Waagacusub.net- The intervention by Finnish NGO Vikes in collusion with Journalist Union of Finland by exploiting money from Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs to sabotage, divide, conquer, destroy and abate Somali media is none other than supporting and practicing empire-building. Not preoccupied by genuine solidarity.

Dodgy, rich Internationals, including Finnish Vikes and its journalist union, sponsor Somali Ministry of Information’s ruthless operators who plan and direct subjugation of journalists and press freedom including recent production of all roundly condemned repressive draft media law. Such aggressiveness is a hazard for our media and a lethal threat for the Somali journalists struggle for safe and secure working conditions.

 

Our country is swamped by some unprincipled internationals carrying briefcases and jetting in Mogadishu to bastardize government bureaucrats who, due to abject poverty, abandon in standing for national interest and turned the national institutions into projects.

 

Few government officials are however forthright to say, "we accept these internationals with roguish agenda because they have the means to shore up our finances”.

 

But we, Somali journalists reject this, preferring to die on our feet in poverty, than to live on our knees in affluence. Indeed, Somali journalists are no nobody’s House Negro.

 

Then there is the talk of government politician, senior like a minister, saying he would do anything this unprincipled affluent asks him "because he can get perks and flight tickets from the affluent”. Somalia is currently bleeding from massive corruption and manipulation.

 

Such international bewilder and spoil other well-meaning members of International Community at expense of Somalia’s independent media community to turn eye from weighty media freedom violation, slander courageous activists and sabotage any progress journalists would make.

 

Like one senior member of the Internationals who doesn’t want to be identified said, "somehow, everyone knows what goes on, but no one seems ready to admit that there is a serious undisputable problem. In fact, the one who admits there is a problem is often ridiculed by his fellow colleagues”.

 

Through slanders, dividing tactics and anti-union practices, Vikes and Finnish journalist organization coupled few ruthless internationals try to build puppet – a yellow and sell-out union – which is a pet of the Ministry to implement well-known divide & rule doctrine. This strategy of the Finnish and co is identical to the long detested imperialists’ strategy for Africa.

 

At the same time, using paid mercenaries against independent media and any outspoken media personalities has become normal and are supported by the Finnish and unprincipled internationals who are keen to make quickly a fortune out of Somalia.

 

Those who claim that the intervention from abroad in Somali media is taking place for "Democracy”, "Solidarity”, "Human Rights” and "Freedom’ are hypocrites. The aim of such unprincipled internationals is barbarian and imperialist.

 

Several members of International community have honest and well-meaning agenda for media rights, democracy and human rights while unprincipled figures baffle and destabilize thoughtful cause of Somali media to cover up wrong actions of their fellow internationals and to be in good books with government rapscallions.

 

Somalia’s media have reached the level to resist the dirty and slanderous and dividing tactics of the Finnish Vikes using taxpayers money from their Foreign Ministry and politically propelled by journalist union of Finland with notorious political plan.

 

Like our brother, Bob Marley sang in Babylon System: "we refuse to be, what you want us to be; we are what we are; that is the way it is going to be”.

 

Let the Finnish and co hear Bob Marley.

 

It's time to RISE UP and SPEAK UP together.

 

I charge Somali journalists to rise up from their slumber and speak up against unprincipled affluent and the result of their dishonourable actions.

 

By Ahmed Husein Jama