Hayaan Media Development Center (HMDC) has on a serious mission condemned over the ongoing issue of two media houses (Hornafrik and GBC Muqdisho) that got attacked by the radical Islamist insurgent groups namely AL-SHABAB and HISBUL-ISLAM.
GBC, A TV station based in Mogadishu (capital Somali) had been acknowledged in advance by the radical insurgents to hand over the entire TV station to Hisbil-islam but the media owners and its administration in general called it virtually imposisble.Worse to come in a few moment the media house got attacked and some of its sophisticated equipments got confisticated. In a press conference the head of Hisbul-islam announced that the media house(s) should strictly be monitored and follow their guidelines thus neglecting the press freedom.
On the other hand AL-SHABAB in full gear raided HORN AFRIK (a TV and radio station) that is on its pick, dismantled and caused breakages of expensive equipments hence leaving journalists without jobs but rather be in the mix with them as Islamist militant groups in Somalia as they claim.
Since information is power the two stormed media houses were popular stations and trusted by its people as reliable source of Information then the insurgents groups took advanced to stifle press freedom for their personal gains and deceive it’s community, this all because the radio and the TV station are based in (Bakara market and Ex-control Balcad) the city center of Mogadishu where Administratively comes under AL-SHABAB and HISBUL-ISLAM.
Ali Eid, the chairman, Hayaan Media Development Center (HMDC) headquarter based in Netherlands briefed the Somalia journalist community in a social networking blog that “There are very limited options in the media fraternity, which is faced with its most defining moments especially those in a war torn zone, he deeply explained that still dilemmas haunt journalism in Somali thus pressing the press not to give up but rather continue with same spirit”. The chairman also argued the Anti-government group to withdraw its obstacles and challenges and focus the importance of the press for the Somali community.
