Africa program coordinator for Committee to Protect Journalists, Tom Rhodes has affirmed in a grand meeting in Nairobi , Kenya with Mr. Mohamed Olad Hassan, the interim chairman of FESOJ ( Federal Somali journalists ) that he on behalf of CPJ will have a full and close co-operation with recently announced Federal Somali Journalists association whose main headquarters is in Mogadishu , Somalia.

In the course of meeting, Tom Rhodes congratulated Mr. Olad on the bravery shown and the massive efforts of re-unification of Somali journalists, which Mr. Olad is leading.

"The weeks to come , we do expect as CPJ to fully work with Federal Somali journalists whose chief centre is in Mogadishu in which great risk-taking Somali journalists are full members including Mr. Mohamed Olad Hassan. Indeed, there will be a time when we honestly raise questions about the importance, priority and tangible sacrifices made by Somali courageous journalists today operating in the unsafe atmosphere on the ground where journalists are the prime targets of killing , torture , harassment , unjustifiable arrests and lock of respect", stressed Tom Rhodes in the meeting.

The chairman of Federal Somali journalists Mr. Olad is now paying a two-week visit to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi where he has had meetings and consultations with other Somali veteran journalists in exile in Kenya in which he has been engaged to find ways to unite Somali journalists in East Africa in General and Kenya in particular.

How ever, Mr. Olad told Somali journalists website wariaya.com that he got a remarkable chance to meet some important members from foreign embassies and international media associations in Kenya those are concerned about the hard situation which Somali journalists in the country and beyond are experiencing.

Source: Wariyaha.com

Nur Hirsi Abdi "Tallman"

Tel: +254 725 255 910

[email protected]

Nairobi, Kenya