freedom of press in the region, statement issued on 9 April 2010 said.

“We are very concerned about the order by Al-Shabaab. What we know is that BBC and VOA Somali sections were source information for all the people and this meant to block them from the news,” said Abdiweli Ibrahim Aden ” Garyare”  The East Africa Project Coordinator of “HMDC”

Garyare added that this is a beginning to a total cancellation on  all independent media broadcasting activities in southern Somalia.

Al-Shabaab – the biggest Islamist radical group in Somalia – which has strong link with Al-Qaeda, issued an statement ordering HornAfrik radio, a local FM station based in Mogadishu, to stop airing the programs of BBC.

The group accused BBC of broadcasting propaganda and abusive words against the Islam and spreading the ideologies of the crusaders. Al-Shabaab said this came after long monitoring on the daily programs by BBC and VOA on the Somalia matters.

Hayaan Media Development Center has joined its voice into the international condemnation on Al-Shabaab’s outlawing action as undesirable to the free world.

Last week, a senior leader of Hizbul Islam, Moalim Hash Mohamed Farah told reporters in Mogadishu that his group is ordering all the media houses in the capital to stop broadcasting any music and songs. The group gave the local radios 10 days to stop airing music.

HMDC is calling for the authorities of Al-Shabaab Islamic group in Mogadishu to back out their order and give full respect to the freedom of expression.