Somalia: NUSOJ Elects New leadership and Announces General Elections

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Somalia: NUSOJ Elects New leadership and Announces General Elections

Communiqué: NUSOJ Elects New leadership and Announces General Elections.

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Communiqué: NUSOJ Elects New leadership and Announces General Elections.

The Supreme Council of the National Union of Somali Journalists

(NUSOJ) today (February 10, 2011) met at Sahafi Hotel International in

the capital city of Mogadishu in an extraordinary meeting followed

by the Executive Committee meeting and among other resolutions,

elected a new president and Secretary-General to lead during the

transition period.

The supreme council comprising of members of the Executive committee

and representative delegatres from the respective regions of south and

central Somalia regions and Puntland, referring the decisions of the

executive committee dated on 29 January, 2011, noting the allegations

against the Secretary General which are beyond manageable levels,

according to documents presented in today’s meeting with list of names

and money indicating that they have been given to the right

beneficiaries, but investigations revealed that none of the

journalists and families recieved the funds and seriously taking into

consideration the provisions in the constitution under Article SEVEN;

SANCTIONS OF THE MEMBER OF THE UNION, which clearly indicates the

punishments due for any member who violates the constitution and

other provisions in the constitution that empowers the council for

the removal of the Secretary General and the president under in such

circumstances. The council vehemently decided for the removals of

the Secretary General, Omar Faruk Osman with 13 votes and 14 votes for

Abdirisaq Omar Ismail who was holding the president of the Supreme

council.

The former Secretary General of the union, Omar Faruk Osman has been

accused of extreme fraud, obtaining money from the International

Federation of Journalists’ (IFJ) Safety Fund and other donors

(belonging to wounded/killed journalists at 2009 Shamo Hotel bombing

and money meant for widows and orphans of killed colleague journalists

and others) by false pretenses and for over-staying in the office and

for refusing to convene a General Assembly meeting on August 2008 with

the help of Abdirisaq Omar Ismail, the former president of the

council, in complete violation of the NUSOJ Constitution and which

goes against the merits of democracy. The meeting observed that Omar

and Abdirisaq had also become dictatorial and was not therefore

serving the interest of the members but their own interest. Their

continued stay at the leadership of the union has only worked to earn

NUSOJ a negative name.

Therefore, Mr. Burhaan Ahmed Daahir, was elected the position of

president of Supreme council with 14 votes of the council to replace

Abdirisaq Omar Ismail, who was also accused of violating the

constitution. Burhaan was previously holding the position of NUSOJ

Representative for Puntland.

The Supreme council discussed the behavior of Omar, which it described

as not befitting of a journalist union leader, and deliberated on

other issues disturbing the union such as election of new officials

which was long overdue, the refusal to democratically run NUSOJ by

Omar and the dwindling fortunes of the union following a massive

withdrawal of donor support, which is as a result of the bad

leadership lacked transparency and accountability.

The Council also announced General Elections be held within 30 – 90

days depending the availability of funds. They also called Omar Faruk

Osman, the former Secretary General to hand over the union properties

including the union website, that he is currently holding, with

immediate effect before the due General Assembly meeting which General

Elections will take place and to seek the overall funds mismanaged by

Omar.

The Executive committee referring to Article Seven, under the sections

of iii and iv has sanctioned the membership of Omar Faruk and

Abdirisaq Omar for violating the constitution.

Taking into consideration of the Article TEN of the NUSOJ

constitution, the executive committee nominated the vacant position

that Omar left for Mohamed Ibrahim and elected among them Secretary

General. Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim was elected Acting secretary General

who will run the office during the transition period.

Mr. Ibrahim, who works for the New York Times and was the union staff

the last couple of years will lead the union during the transition

period.

The meetings resolved to re-build the image of NUSOJ and make it

appealing to donors, and to assure donors that accountability has been

restored in NUSOJ through the removal of Omar Faruk and Abdirisaq Omar

Ismail and that they do not need to fear anymore dealing with NUSOJ.

It also resolved to write to EAJA, FAJ and IFJ, to donors, partners,

collaborators and sister unions to immediately inform them of these

resolutions, including the changes.’’

The meetings concluded successfully with the spirit of solidarity to

protect the freedom of expression, labour rights, democracy,

accountability and transparency.

SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING SUPREME COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Abdiaziz Weheliye Coofle, NUSOJ Representative/Central Somalia

Cudbi Suleiman Mahdi, Gender Secretary/EC Member

Cabdiqani Sheik Mohamed, NUSOJ Treasurer/EC Member

Suleiman Sheik Ismail, NUSOJ Representative of South East

Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, Training Secretary/EC Member

Mohamed Hussein Jimle, NUSOJ Representative for Benadir region

Said Hagaa Afrah, NUSOJ Representative for Middle Shabelle regin

Abdirashid Abdullahi Haydar, NUSOJ Labor Secretary/EC member

Hamdi Kediye, Executive committee member

Ahmed Omar Salihi, NUSOJ South Western Representative

Abdulkadir Ali Abdulle, NUSOJ Senior Vice president

Burhaan Ahmed Daahir, NUSOJ (North Eastern) Puntland Representative

Muktar Mohamed Atosh, NUSOJ Head of Baidoa Branch

For more information, please contact:

Mohamed Ibrahim,

Acting Secretary General,

Mogadishu, Tel: +252 61 5889930

Burhaan Ahmed Daahir, Supreme Council President elect,

Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 70 2223958

Email: [email protected]

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Somalia: NUSOJ Elects New leadership and Announces General Elections

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