Somali radio stations off air
06/06/2007 15:11 - (SA)
http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/10927
Mogadishu - Somalia's transitional government on Wednesday ordered three local private radio stations to stop broadcasting from the country's capital.
Mogadishu-based stations Shabelle Radio, Radio HornAfrik and the Voice of the Koran radio stopped broadcasting early on Wednesday afternoon, an AFP correspondent said.
"We have been ordered to close the radio station and we don't know why so far," Mohamed Amin, Director of RadioShabelle, told AFP.
"I have called some government officials to ask them why the radio stations have to close but they said we could discuss the issue later," he added.
Government officials were not immediately available for comment but have in the past complained of pro-Islamist bias in the outlets' reporting. The Somali government in January banned the same three Mogadishu broadcasters as well as Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television network for 24-hours following the ousting of an Islamist movement by Ethiopia-backed Somali troops at the start of the year. Somali officials are attempting to organise a national reconciliation conference to start on June 14, despite an increasing Islamist-led
insurgency, including suicide car bomb and landmine attacks on prominent targets in Mogadishu.
(Source: Zacahrias Liangas, Greece/HCDX)
06/06/2007 15:11 - (SA)
http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/10927
Mogadishu - Somalia's transitional government on Wednesday ordered three local private radio stations to stop broadcasting from the country's capital.
Mogadishu-based stations Shabelle Radio, Radio HornAfrik and the Voice of the Koran radio stopped broadcasting early on Wednesday afternoon, an AFP correspondent said.
"We have been ordered to close the radio station and we don't know why so far," Mohamed Amin, Director of RadioShabelle, told AFP.
"I have called some government officials to ask them why the radio stations have to close but they said we could discuss the issue later," he added.
Government officials were not immediately available for comment but have in the past complained of pro-Islamist bias in the outlets' reporting. The Somali government in January banned the same three Mogadishu broadcasters as well as Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television network for 24-hours following the ousting of an Islamist movement by Ethiopia-backed Somali troops at the start of the year. Somali officials are attempting to organise a national reconciliation conference to start on June 14, despite an increasing Islamist-led
insurgency, including suicide car bomb and landmine attacks on prominent targets in Mogadishu.
(Source: Zacahrias Liangas, Greece/HCDX)