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DemocracyAlerts

From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

(August 16, 2007)

Democracy Alert: Two Somali Journalists Murdered

On August 11, 2007, two Somali independent journalists - Radio Capital Voice director Mahad Ahmed Elmi and Horn Afrik radio director Ali Imam Sharmarke - were murdered. Mr. Elmi was shot dead on his way to work in Mogadishu, and hours later, Mr. Sharmarke was killed when a remote-controlled mine was detonated on the route of Mr. Elmi’s funeral procession. Also, Reporters Without Borders states that the day before these murders, Radio Mogadishu journalist Abdihakin Omar Jimale was shot in the shoulder and hospitalized. The World Movement for Democracy urges the Transitional Federal Government to investigate these crimes and prosecute those responsible.

The murders of Mr. Elmi and Mr. Sharmarke and the attempt on Mr. Jimale’s life appear to be part of a wave of violence against media workers in Somalia. There have been six murders of media workers this year alone. The escalated violence reflects the weak state of independent media in Somalia. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), of which Horn Afrik is a grantee, has issued a statement condemning the violence and offering solidarity with the Somali media outlets, nongovernmental organizations, and civic groups that continue to work for the realization of basic human rights in Somalia. NED currently serves as the Secretariat of the World Movement for Democracy.

To read more information from Reporters Without Borders about the recent murders, go to: www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23259

To read the annual report by Reporters Without Borders on the state of media in Somalia, go to: www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=20740

To read the statement from the National Endowment for Democracy, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/SomaliJournalistsAug2007.pdf