Mogadishu, Thursday, March 14, 2024: The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ), a network of coalition of seven media associations, deeply expresses sorrow and something unacceptable regarding the statement released by the Council of Ministries of the Federal Government of Somalia today unilaterally appointment of the Somali National Media Council.
The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ), which includes FESOJ, SOMA, MAP, SWJO, MWN, SIMHA, and SJS and is currently chaired by the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ), sees this process as totally one-sided and private for the government as all the members of the newly appointed Somali National Media Council are government workers.
It’s unfortunate, that the process has not been passed through the required legal procedures of making preliminary consultations with the media stakeholders such as independent media organizations, civil society organizations, and state media.
The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ), wants the other affiliate media organizations, the government, and civil society to work jointly so that the establishment of this Council would have been a consultative one since the process has been dragging on for a long time, no single party can build the Media Council alone.
The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ), hereby suggests the government of Somalia reconsider and withdraw from the unilateral appointment of this government-controlled Media Council and consider following the legal process of engaging in the first-place inclusive members from the government, private media and the civil society organization such as Human Rights Commission, Women Associations and Somali Lawyers Association.
If the government of Somalia fails to give special consideration to our concern, then the Somali government should bear in mind that this appointed Somali National Media Council will eventually doomed to end in failure as likewise the similarly previously established media council.
The establishment of the Somali National Media Council that is required to be formed is well defined in Article 14 of the country’s Media Law which its parts contains: 14.1, 14. 2, 14.3, 14.4., 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8 and 14. 9.
The important provision is: Article 14.1 indicating the Media Council will consist of 9 members.
14.1. B) Government 3 members with one female
T) Private Media 3 members
J) The Civil Society Organizations (CSO) 3 members (Human Rights Commission, Women Associations and Somali Lawyers Association)
14.2. The members that could join the Media Council will be members from academics, and media experts selected for their experiences, talents, honesty, and integrity
14.3. This important clause indicates that for the Council to fulfill its duties, it is to be independent of politics and government interference, institutional interests and special groups, and conflicts of interests that may come to the person who becomes a member and the work of the council.
14.4. The formation of the Somali Media Council could come through consultation with the Minister of Information, Media Associations, and the Chairman of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO).
14.5. The appointment of the Somali Media Council will be valid with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministries after a proposal of the Minister of Information, and signed by the President and issued in the Official Gazette.
14.6. The term of this Somali Media Council will be three years and can be renewed only once if necessary.
The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ) is expecting to achieve a Media Council implemented in Somalia established through a consultation approach to solve the prolonged challenges faced by the Somali media. Somalia is aiming to pave the way for free, democratic, responsible, and active media.
The Somali Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists (SMSJ) and their affiliated members is confirming to be standing for demanding the government of Somalia to consider following Article 14 of the Somali Media leading the process of forming the Somali National Media Council since the Media Law has been previously signed by two Somali Presidents
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