Success or failure: SOLJA 3rd Conference concluded

He said; “I wish that the conference will be concluded with success at the same time I remind that journalists give Justice that they need to others.”

Assistant minister of Justice, Mr. Yusuf Esse Tallabo said; “Politicians and politics cannot function without the media and as such I appeal to you to lift the ban or blackout you have imposed on me for the last two months.”

The minister added that he is happy that the president has put a blackout on the media, claiming that Somaliland has a lot of enemies.

Chairman of the opposition KULMIYE party, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo said; “Violations of human rights, the constitution and the free market as well as suppression of the free media will result in the deviation from our basic principles.”

The chairman added that the government should give time in the state-owned media for the opposition.

Dahabshiil and Telesom officials at the conference promised that they will do everything possible to upgrade media in the country.

Ahmed Saed Egeh, from the BBC said; “The conference should pray for the late Mohamoud Abdi Shide, who sacrificed what he owned to bring the print media to its current level.”

He added; “It is time that journalists should change the working culture in their headquarters.”

Chairman of SOLJA, Mustafe Abdi Esse told the Republican last night that a 15-men executive committee elected by the conference have elected the new chairman, Mustafe Abdi Esse, first Deputy Chairman, Hariir Farah Du’ale and Mohamed Saed Muhumed, second deputy chairman and Muse Inji, as the Executive Secretary.

In answer to what he intends to do about Jamhuuriya Media Group, which worked out of the conference, he said; “We will try to contact them as of today and give them their positions in the executive committee.”

He added that negotiations are underway to get resignation from the newly elected executive committee member, Mr. Muse Diriye, Director of the Somaliland National TV and Muse Adam.

Chairman of the 3rd Conference, Mr. Sayid Mohamed Osman Mire and Deputy Chairman, Abdikarem Omer Odowaa, told the Republican last night that the 3rd Conference has not been concluded officially and that it ended in chaos and violation of the constitution.

The chairman said; “There was no proper election. It was a chaotic condition and in the articles of the constitution which was amended in today’s session (Friday) were broken.”

Elaborating on this he said; “The conference has been hijacked, politicians were elected as Executive members. New members that were not approved by the conference took part in the voting. The members voted for an institution that walked out of the conference (Jamhuuriya Media Group). The whole voting was a chaotic. I was surrounded and I could not see what was going on. I think that SOLJA has become a victim of the government. The new executive includes the chairman, who is also chairman of government-owned Maandeeq Media Group. The second deputy chairman is director of the State Radio Hargeisa and the director of the Somaliland National Television (government-owned) is a member of the executive.” He concluded by saying: “SOLJA has been hijacked as Shura-Net, a human rights organization which had the same fate earlier this year.” The Deputy chairman of the conference, Abdikarem Omer Odowaa, said; “Disturbances and the chaotic condition of the conference began when voting was to start. We adjourned to bring back delegates who left the hall as well as Jamhuuriya Media Group, which have walked out. We failed in our effort. There is no doubt that the constitution has been violated for the newly amended balloting which should have been secret was not introduced.”

Faisal Ali Sheikh, Chairman of Jamhuriya Media Group (JMG), explaining why JMG delegates walked out, said; “We were surprised why founders of the Association as well as senior journalists were excluded from the conference while unapproved journalists were given a delegate status. We were not also satisfied with the undemocratic way the conference was being carried out.”

In answer to how the new election and the new plan to contact them will affect them, he said; “We will not abide nor accept any of the outcome from this conference. In addition to that we will not have any discussion with the leaders of SOLJA.”

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