Dara,asalam, (insidesomalia.org) - The Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA), which represents.

journalists’ trade unions and associations in Eastern Africa countries,
marks the World Press Freedom Day, May 3, by calling for an end to
aggression against journalists and for the reform of legislations
restricting the rights of journalists and freedom of the press.

“Governments and authorities in Eastern Africa continue to restrain
freedom of the press and fundamental rights of journalists through
legislations and life-threatening manoeuvres,” said Omar Faruk Osman, EAJA
Secretary-General.

“We also welcome with delight the release of our colleague Sami al-Hajj
who arrived back in his country Sudan on Friday after being released from
Guantanamo Bay military prison where he had been detained for more than
six years without facing trial or formal charges,” Osman added.

“This year alone, over a dozen journalists in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda,
Burundi, Kenya, Sudan and Somalia experience serious security and personal
safety problems including killings, harassment, arrest and other forms of
atrocities and no one has been made to face justice for the crime against
journalists,” he said.

EAJA is fully aware of plans by the Government of Ethiopia to enact a
media law, which the media community in Ethiopia and the world community
know little about. “This proposed media law has several articles that
restrict press freedom and freedom of expression. Therefore, we call upon
the Ethiopian government to make this proposed law available to the local
media community and international media fraternity for perusal and
discussion to ensure it conforms with international standards of freedom
of expression,” Omar said.

“This year we lost two irreplaceable and dedicated colleagues Hassan Kafi
Hared in Somalia and Rebecca Wilbrod Kasujja in Uganda,” he said. “The
culture of impunity, open abuse of journalists’ rights, arrests of media
professionals, violence against the media by armed groups and escalating
cases of harassments against the media have became the hallmark and
constant experience of journalists and media institutions in eastern
Africa”.

“Impartial, accurate and responsible journalism is almost impossible in
many countries in Eastern Africa due to the armed conflict in Somalia,
Uganda, Burundi, Eritrea and Ethiopia,” he added.

EAJA Delegation of four leaders are attending UNESCO Conference “Freedom
of Expression, Access to Information and Empowerment of People” in Maputo,
Mozambique, on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2008.

Another delegation led by EAJA President Dr. Muheldin Ahmed Idriss is
attending World Press Freedom Day Celebrations hosted by Media Institute
in Nairobi, Kenya.