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Somaliland illegally expels Al Jazeera cameramen
June 24, 2010 · 28 Comments
HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — Somaliland expelled two cameraman working for the Qatari-based Al Jazeera on Tuesday after detaining them at the Egal International Airport for days.
Somaliland-born reporter, Jama Nur, along with his cameramen were detained on Tuesday morning at the airport by airport security personnel after arriving from Mogadishu to report the Somaliland presidential elections scheduled for Saturday.
A source close to the airport security told Somalilandpress, Mr Nur was allowed to enter the country while his two colleagues were refused entry to the country on orders from the Interior Minister, Mr Abdullahi Irro. The sources added the minister accused the cameramen of being an associates of Somalia’s radical group, al-Shabab.
The source also told Somalilandpress, the camermen’s arrest was illegal and clear violation against freedom and the press. The expulsion of the cameramen is believed to be not from Hargeisa or the office of Mr Irro but rather from Ethiopia.
The government has yet to comment on the expulsion of the cameramen even though Mr Irro’s office insists the two cameramen failed to obtain a visa to enter the country. The truth is people from Somalia do not require a visa to enter Somaliland, hundreds of Somalis arrive daily from Somalia without visa.
Opposition leaders from UCID camp have condemned the expulsion describing it as an embarrassment for Somaliland. “We strongly condemn the expulsion of the cameramen,” Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed Irro, the speaker of Somaliland’s lower-house told local press.
The chairman of UCID, Mr Faisal Ali Warabe also said it was unfortunate that the government decided to boot them out because Arab World is important for Somaliland.
Mr Nur who is the main correspondent for Al Jazeera’s Arabic service in the Horn, was born in Somaliland’s farming district of Gabiley, he visited his homeland countless times without a “visa”. Mr Nur is not the only Al Jazeera reporter visiting the country to cover up the general election – Mohammed Adow [Al Jazeera English] is also in Hargeisa.
The Al Jazeera reporters are part of large international media in the country for the elections.
Video: Jama Nur reporting on the plight of the Ogaden people in 2008
Somalilandpress | Thursday – June 24, 2010
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Tags: Al shabab, Al-Jazeera, Ethiopia, jama nur, nuur, reporters
Readers Comments (28)
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Great anaysis Qalinle,
It makes sense that one possible reason is that report on the Ogaden. But if that is the case, how came he before to somaliland and have not been expelled?. why didnt Ethiopia ask to deport him before if this is the case? Actually if this image of "somaliland taking orders from Addis ababa" is true, somaliland would have handed Nur to Ethiopia.
I think the real reason is that aljazira is biased against somaliland, did you see the last report from Mohamed Addow?
I am happy that aljariza is not welcomed in somaliland.
Addow should leave too…
Waw did you said Orders from Addis-abab. a sad day for all Somalis. As I suspected the Junta in Addis-ababa Calls the shots in somaliland.
What about if he wants to go his home town or he needs Visa from Addis?
Shows how deluded most people who support divison of Somalia are.
It was never our interest but to divide and rule. I hope many of you will wake up and realise before its too late and end fate worse than the reporters.
The greatest wake up call was in 1988, before that date we were deluded
I think its a combination of three things: –
1: Gabiley now supports Kulmiye (Jamac's home town)
2: Ethiopia
3: Tribe (Irro is playing qabil card which will only send him back to that dusty village he came from).
number one is just silly, number two i replied to it. number three i dont get it? can you explain more? because both men are from Sacad muse tribe.
my friend you can't defend this action, its about principle not politics !
This is infringing on the freedom of the Press and his
coverage of news events elsewhere should not be
associated with his presence in Somaliland, now. It will
surely send a wrong message or deter newsmen wanting to
cover the elections and report as freely as possible. I think
it was poorly handled and should not have happened.
fine most of you don’t understand the meaning of the expelsion of Aljazera reporters from Hargeisa,hah you know that media is the fastes and the most reliable source that people in the world believe there fore blocking all media reporters from the out side such as aljazera and BBC means to stop and reufuse the international community to see what is really going and jama’s home town is kulmiye for naw and in the future and iro is in known by all of us even those in the south knows him well what he was doing there the best solution is to condemn any interferance in the media in and out of somaliland
Down the stupid regime and his Udub party change is coming soon insha allah
Hey kid, none of the Parties hails from one tribe. They are National Parties and if the Chairman hails from a tribe, it doesn’t necessarily mean the entire Party Members are from that tribe. All the National Parties comprise from different tribes, regions from coast to coast. And no Party is based on Qabiil.
You are right, we will support the one we think is the best for our country.
Although, I am all for the freedom of speech, but than again, I still believe that Mr. Jama Nur should have contacted the authority before he just showed up at their door step. It is a basic courtesy and a matter of being a professional Journalist instead of just taking things for granted. Mr. Nur could have done better than that.
To those who are saying that the order came from Ethiopia, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Ethiopia doesn't manage the internal or external affairs of Somaliland.
Why is Al-Jazeera based in war zone Somalia when it can oparate in safe Somaliland? I say demand they relocate their crews to Somaliland instead of using a third country to cover events taking place in Hargeisa. These Arabs think we are the same country and that this election is in Somalia
Jama Nur is a great Somali and a professional Journalist. The CLANNISH POLITICIANS, not only in the so called Somaliland but the rest of the country, have been working hard to deny people who do not subscribe to their CLANNISH POLITICS to inter the territories under their temporary influence. But I am sure, day after day, Somali people are getting to know more about the motives of these thuggish politicians and will rise up soon not only against them but also the CALNNSIH IDEOLOGY they employ, which allowed them to manipulate the Somali people for their personal gains.
CHANGE IS COMING and the good thing about Somalia is that it is evolving naturally.
GOBAAD,
Ethiopia, sadly to admit, influences the decision making process of the so called Somaliland and Puntland GoverNments as well as the TFG, although not same as they influenced when Abdullahi Yusuf was there.
SAD ERA FOR THE SOMALI PEOPLE, THANKS TO TRIBALISM.
We are not A. Yusuf and we are not in Mogadisho. We have a bilateral relationship with Ethiopia. If you guys want to make anything else out of it, it is your call. As for the union you are talking about, it has died 20 years ago unless you were in a coma and just woke up from it!?!?
Gobaad,
Bilateral relationship with Ethiopia!!! Who you kidding? How can you have a bilateral relationship A: when Somaliland is not a country? B: when no one in Ethiopia recognises a country called Somaliland?
I feel sorry for you because you will be disappointed by believing something that is not and will never be there.
Runsheeg, I couldn't agree more.. You nailed it!
Freedom is the most important thing for any human being and if that is lost, life is worthless.
I see no difference between Al-shabaab and Somaliland Authority; Alshabaab deny any one who dares to resist their brand of Sharia to stay territories under their control. Equally, the so called Somaliland authority in Hargeisa will not allow any one that does not share their tribal secessionist idea to stay in Hargeisa. I feel sorry for the people in Hargeisa because they cannot go back to their hometown if they don’t subscribe to the ideals of the ruling class. I think that is something worthy of resistance and it should be a wake-up call to all Hargeisawis.
Unionists cannot even have their own political party in Hargeisa, what democracy is that? I was listening the great HASSAN GANEY, joining the Kulmiye party; he said that he belongs to the Somali people where ever they are, Hargeisa or Mogadishu or elsewhere. The reason he joined Kulmiye IN MY VIEW is that it is the closest party for Unity. What if he and his likes had the freedom to join a unionist party in Hargeisa? I AM SURE THAT PARTY WOULD WIN THE ELECTION THIS JUNE.
The reason al jazeera can operate in war torn Somalia especially Mogadishu is because al jazeera is known to have links with al qaeda, they are part of the 'al brotherhood' – al shabab, al qaeda, al jazeera, al pacino, al latte.
Nah for real remember Al Jazeera use to follow Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan and make his message go around the world, so Al qaeda feels they owe Al Jazeera. Little al shabab can not mess with Al Jazeera.
Trust me tonight al shabab would love Mr Jamac dead for going to Hargeisa to report on the elections which they despise.
But thanks to Al Qaeda – Al jazeera friendship, al shabab cant say any thing.
What can of freedom do we have when people in Somaliland or reporters can't express their opinion or support without fear of being expelled or jailed? Tell me the difference between the old somali regime and today's CLANISH STATES?
Most of you posting here may not agree with us but why we are not allowed to voice our desire for SOMALI UNION? is not that undemocratic?
If we don't save our people and unite our fate will be like the reporters report from western Somalia under bloody junta in Addis.
I wish peacefull outcome for saturday election.
Union has Mogadishu, Hargeisa is democracy and Somaliland, we dont need warlords, pirates, Islamists, thugs, mooryaans, kidnappers or jihadists.
You have Mogadishu, why you begging? You cant even unit two suburbs in Mogadishu. Buhodle and Las Canod, Widhwidh and Bocame. What union do you talk about? If those villages are united how come Somaliland controls sections, while some sections belong to Puntland, others to SSC militants, others Sheikh Sharif…
who are they this unionist mr ruunsheq?
or you mean you should open an office for egypt in hargueisa
somali union is not the question mr somali…you can't talk about someone who died 20 yrs ago.
where are they in kenya, mogadishio, kandahar or bamako?
they can't aven form a union in over there in dark south….we don't want your union
try the europeen union….hush go away somewhere else.
we do not like nothing about you…20 yrs of waalaaweyn denial…lol
Hassan,
Somali union died in the minds of minute tribalist thugs who live off tribal division of Somalis but it’s strong among Somali people. I tell you, Somali unity is stronger than ever because it is not based on colonial boundaries as you would like it but blood.
Somalis are waiting right direction to be formulated out of current religious and tribal turmoil. And when that happens, tribalists and religious zealots will regret they even thought about these ideas. Until then, the tribalists like you can say what ever they want.
Blah blah blah. Unity unity unity. Next peace conference somewhere. New president will save us from us. Where was I? Oh yeah unity unity unity
Nur is in haregisa!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a2LDwUbcEQ&fe…
Nice, Interesting!!