| Column |
|
- Title: [SW Column] ( SHASNA - Media Watch) BBC, HornAfrik Radio, Yusuf Garaad and
Inside the Numbers!
- Posted by/on:[AAJ][15 Feb 2001]
|
Opinions expressed in this column
are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of SW.
BBC, HornAfrik Radio,
Yusuf-Garaad and Inside the Numbers!
AN OPEN LETTER to the BBC World Service
and the BBC Somali Section Leadership
SOMALI HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF NORTH AMERICA
MediaWatch - Boston, MA - USA
It has been painful for us to follow the
recent discriminatory and mediocre
journalistic performance of the BBC Somali Section and its diminishing
standards. This honorable and centuries old institution employs a great
number of decent and hardworking Somalis who wake up every morning to do a
job and make a living.
Unfortunately, because of the agenda of the gentleman in-charge, the
hardworking men and women of the BBC Somali Section can no longer do a decent
job. Mr. Yusuf-Garaad Omar, the man in-charge who originally came in under
dubious terms through the influence and under the behest of the late
murderous General Aideed of Mogadishu, is himself trying to achieve a dubious
task. A task that the late General Aideed failed to achieve, but Mr.
Yusuf-Garaad Omar continues to wage. A battle he also continues to wage on
HornAfrik Radio in Mogadishu. This HornAfrik Radio project investment was
originally sponsored by the European Union and the BBC World Service in
cooperation with the BBC Somali Section, but subsequently, it sadly has
become a 50% owned investment by Mr. Yusuf-Garaad Omar. By how we don't know,
but would the BBC World Service leadership come clean? The ownership of this
HornAfrik Radio project is a clear cut case of CONFLICT OF INTEREST that
neither the BBC World Service nor the BBC Somali Section has confronted. This
HornAfrik Radio project has consumed almost all EU $1,500,000 donated
investment funds originally intended for all regions of Somalia. Not a bad
rate of return on investment! And Mr. Omar continues his battle on the BBC
airwaves and his cohorts on HornAfrik Radio to support certain political
faction and alienate others. This is a continuing losing battle engaged by
Mr. Omar that a majority of Somalis recognized on day one. We hope the BBC
Somali Section Leadership quickly recognizes the conflicts and problems
created by Mr. Omar's efforts with HornAfrik Radio. We would also advise the
BBC World Service to distribute future EU donated development funds and its
own aid wisely and equitably across all Somali regions.
Today, the BBC Somali Section airwaves in combination with HornAfrik Radio
are used to pit one innocent Somali group against another. It has prolonged
the Somali civil war. We are convinced that the grant from Her Majesty's
Foreign Office was not intended to be used to harm innocent Somalis and
prolong third world civil wars. Likewise, we doubt that the Broadcast
Standards Commission would, if informed, permit Mr. Omar to continue his
efforts to implement his decaying clannish agenda.
Chairman - SHASNA
cc: SHASNA* Editorial Board and Members
*SHASNA is an advocacy group based in Boston, Massachusetts. It stands for
the unity and peaceful coexistence of the Somali people. It supports the
creation of a Federal system of governance to safeguard the emerging free
markets of the Recovery Zones. SHASNA encourages corporate and individual
investments in the Recovery Zones. It has presences in both Puntland
(Boosaaso, Garoowe, Buurtinle, Bacaadweyn and Gaalkacyo) and Somaliland
(Hergeysa, Berbera and Burco).
[Column]