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.