Journalists, Dahir Abdulle Alasow, the editor of the most popular Somali online newspaper Waagacusub.com, was recognized the best investigative journalist in Somalia, the year 2010 after his efforts in the last five years helped the people of Somalia and the international community to understand the inside stories of the most notorious groups in Somalia.
The organizations, Federation of Somali Journalists -FESOJ, Somali journalist’s rights agency-SOJRA, Somali Journalists in Netherlands-SOMJON and Somali foreign correspondents-SOFCA honored Alasow as the best investigative journalist or the year 2010.
Alasow investigates and reports some exclusive and very investigative reports before the news emerges and he was credited as the first Somali journalists who dared to report that three Alqaeda suspects who were suspected of the explosions of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 were in Somalia.
In 2002 he reported that Fazul Abdulahi Mohamed, who is believed to be the most senior Alqaeda member in Somalia now and his former colleagues Salah Ali Nabhani and Abu Dalha Al Sudani aka Abdalla Al Sudani were in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
The report demanded the attention of Alqaeda members in Somalia, but they didn’t decide to kill him. In 2004, he investigated and reported that Alqaeda cells in Somalia led by the late Alshabab commander Adan Hashi Ayrow killed a BBC reporter Kate Peyton who was gunned down as she was leaving a hotel in Mogadishu.
Alshabab, the Alqaeda affiliate in Somalia was establishing its forces at that time and started to hunt anyone seen as a potential spy or investigative journalist. The moves they took forced Alasow to take emergence security measures to ensure his safety.
He was following daily security tips he got from a hostile environment seminar he attended and advices from friends and colleagues.
Among the reports he was credited to succeed was the investigation he made about the Somali ruthless warlords who were preparing themselves to announce an alliance of warlords who dubbed themselves as Alliance for Restorations of Peace and Counter Terrorism (ARPCT) which was mid in 2006 was ousted from Mogadishu by allied Alshabab and Islamic courts.
He also succeeded to investigate and release to the media the real name of Alshabab’s leader Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr whose real name is Ahmed Abdi Godane, but was not officially know before Alasow published his investigative report about Zubeyr and his Somaliland identity as well.
In the same year Alasow reported that the leader of the Islamic courts regime of that time, the current president of Somalia had a secret relation with US intelligence services in the region, but the report demanded the attention of the Islamist regime who ordered the arrest of Alasow, but he escaped from them.
He finally reported that Alshabab had a hidden agenda to assassinate the leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who then surprisingly entered in Kenya through facilitation of US embassy in Nairobi.
In 2008, when Islamist groups and some Somali nationalists med in Asmara Eritrea and formed alliance for re-liberation of Somalia, Alasow release an investigation report enlightening that the then leader of that Alliance Sheikh Ahmed would defect from Asma to either Djibouti or Qatar.
The report confirmed that the defection would come through a secret deal entered with Sheikh Ahmed who accepted to defect from Asmara and accept a peace agreement brokered by the UN and supported by the international community.
He also mentioned in his report that among the deal with Sheikh Ahmed were doubling of the parliament and succeeding the presidency, but both the organizers of the meeting and Sheikh Ahmed denied until things happened as action in January 2009.
In 2010, Alasow made scores of reports and released several secret documents including secret deals with security companies including Sarecen International and SKA.
He also reported the skeleton of Alshabab leadership system and the number of the forces based in clan shares. His reports become popular in the Somali people and highly anticipated before he released them.
His reports didn’t give him support from every part of the population, he earned live threats and death sentence from the Islamist fighters who threatened to behead him any time they found him alive.
From 2006 to 2008, when Ethiopian forces were in Somalia, he was respected as the most hated Somali journalist which he earned his reports against Alshabab which many people thought as forces liberating Ethiopian from Somalia.
In 2009 when Ethiopian forces withdrew from Somalia and Alshabab started violent Taliban style fighting and explosions in Somalia, he got the support of thousands of people who hated him because of his investigations of Alshabab activity in Somalia.
From 2009 to 2010, he became the most popular Somali journalists and got huge respect from the Somali people who are relieved when he releases an investigation report.
His investigative reports and his courageous documentaries brought him to appear in a court in Breda town in Netherlands, where he succeeded over Dahabshiil money transfer which sued him after accusing him of defamation against the company.
Dahabshiil lost the case and Alasow reached his goal after he was cleared before the court that he is innocent and can practice his journalistic profession in Holland.
If the court he appeared was in Somalia he would end up in jail or if it was Alshabab beheading, but thanks God, it was the democracy in Holland that gave him the chance to defend himself and win in the court.
He previously escaped three live attempts before he fled to Holland and got asylum from there, and Alshabab put a press statement with his picture on their website and said that they will never forgive him.
This year, Alasow was announced as the best Somali investigative journalist and he got this prestigious prize as he covered dozens of exclusive stories including the killing of an accused spy Ahmed Keyse Ali Hussein who was an active member of Alshabab and was killed in January as he was accused of spying for CIA.
In December last year, Alasow reported that Alshabab would execute one of its top security officers who closely worked with the leader of the group, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr.
He was honored by the organizations: Federation of Somali Journalists -FESOJ, Somali journalist’s rights agency-SOJRA, Somali Journalists in Netherlands-SOMJON and Somali foriegn correspondents-SOFCA for his tireless and courageous work of investigative reporting.

http://somalifca.com/view.php?id=88

http://asoj.org/view.php?id=270

http://fesoj.org/view.php?id=88

By Faduma Farah.
info@somjon.org

Journalists, Dahir Abdulle Alasow, the editor of the most popular Somali online newspaper Waagacusub.com, was recognized the best investigative journalist in Somalia, the year 2010 after his efforts in the last five years helped the people of Somalia and the international community to understand the inside stories of the most notorious groups in Somalia.
The organizations, Federation of Somali Journalists -FESOJ, Somali journalist’s rights agency-SOJRA, Somali Journalists in Netherlands-SOMJON and Somali foreign correspondents-SOFCA honored Alasow as the best investigative journalist or the year 2010.
Alasow investigates and reports some exclusive and very investigative reports before the news emerges and he was credited as the first Somali journalists who dared to report that three Alqaeda suspects who were suspected of the explosions of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 were in Somalia.
In 2002 he reported that Fazul Abdulahi Mohamed, who is believed to be the most senior Alqaeda member in Somalia now and his former colleagues Salah Ali Nabhani and Abu Dalha Al Sudani aka Abdalla Al Sudani were in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
The report demanded the attention of Alqaeda members in Somalia, but they didn’t decide to kill him. In 2004, he investigated and reported that Alqaeda cells in Somalia led by the late Alshabab commander Adan Hashi Ayrow killed a BBC reporter Kate Peyton who was gunned down as she was leaving a hotel in Mogadishu.
Alshabab, the Alqaeda affiliate in Somalia was establishing its forces at that time and started to hunt anyone seen as a potential spy or investigative journalist. The moves they took forced Alasow to take emergence security measures to ensure his safety.
He was following daily security tips he got from a hostile environment seminar he attended and advices from friends and colleagues.
Among the reports he was credited to succeed was the investigation he made about the Somali ruthless warlords who were preparing themselves to announce an alliance of warlords who dubbed themselves as Alliance for Restorations of Peace and Counter Terrorism (ARPCT) which was mid in 2006 was ousted from Mogadishu by allied Alshabab and Islamic courts.
He also succeeded to investigate and release to the media the real name of Alshabab’s leader Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr whose real name is Ahmed Abdi Godane, but was not officially know before Alasow published his investigative report about Zubeyr and his Somaliland identity as well.
In the same year Alasow reported that the leader of the Islamic courts regime of that time, the current president of Somalia had a secret relation with US intelligence services in the region, but the report demanded the attention of the Islamist regime who ordered the arrest of Alasow, but he escaped from them.
He finally reported that Alshabab had a hidden agenda to assassinate the leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who then surprisingly entered in Kenya through facilitation of US embassy in Nairobi.
In 2008, when Islamist groups and some Somali nationalists med in Asmara Eritrea and formed alliance for re-liberation of Somalia, Alasow release an investigation report enlightening that the then leader of that Alliance Sheikh Ahmed would defect from Asma to either Djibouti or Qatar.
The report confirmed that the defection would come through a secret deal entered with Sheikh Ahmed who accepted to defect from Asmara and accept a peace agreement brokered by the UN and supported by the international community.
He also mentioned in his report that among the deal with Sheikh Ahmed were doubling of the parliament and succeeding the presidency, but both the organizers of the meeting and Sheikh Ahmed denied until things happened as action in January 2009.
In 2010, Alasow made scores of reports and released several secret documents including secret deals with security companies including Sarecen International and SKA.
He also reported the skeleton of Alshabab leadership system and the number of the forces based in clan shares. His reports become popular in the Somali people and highly anticipated before he released them.
His reports didn’t give him support from every part of the population, he earned live threats and death sentence from the Islamist fighters who threatened to behead him any time they found him alive.
From 2006 to 2008, when Ethiopian forces were in Somalia, he was respected as the most hated Somali journalist which he earned his reports against Alshabab which many people thought as forces liberating Ethiopian from Somalia.
In 2009 when Ethiopian forces withdrew from Somalia and Alshabab started violent Taliban style fighting and explosions in Somalia, he got the support of thousands of people who hated him because of his investigations of Alshabab activity in Somalia.
From 2009 to 2010, he became the most popular Somali journalists and got huge respect from the Somali people who are relieved when he releases an investigation report.
His investigative reports and his courageous documentaries brought him to appear in a court in Breda town in Netherlands, where he succeeded over Dahabshiil money transfer which sued him after accusing him of defamation against the company.
Dahabshiil lost the case and Alasow reached his goal after he was cleared before the court that he is innocent and can practice his journalistic profession in Holland.
If the court he appeared was in Somalia he would end up in jail or if it was Alshabab beheading, but thanks God, it was the democracy in Holland that gave him the chance to defend himself and win in the court.
He previously escaped three live attempts before he fled to Holland and got asylum from there, and Alshabab put a press statement with his picture on their website and said that they will never forgive him.
This year, Alasow was announced as the best Somali investigative journalist and he got this prestigious prize as he covered dozens of exclusive stories including the killing of an accused spy Ahmed Keyse Ali Hussein who was an active member of Alshabab and was killed in January as he was accused of spying for CIA.
In December last year, Alasow reported that Alshabab would execute one of its top security officers who closely worked with the leader of the group, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr.
He was honored by the organizations: Federation of Somali Journalists -FESOJ, Somali journalist’s rights agency-SOJRA, Somali Journalists in Netherlands-SOMJON and Somali foriegn correspondents-SOFCA for his tireless and courageous work of investigative reporting.

http://somalifca.com/view.php?id=88

http://asoj.org/view.php?id=270

http://fesoj.org/view.php?id=88

By Faduma Farah.
info@somjon.org

De journalisten moeten een actieve rol in het streven om de oorlog te beëindigen en in de uitvoering van de vrede in Somalië te helpen spelen, zei in een verklaring, afgegeven door de ballingschap Somalische journalisten in Nederland na een lunchbijeenkomst over Eidul Fitra festival.
In de Eid bijeenkomst die georganiseerd door Dahir Abdulle Alasow, de voorzitter van Associated Somalische Journalisten (ASOJ), de journalisten discussieerden over de beste manier om de verbinding en samenwerking tussen journalisten in Europa vast te stellen.
“Ik heb opgevoed met de journalisten die kwamen vandaag hoe we kunnen ondersteunen de journalisten die nog werken onder de moeilijke omstandigheden in Somalië. We weten dat veel journalisten werden gedood vanwege hun werk.” Alasow gezegd. “We moeten de samenhang van de journalisten te verzekeren en elk ding dat kan kloof te voorkomen.”
De journalisten veroordeelde ook de arrestatie van de journalist Bile Abdulahi Ali in Oeganda zonder kosten als onrechtmatig.
De journalisten ‘bijeenkomst in Nederland was het eerste in zijn soort. Meer dan 20 ballingschap Somalische journalisten zijn woonplaats machtigingen in Nederland die het grootste aantal van de Somalische journalisten in Europa maakt.

The journalists should play an active role in the efforts aimed to end the war and help in the implementation of the peace in Somalia, said in a statement issued by the exile Somali journalists in Netherlands after a lunch meeting over Eidul Fitra festival.

In the Eid meeting which organized by Dahir Abdulle Alasow, the chairman of Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ), the journalists discussed about the best way to establish the connection and cooperation among journalists in Europe.

“I have raised with the journalists that met today how we can support the journalists that still working under the difficult conditions in Somalia. we know many journalists were killed because of their work.” Alasow said. “We have to assure the cohesion of the journalists and prevent any thing that might divide them.”

The journalists also condemned the arrest of journalist Bile Abdulahi Ali in Uganda without any charges as unlawful.

The journalists’ meeting in Netherlands was the first of its kind. More than 20 exile Somali journalists have residence permissions in Netherlands which makes the biggest number of Somali journalists in Europe.

Utrecht:-Wariyayaasha ku nool dalka Holland, oo iskugu yimid kulan qado ah, ayaa ka dooday qaabka ay uga qeyb qaadaan karaan sidii looga shaqeyn lahaa nabad ka hirgasha Soomaaliya.

Kulankaan oo uu soo abaabulay Guddoomiyaha Ururka Isugu tagga Saxafiyiinta Soomaaliyeed Daahir Cabdulle Calasow, ayaa saxafiyiinta waxey isla qireen in loo baahan yahay in door nabadeed oo muuqda ay Saxafiyiinta Soomaaliyeed guud ahaan gaar ahaan kuwo ku nool Holland ay ka ciyaaraan Arrimaha Nabadda ee Soomaaliya.

Wariyayaasha ku sugan Holland ee kulanka iskugu yimid, ayaa sidoo kale ka hadlay sidii loo xoojin lahaa xiriirka iyo wadashaqeynta ka dhaxeysa wariyayaasha ku nool Holland iyo in ay ku dadaalaan sidii taageero loogu fulin lahaa wariyayaasha kale ee wali ku shaqeya xaaladaha adag ee ka jira Soomaaliya.

Guddoomiyaha Isku tagga Saxafiyiinta Soomaaliya Daahir Cabdulle, ayaa sheegay in ay muhiim tahay in la hubiyo Midnimada iyo Iskaashiga Saxafiyiinta Soomaaliyeed.

Wariyayaasha qadada lagu maamuusayay ciidul fidiriga ku yeeshay Dalka Holland, ayaa cambaareyn u jeediyay xarigga wariye Bile C/laahi Cali oo ku jira xabsi ku yaala Kampala, iyadoo aan wax dacwad ah lagu soo oogin illaa iyo hadda.

Xigasho Bar-kulan

by Chris McLaughlin
Friday, June 18th, 2010
A BBC reporter has been refused entry to the UK to collect a Parliamentary award for services to press and democratic freedom. Mohamed Olad Hassan, the main English language correspondent in Mogadishu for the BBC World Service, was chosen to receive the Speaker Abbott award by a panel of senior Parliamentarians, Speaker John Bercow and Tribune, which sponsors the award.

But his flight, and a two-week programme of events and meetings organised by the Parliamentary Press Gallery, which instituted and organises the award, had to be abandoned when the British High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, rejected his visa application.

The award was accepted on Olad’s behalf by his colleague, Head of the World Service Africa Region Jerry Timmins, who told a reception in the Speaker’s House: “Olad sees this as an award not just for him but for all those who support him in his work and all the other journalists around the world who put their lives at risk to report the truth.”

Mr Bercow said: “Olad has suffered physically and from the constant threat to his security yet he is determined to perform his duty.”

Olad told Tribune: “I am really very grateful for the award and the support it gives to me. I am surprised at the denial of a visa to a journalist working with the BBC in Somalia for seven years and in possession of an official, documented invitation to meet the Speaker.

“I am Somali and have a Somali passport. The Border Agency officials in Nairobi where I applied repeatedly asked me why I wanted asylum in the UK, which was very ridiculous.”
The Home Office said that Olad had failed to supply required information to secure a visa, such as proof of earnings. Ministers would not have been able to intervene unless and until an application had been properly processed.

The award is named after Speaker Abbot who in May 1803, at the height of the Napoleonic wars, first ruled that part of the House of Commons chamber should be reserved in future for the Press. Previous winners have included journalists from Sudan, Liberia, Syria, Iran and Russi

Mareeg.com-Somali journalists living in Holland have held a broader meeting in Amsterdam in which they have deeply discussed about a number of crucial issues and easiest ways to assist Somali journalists operating in the hard time.The meeting which was in good atmosphere held was concluded in Amsterdam following other conferences in close doors which Somali-Holland based journalists have recently been daringly engaged in their hardest efforts to meet the needs of Somali journalists in home and beyond There were many Somali prominent journalists who made speeches in the meeting with full participation from Somali journalists in Netherlands . The members who happened to address were as follows:

The chairman of Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ) and Waagacusub Editor-in-chief, Mr. Dahir Abdulle Alasow discussed in his address to the participants about the journalism role in the community and how it can be contributive to the peace. Mr Alasow has so much thanked for the members who made the holding of the meeting possible.

One of senior officers of Somali-speaking Dayniile site, Mr. Abdi Shakur Elmi Hassan who in his part took the opportunity at the stage and said noteworthy words in gathering. Mr. Abdi Shakur has recently come from Somalia where the journalists are the prime targets of torture, masterminded killings, harassment and all violations against freedom of expression.

Nur Ahmed Mohamed (Bicir) from Hornafrik station in Mogadishu and Mohamed Abdi Abuna, a senior editor from Radio Dalmar in Netherlands have seized their opportunities in the meeting and talked at length about the importance of press in the human life. They also stressed that press triumph could only be reached if Unity in the press personals is surely secured.

Other important Somali journalists including Saleh Hassan Omar from Wehelmedia editor-in-chief and a former Radio Banadir reporter, Abdirahman Gurre Gentlemen, the director of wehelmedia site who is also a former reporter of Radio Banadir in Mogadishu, Ali Muhyadin Ali, the Editor-in-chief of Hidigta Panaroma newspaper in Mogadishu and Fardowza Mohamed Abdulle who was a reporter for HornAfrik station and Universal Tv in Mogadishu had tangibly spoken in the conference. They all unanimously underscored the great importance of unity among Somali journalists and the way of living of Somali journalists in Europe and manners to assist needy Somali journalists suffering beyond the country specially in East Africa, keeping in mind that there are a lot of works which Somali journalists need to come up with to improve the life and media skills of journalists

Similarly, journalists including Shukri Moalim Abdirahman, Farhiya Mohamed Mohamud, Mohamed Osman Sheikh Qadafi, Rage Ali dhere, Ahmed Mahdi addressed in the meeting stressing the indispensability of unity among journalists in Europe , Netherlands in particular. Journalists attending the meeting vehemently reiterated the significant role of Somali journalists in the peace pursue in Somalia and providing a meaningful assistance to Somali journalists in exile in many parts of the world.

The participants in the conference have come to comprehensive conclusion with many raised matters on the current situation of Somali journalists in home and beyond. The conference has finally issued many articles under a general conscience of members. The agreed articles are written as follows:

1- To form a journalism Association whose base as proposed is Holland so that it can strengthen the unity of Journalists in Netherlands and enhance the media skills of journalist in Holland .

2- To organize a fundraising campaign in which Somali – Holland based journalists are supposed to help the children of Somali journalists killed in Somalia and neighbouring.

3- To nominate a technical committee to work out the formation of Association and to decide what name it deserves to take.

4- To have a regular contact among Somali journalists in Holland and to encourage the small number of Somali journalists still operating on the ground morally and economically.

5- To enable the proposed Somali-Holland based journalism association when it comes in place to help Somali journalists living in other countries in Europe in a paving way for the formation of Somali general media umbrella

6- To create precious opportunities for Somali professional journalists by appealing to Agencies involved in Media development to provide Somali journalists with enhancement of journalism courses to avoid facing a complete despair in journalism career. This is a plan greatly exist in Europe and North America

7- To urge Somali journalists to play a vital role in the peace restoration in Somalia where chronic hostilities and Humanitarian crises permanently prevail.

8- To prioritize Somali women in Somali journalism and reason them to have seminars of journalism upgrading.

In the end, the participants paid many thanks to the organizers of the conference in Amsterdam and the administration of Somali Diaspora in Amsterdam who hand fully played in a great part in the hold of the conference of Somali journalists

The participants have appointed a committee of six members: three males and three females giving care to a gender balance and they are:

1-Mr Dahir Abdulle Alasow
2-Mr Saleh Hassan Omar
3-Mr Mohamed Osman Sheikh Qadafi
4- Mrs Fardowsa Mohamed Abdulle
5-Mss Shukri Moalim Abdirahman Shuuto
6- Mss Farhiya Mohamed Mohamud (Sabaax)

The nominated committee will organize the preparation of the next session of journalists’ conference and to prepare the agenda of associated Somali journalists in Holland under the consultation of all journalists

We will be glad to submit the audio-visual speeches of the participants and the exchanged ideas during the meeting

This conference of Somali – Holland based journalists was the result of other series meetings which had been taking place for weeks in close doors

Translated By: Ustaad Nur Hirisi Abdi
Tallmog@hotmail.com
Nairobi,Kenya

A new media organization serving for Somali migrant journalists have been founded in Netherlands on 6 June, 2010.  It will help all the journalists in the integration courses and let them to re-continue their media professions, sources told Sunatimes.

Around 17 media professionals who mostly have legal permit residences yesterday gathered in Utrecht, central province in Netherlands for one-day meeting to discuss their future ahead and their role in helping the suffering journalists in Somalia and its neighboring countries like Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti.

Among the agendas in the meeting was how to current Somali journalists here in Netherlands to intermingle with the European journalists and have access to media trainings.

Three hour discussions on round table, participants agreed to form an exile organization named �Somali Journalists in Netherlands� (SOMJON) as its launching ceremony will be held in Amsterdam sooner.

SOMJON is the first Somali media institution set up in Netherlands for the last four years. Dalmar which is now the only known foundation in Netherlands has Radio section that has been working for many years.

http://www.somjon.org/

Source: Sunatimes.com

Somjon.org -Somalische journalisten die wonen in Nederland bezit zijn van een bredere bijeenkomst in Amsterdam waar ze diep hebben besproken over een aantal cruciale kwesties en eenvoudigste manieren om Somalische journalisten die werkzaam zijn in de harde time. Read the full story

31, 2010 (QOL) Waxaa maanta kulan ballaaran isugu yimid Xarunta Jaaliyadda Soomaalida ee magaalada Amesterdam ee wadanka Holland weriyeyaal Soomaaliyeed oo intooda badan soo gaaray Holland saddexdii sano ee ugu danbeeysay, waxaana kulankani uu ahaa midkii ugu horreeyey ee ay yeeshaan tiro intaa la’eg oo weriyeyaasha

Read the full story