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AU Called Upon to Protect African Journalists

   Joe DeCapua 22 July 2010

   African  leaders  are  being asked to make the safety of journalists a
   top  priority.   The  call comes from the International Federation of
   Journalists  (IFJ)  and other groups as the AU summit is being held in
   Kampala, Uganda.

   Last  year,  13  African  journalists  were  killed,  nine  of them in
   Somalia.   Six  have  been killed so far this year: three in Nigeria,
   the rest in Somalia, Rwanda and Angola.

   Omar  Faruk Osman, president of the Federation of African Journalists,
   says,  âOur  message  is very clear.  Since the African Union and its
   leaders  have  declared  that  this  year  is  the  Year for Peace and
   Security  for  Africa,  we  want  all  African  citizens to enjoy this
   declaration.â

   Journalists, too 

   âParticularly,  we  are calling for the safety and security of African
   journalists  to  be  guaranteed and to be protected and respected,â he
   says.

   The   journalist   organizations   want  a  continent-wide  policy  of
   protection.

   âWe  feel  that  the  safety  crisis  facing  journalists in Africa is
   increasing day after day,â says Osman.

   He  says  if  the  AU sets a policy for media protection, many country
   leaders  will  follow  through  with  protections  in their individual
   countries.

   Somalia 

   Somalia  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  places  in  the  world for
   journalists.  Its Transitional Federal Government (TFG) controls only
   a  small  part  of  the  country  and  can offer little protection for
   journalists.

   Osman  says, âAs a Somali journalist from the National Union of Somali
   Journalists,  I  fully  understand  the  safety  crisis  that  we face
   inâ¦Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu.â

   While  the  TFG  may  offer  little protection, he says there could be
   another option.

   âThese  peacekeeping  troops  do  not  have  the  mandate  to  protect
   journalists,â he says, âAs a Somali journalist, who is fearing for his
   safety  and  security,  if  I  go to the African Union troops today in
   Mogadishu, they cannot protect me.â

   A free press

   Without  a  free  press  in  Africa,  he  says,  âThere  would  be  no
   development⦠and there would be no stability.â

   Whatâs  more,  Osman  says,  âA  free  press  is  a major component of
   democracy  and  good governance in Africa.  And without a free press,
   this would not happen in Africa at all.â

   Last  year,  the  IFJ  World  Congress,  meeting  in  Spain,  âpledged
   solidarity  with African colleaguesâ and called on African governments
   to protect journalists.

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