Threats against the media in Somalia is on the rise, as renewed heavy fighting in 2007 and 2008 has made Somalia one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world

Somalia has been in a state of instability and civil conflict since 1991, with numerous internationally backed attempts having failed to bring peace to the country.  The instability on the ground seriously affects the media scene as local media are forced to operate under extremely dangerous and shifting conditions with political, ethnic and religious groups regularly harassing and threatening media workers and outlets.

Today, violence poses the main obstacle to press freedom for journalists as well as media institutions in Somalia. According to the records of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), eight media practitioners were killed in 2007 alone.

Windows of opportunity

In December 2006, the expulsion ofthe Union of Islamic Courts from Mogadishu and the instalment of theTransitional Federal Government (TFG) provided new potential for a sustainable resolution to the conflict. In this context, IMS organized a workshop in Djibouti in December 2006 to assist the media in capitalizing on this new window of opportunity.

Following this, IMS engaged in activities aimed at providing rapid response to strengthen press freedoms in the changing political environment within the national media community. Support was given to strengthening the emerging press freedom environment, in the short term with monitoring and advocacy activities with the Somali Coalition for Freedom of Expression (SOCFEX).

At the same time, IMS supported the creation of the bi-partisan National Media Council (NMC), which is to act in the longer term as the media's national self-regulatory and licensing body under a new media law. In addition, IMS sought to reduce the widespread provocative and tension-building reporting through conflict sensitive journalism training with NUSOJ.

Activities in Somalia are extremely complicated to carry out due to the security situation and ongoing conflicts among actors in the Somali society. Nevertheless, IMS continues to pay close attention to the situation in the country and working with its local actors to continue activities.