SOMALIA: Gunmen gun down Radio Shabelle director

MOGADISHU — Gunmen shot and killed the director of Radio Shabelle while getting home from work on Saturday evening in the Somali capital. A producer at Shabelle said unidentified gunmen killed Hassan Osman Abdi while he was on his way home. According to eyewitness reports two assassins shot him several times and fled the scene.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The 29-year old journalist, who worked for the independent radio station for three years left behind a wife and three children. His lifeless body was taken to Madina hospital.

Attacks against journalists and the press are all too common in Somalia’s war-torn capital Mogdishu. In December, Abdulsalam Sheikh Hussein “Hiis” of Horn Cable TV was shot in the head in Hamar Jajab district by a man wearing Somali government uniform.

Somali reporters fleeing prosecution often fled to Somaliland but that reputation was recently damaged with the government in Hargeisa launching massive crackdown against independent journalists. Just two weeks ago, the government of President Silanyo arrested over 25 reporters with four still believed to be in custody without being charged. The ruling Kulmiye Party also shut down and suspended a number of independent TV stations – a far cry from their post-election campaign promises in mid-2010.

A statement from the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said his recent extensive reporting on government corruption might be a motive.

International media watchdogs have ranked Somalia the world’s most dangerous country for reporters.

Classified as a failed state, Somalia has not had a functioning central government for more than 20 years and has been wracked by fighting between various militias and the ever increasing list of mini-states.

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