The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is saddened by the continued violence against journalists in Puntland as another broadcast journalist was shot and severely wounded in the commercial port town of Bosaso, in Puntland.
Journalist, Hassan Mohamed Ali known as Hassan Antenna, a correspondent for the Voice of Peace Radio in Bosaso, was shot and severely wounded by an unknown gunmen at the tea shop next to the premises of the Radio Voice of Peace in Bosaso on Thursday around 10:20am local time, 22 Sept. 2011, where the journalist was having tea, among other people. Witnesses, journalists, and officials reported that two bullets hit the journalists, one hit his heart and the other hit his right arm.
The journalist was immediately rushed to General Hospital in Bosaso where he is now receiving medical treatment, according to Awke Abdullahi Ali, the Director of the Radio Voice of Peace’s Bosaso station.
“Hassan is now being treated at the General Hospital in Bosaso, but he went unconscious as the bullet hit his heart.” Awke Abdullahi Ali, the Director of the Radio Voice of Peace’s Bosaso station told NUSOJ. “His condition is deteriorating and this is now a life or death situation,” Ali added.
The shooting incident comes two weeks after another 20 year old female journalist Miss. Horriyo Abdulkadir Sheik Ali, working for the Radio Galkacyo, was shot with four bullets by an unknown gun on 14 Sept. 2011 in the town Galkacyo. Journalists in Galkacyo have shown solidarity and support to Horriyo.
“We condemn these barbaric attacks against our members and colleagues. This is a direct attack against journalists working in Puntland meant to sabotage the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media.” said Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General, “We will not tolerate these gross violations with impunity.”
Hassan Mohamed Ali was among a handful of journalists who fled the insecurity of Mogadishu and maintained at his work in Puntland where a relative calm was restored, though, insecurity is threatening to the relative peace in Puntland.
“The Puntland government should guarantee the safety and the security of the journalists working in the areas under their control and urge to conduct an immediate investigation into the shooting and bring the killers to justice,” Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General added.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is urging all the journalists to be very cautious as attacks against journalists reached beyond controllable level.
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