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SOMALIA / JOURNALISTS FOR PEACE
STORY: SOMALIA / JOURNALISTS FOR PEACE
TRT: 3.16
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SOMALI / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 16 SEPTEMBER 2014, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
1. Wide shot, journalists, civil society, youth and women groups attending a dialogue on peace in Mogadishu
2. Med shot, Abdulkadir Farah Dulgar, Kalsan TV director addressing the media fraternity, civil society, youth and women groups
3. Med shot, journalists listening to Abdulkadir Farah Dulgar, Kalsan TV director
4. Med shot, Abdulkadir Farah Dulgar, Kalsan TV director addressing participants at the dialogue
5. Med shot, journalists listening to Abdulkadir Farah Dulgar, Kalsan TV director
6. Close up, Somali journalist attending the event
7. Med shot, Somali female Journalist attending the event
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Ibrahim Bakistaan, Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists:
“The Somali Journalists have been in the lead for taking the campaigns for peace for a long time, it’s not something that has just started. For the last 22 years, there has been anarchy, warlords, religious warlords, terrorism, piracy but the media has been a model for campaigning for peace and what we believe is that without the media campaign for peace, I think that sustainable peace cannot be reached.”
9. Med shot, participants at the event
10. Wide shot, participants at the event
11. Med shot, Hawa Lul, journalist with Kulmiye radio addressing the participants
12. Wide shot, Hawa Lul, a journalist with Kulmiye radio addressing the participants
13. Close up, participant
14. Med shot, participant
15. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Hawa Lul, Journalist Kulmiye Radio:
“I am working in a war ravaged country that has witnessed a lot of bloodshed. Since this event has brought together different groups of people, it is important that we discuss the problems affecting this country. As a journalist, I must participate in building the peace, listen to and share the different ideas of the Somalis, to be able to contribute to the peace programs.”
16. Med shot, journalists covering the event
17. Wide shot, Burhan Dini Farah, a journalist with Kulmiye radio talking to the gathering
18. Med shot, Burhan Dini Farah, a journalist with Kulmiye radio talking to the gathering
19. Med shot, participants at the event
20. Close up, journalists covering the event
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Burhan Dini Farah, Journalist:
“We as Somali Journalists, I think it is important for us to have peace and we need in it reality because every day, journalists are killed here in Somalia. We are wounded and some journalists have fled the country. So I believe we need peace and that is important for us and we are looking for peace with our lives.”
22. Wide shot, participants attending the event
Dialogue on the importance of peace to the Somali people continued today in the capital Mogadishu, days ahead of the International Peace Day, with members of the country’s media fraternity stepping up to address their role in peace-building.
The discussions were led by journalists under the umbrella body, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and attracted representatives of the media, the Federal Government, women, the youth and members of civil society from different parts of the country.
Participants discussed how they can lead a movement that advocates for unity and reconciliation, raise awareness among the Somali people as well as call for individual actions that will promote peace across Somalia.
The discussions also looked at ways in which the media can use their work to support the stabilization process in the country and use journalism as a tool for peace.
Speaking during the dialogue, Mohamed Ibrahim Bakistan, Secretary General, Somali Journalists National Union said the media has and will continue to play a central role in ensuring peace in Somalia.
“The Somali Journalists have been in the lead for taking the campaigns for peace for a long time, it’s not something that has just started. For the last 22 years, there has been anarchy, warlords, religious warlords, terrorism, piracy but the media has been a model for campaigning for peace and what we believe is that without the media campaign for peace, I think that sustainable peace cannot be reached,” he said.
Hawa Lul, a female Journalist with Kulmiye Radio emphasized the importance of the media in ensuring that the divergent views of the Somali society are shared and accommodated.
“I am working in a war ravaged country that has witnessed a lot of bloodshed. Since this event has brought together different groups of people, it is important that we discuss the problems affecting this country. As a journalist, I must participate in building the peace, listen to and share the different ideas of the Somalis, to be able to contribute to the peace programs,” she noted.
The journalists in Somalia have been major victims of the war, with many killed in the course of their work. Participants agreed that peace is vital for a free media to function in any country.
“We as Somali Journalists, I think it is important for us to have peace and we need in it reality because every day, journalists are killed here in Somalia. We are wounded and some journalists have fled the country. So I believe we need peace and that is important for us and we are looking for peace with our lives,” said Burhan Dini Farah, a Journalist.
With the ability to reach millions of Somalis through radio, TV and the Internet, the media has the power to influence a nation positively or negatively. Journalists participating in the event committed to support the cause of peace as part of their everyday work.
NUSOJ says this will be an ongoing campaign that will be extended to radio and television stations, to engage the society and create awareness on the importance of peace.
This and several other civil society-led events held across Somalia have been supported by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) ahead of the International Day of Peace, which is marked on 21 September.
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