UN envoy strongly condemns murder of Somali radio director

The United Nations envoy for Somalia today strongly condemned the murder of radio director Abukar Mohamed Kadaf, who was shot dead last night in the capital, Mogadishu, and called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mr. Kadaf, the Director of Somaliweyn Radio, is the second media professional in Somalia to be killed in the last month. Hassan Osman Abdi, the Director of Radio Shabelle, was shot dead on 28 January.

“I call for the Transitional Federal Government to conduct an immediate, full and independent investigation in order to bring the perpetrators to justice,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga, stated in a news release.

Mr. Mahiga paid tribute to the brave Somali journalists who are working in “incredibly difficult” conditions to keep the pressure on the criminal elements trying to intimidate the people of Somalia – one of the most dangerous places in the world for media professionals.

“I call on all those defending the fundamental right to freedom of expression not to be deterred by these cowardly acts of terrorism,” said the Special Representative, who is also head of the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS).

“The Transitional Federal Institutions must redouble their efforts to end the culture of impunity and halt this unacceptable cycle of violence,” he said, adding that UNPOS stands ready to assist them in any way possible.

Somalia has not had a functioning central government for the past 20 years, during which it has been torn apart by factional fighting and has faced a series of humanitarian crises, the latest being a food crisis that has left more than two million Somalis in need of aid.