Somalia: Freed Journalist: It is like a dream that I live in liberty

Freed Journalist: It is like a dream that I live in liberty

Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi is a Somali photojournalist who had been kidnapped with Canadian and Australian colleagues Amanda and Nigel outside Mogadishu on August 2008, Mr Elmi and two other Somali drivers were released after 146 days in captivity while his foreign colleagues are still held hostages. He spoke exclusively with National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) telling his tale.

NUSOJ: Can you tell what happened to you and the foreign Journalists on 23^rd August?

Elmi: Well, on our way to the displaced person’s camps outside Mogadishu, we have been stopped by armed men who ordered us to get off the car and took us with them after blind folding us.

NUSOJ: Then what happened after you were kidnapped?

Elmi: We were onboard the car for a while, and I couldn’t exactly know what was happening until we were brought in a dark room where I recognized finally being a hostage and the ordeal begun that day.

NUSOJ: What about your foreign colleagues, were they with you in the same dark room?

ELMI: No, when the kidnappers ordered us to get off the car, they blindfolded us so that, it was that moment since I last saw them and we were not held in the same place, I was arrested in the room with two Somali drivers.

NUSOJ: In the room, what was coming to your mind, were you worried?

ELMI, obviously, we were worried too much until they released us after 146 days.

NUSOJ: Did they treat you well?

ELMI: Yes, they did.

NUSOJ: Did they torture you or were you humiliated?

ELMI: No actually, there was no any humiliation or torture, they treated us well.

NUSOJ: What kind of meals were you taking?

ELMI: They gave us good meals just the common Somali food, like rice, pasta, and etc.

NUSOJ: Were you thinking a lot about your situation or you were doing normal?

ELMI: Oh! I was thinking a lot day and night, I couldn’t know what was about to happen next and everything was uncertain…it was really pain full that I can’t believe I’m free now, sometimes I think it’s yet like a day dream.

NUSOJ: Did they give you in the dark room?

ELMI: Yes, we had good maters and nice bed sheets as well.

NUSOJ: Have you had any health problems during your captivity?

ELMI: I had some problems sometimes mainly distress but I’m ok now.

NUSOJ: what was your conversation with your friends in the room like?

ELMI: We have been conversing about our situation and our fate as well, but every one of us had his own worries because we lacked our freedom, families and everything we had, just prisoners.

NUSOJ: What do you think about your Colleagues who are still in captivity?

ELMI: I haven’t heard about them but I wish they are well and will be freed soon.

NUSOJ welcomes release of kidnapped Somali journalist, Calls for Release of two foreign journalists‏

After 146 days of captivity, NUSOJ welcomes release of kidnappedSomali journalist, Calls for Release of two foreign journalists16th. Jan 2009.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes withprofound relief the safe release of Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi after 146days in captivity by kidnappers who abducted him with Canadianjournalist Amanda Lindout and Australian journalist Nigel Brenan on 23August 2008.

Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi, freelance photojournalist, was releasedThursday night, 15 January, with two drivers whose names are Mahad Isse and Marwali, who were with the three journalists when abducted.Abdifatah said that they blindfolded them and then put them infour-wheel drive that brought them in Mogadishu’s Bakara market.

When asked the whereabouts of Amanda and Nigel, Abdifatah told NUSOJthat from the beginning of the kidnapping they were separated andbeing held in two separated places. He stated that he was only beingheld with the two Somali drivers.

“We are very pleased that our colleague Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi wasreleased unhurt and in good health but even as we give a standingovation for this excellent news, we remain tremendously concerned overthe destiny of our colleagues Amanda Lindout and Nigel Brenan,” saidOmar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

“We call upon the transitional government, the alliance ofre-liberation of Somalia and traditional elders to make use of thecurrent political change in the country to secure the safe release ofAmanda and Nigel,” Omar Faruk added.

“Alike Somali journalist,Amanda and Nigel are human being and we demand them releasedimmediately and without ransom, which is deplorable to happen”. --National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is a national unionrepresenting Somali journalists to promote and protect freedom of the pressand the interests and rights of journalists.

British NUJ: Joy over Freeman - but murders go on in Somalia

The National Union of Journalists has welcomed the release of a DailyTelegraph correspondent and a Spanish photographer after they wereheld for 40 days by bandits in Somalia. NUJ member Colin Freeman, aged 39, and Jose Cendon, 34, were handedover to local elders and flown to Kenya yesterday. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ deputy general secretary, said:”This is afantastic start to the New Year. “Colin’s family and his colleagues at the Telegraph have had fiveanxious weeks since he was abducted in late November.

“I would like to pay tribute to the National Union of SomaliJournalists <../../../../>, and their general secretary Omar Faruk Osman in particular, whoworked hard to keep us informed about the situation on the ground. “Their support and solidarity has been very much appreciated.”

Journalists in Somalia face regular threats and intimidation. Last week a Somali radio journalist was murdered in the south of thecountry. Hassan Mayow Hassan, aged 36, from Radio Shabelle was shot inthe head twice on his way to cover a conflict between two armedgroups. Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation ofJournalists <http://www.ifj.org/en>, said:
“This was a brutal and cold murder.

The United Nations andthe African Union must help the Somali interim government to bring thekiller to justice.” During a demonstration to launch their 2008 annual report entitled“Somalia: a precarious and perilous place for the press”<http://www.ifj.org/assets/docs/017/152/d2cb011-a233698.pdf>, the Somali journalists’ union denounced “violence, attacks,impunity and injustice against journalists and media” in theircountry.

Michelle Stanistreet added: “There is an urgent need to endviolence against journalists in Somalia and we call on all warringfactions to stop targeting the media. “The NUJ will do everything we can to assist Somali journalistswho, only a few days ago, took to the street to demand protection andright to report freely.” Omar Faruk Osman, who was also recently elected President of theFederation of African Journalists <http://africa.ifj.org/en>, said: “The African Union and world community must do all they canto create conditions which enable journalists in Somalia to workwithout fear for their lives.” --National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is a national unionrepresenting Somali journalists to promote and protect freedom of the pressand the interests and rights of journalists.

Kidnapped British, Spanish journalists Released

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and Reporters
Without Borders (RWB) have today welcomed the release of British
Journalist Colin Freeman and Spanish photojournalist Jose Cendon, both
working for the Daily Telegraph Newspaper. 
 
Colin Freeman and Jose Cendon were kidnapped as they left from their
hotel on Wednesday, 26 November 2008. The journalists have been
staying in Bossasso for about a week to report on pirates.
 
“While we welcome the release of Colin Freeman and Jose Cendon, it
is intolerable that journalists are kidnapped for their legitimate
work in order to get ransom”, said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary
General. 
 
“We renew our call for immediate and unconditional release of three
journalists Amanda Lindhout, Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi and Nigel Brenan
that were abducted in Mogadishu on 23rd August 2008”, Omar Faruk
commented. 
 
--
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is a national union
representing Somali journalists to promote and protect freedom of the press
and the interests and rights of journalists.

IFJ Condemns Killing of Journalist in Somalia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today
condemned the murder of Hassan Mayow Hassan, a Somali journalist, who
was shot dead in the Afgoye District of lower Shabelle region in
southern Somalia.

"We strongly condemn this killing which marks a violent start of the
year for journalists in Somalia," said Aidan White, IFJ General
Secretary. "There is an urgent need to end violence against
journalists in Somalia and all warring factions must refrain from
targeting the media. We will redouble our efforts to assist Somali
journalists who, only a few days ago, took to the street to demand
protection and right to report freely."

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ),
Hassan, 36 and journalist of Radio Shabelle was shot in the head twice
by a well known militiaman as he was with colleagues on their way to
cover a conflict between two armed groups in the Shabelle region, 30
km south of Mogadishu.

The IFJ supports the call from the Federation of African Journalists
(FAJ) for the international community to help bring Hassan's killer to
justice.

"The facts of this particular killing are horrifying. This was brutal
and cold murder. The United Nations and the African Union must help
the Somali interim government to bring the killer to justice," Added
White.

On 31 December, the IFJ published a list of journalists and media
personnel killed during 2008, including two journalists from Somalia.

"The African Union and world community must do all they can to create
conditions which enable journalists in Somalia to work without fear
for their lives," said Omar Faruk Osman, FAJ President.

For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries
worldwide

--
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is a national union
representing Somali journalists to promote and protect freedom of the press
and the interests and rights of journalists.