The Secretary General of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) Mr. Daud Abdi Daud who has been tracking the rape case and was among few journalists present at the attorney general on Tuesday 22 January to follow the case affirmed that the raped women clearly stated her position and tells the attorney general that she was raped by uniformed government soldiers even her father and uncle were confirmed the case as well as her husband who is in a one of the detained people publicly voted for that his wife was raped by uniformed government soldiers.
The drivers and dynamic in this case should be investigated and prosecuted by the African Union and the United Nations as publicly acknowledged that rape violence is a tactics of war crime according Zeinab Hawa Bangura the special secretary general representative in conflict related sexual violence.
The human rights groups worried the situation and issued triangle statement today to address the rape violence and the journalist custody. For your information kindly have looked the below statement from the Committee to Protect the Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International.

Somalia: Free Journalist, Others Unlawfully Detained
Police Response to Sexual Violence Chills Media Freedom
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/12/somalia-free-journalist-others-linked-rape-allegation

The African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) calls in need of attention release by all the detained innocent people including the journalist without political row among the Somalia government institutions over the ongoing rape violence and generally solicited Somalia environmental journalists to do accurate coverage over the rape issues which is now imperative one with a lot of worry.
For more information of the ongoing Somalia rape violence please contact AFEJ Secretary General Mr. Daud Abdi Daud who is now tracking the cases wholly on +252616349997 or email dimbil@afejnews.org

The Zimbabwe Environmental Journalists Association (ZEJA) was founded in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, by a group of 20 environmental journalists drawn from all media houses in Zimbabwe who participated in a climate change journalism training workshop that was financed by the British Council and co- facilitated by UNESCO and the Thomson Media Foundation (United Kingdom). At the workshop, participants realized that environmental journalism was poor and lacking in the country’s media outlets and training institutions. This conclusion inspired them to join forces and form a professional association.

On the other hand, The World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) is an international not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, dedicated to help the public take into account scientific knowledge in its understanding of critical socio-economic issues and play a greater role in the governance of science and technology.   Since the public is mainly educated about science and technology through the mass media, the World Federation aims at strong, critical coverage of issues in science and technology, environment, health and medicine, agriculture, and related fields.

The Federation was founded in November 2002 at the 3^rd World Conference of Science Journalists in São José dos Campos, Brazil, where Canadian science writer and broadcaster Véronique Morin was elected its first president. At the 4^th World Conference in Montréal, in October 2004, more than 600 participants from 58 nations attended, as well as representatives from 30 science journalism associations worldwide, and Australian science journalist and magazine editor Wilson da Silva was elected the Federation’s second president.

On 18^th April 2007, during the 5^th World Conference of Science Journalists held in Melbourne (Australia), BBC science journalist Pallab Ghosh became President. On 1st July 2009, Ms. Nadia El-Awady from Egypt was elected as the fourth president during the 6^th World Conference held in London (United Kingdom).

The current President, Mr. Vesa Niinikangas from Finland, was confirmed as president on 29^th June 2011, in Doha (Qatar) on the last day of the 7^th World Conference of Science Journalists.

The Federation is governed by a seven-member international board with representation from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

“The Kenyan authority decision is an intimidation to the laws and conventions of the human rights as I believe and is also a threat to many civilians who similarly escaped terrorist acts by Shabab due to reprisal including women, children, human rights activists and journalists”said Daud Abdi Daud the Secretary General of AFEJ from Mogadishu, Somalia.

“ As Kenya’s President H.E. Mwai Kibaki said that his country is malleted with terrorist attacks and attributed the incursions of being planned from neighborhood Somalia. I’ agree with the president of Kenya that shabab is threat to Kenya security but women, children and journalists cannot be similar to Shabab and they need to be protected as 18 journalists killed in Somalia only this year of 2012 by Shabab, however, this quandary among Kenya and Somalia authorities still waits global involvement by United Nations and the African Union” Mr. Daud added
This statement from the secretary General of AFEJ comes after when the President of Somalia H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud traveled to Kenya today and met Kenya authorities since he was elected as a president.

The political scene of the two countries recently was not good and its widely believed that this bilateral presidential meeting could boost the hope of many Somalis or pave the way a new humanitarian upheavals against dozens of Somalia refugees.

“We African environ journalists want to unite the reporting of the right of all people to make their voices heard and participate fully in public life though the human rights violations in Africa is still on the frontline news as Human rights Watch reported the deaths of four Sudanese student protesters and the disappearance of two others”said the Secretary General of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) from Mogadishu while he was attending a UN and European Union celebration event on the human rights day in Mogadishu, Somalia.

“Boosting the voice from the voiceless is a fundamental human right and the basis
of a free and democratic society. We stand ready to support the
African society and human rights actors  in their tireless efforts to protect this fundamental right and to address the culture of impunity” Mr. Daud added

AFEJ Background Information:

The African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) is a network and regional association founded in April 15, 2011, dedicated to promoting education understanding and awareness of the environment through the honest and accurate reporting of local, regional and international environmental and development issues. It acted as the head of national environmental journalist forums or media organizations of 42 countries in African region.

The Green Africa Directory is the first pan-African sustainability directory and network that already showcases over 900 organizations from across Africa and is set to grow. The website also features a range of useful resources including upcoming green events, green jobs and tenders, green specials and competitions and a green blog.

Africa has a wealth of green organizations and initiatives. The directory aims to provide an easily accessible and searchable online green hub for Africa and to mainstream green options and decision-making. Launched in 2012, it is far more than just a green directory – it also features green events, green jobs, green tenders & opportunities, green specials & competitions, a green blog and a myriad of useful resources.

An underlying aim of the Green Africa Directory is to raise collective awareness for environmental issues, promote and gain additional support for green organizations, products and services and to profile green solutions. The Green Africa Directory aims to connect the sustainability movement in Africa and provide a source of inspiration for a green future.

How to get involved

• Search the green directory for green organisations, products, projects and people.
• Connect, share, collaborate and network with people and companies listed in the directory.
• Look for green jobs.
• Look for green events to attend.
• Read the latest Specials and Competitions.
• Sign up to receive your free copy of the Green Africa Directory Newsletter.
• Read the green blog.
• Get listed on the Green Africa Directory and get networking.
• Advertise your organisation on the Green Africa Directory and increase your online exposure to a targeted green audience.
• Become a Green Africa Directory Supporter.
• Read the green resources section.

For close to two decades Somalia has not had a central powerful government since the overthrow Siad Barre regime in 1991 and has had 18 regions from corner to corner The country has an estimated population of about 9 million in 1995, of which 75% in rural areas.

The Secretary General of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) Mr. Daud Abdi Daud made a tremendous presentation for the current status of Somalia telecommunication on Wednesday July 18^th , 2012 when he was attending  the East Africa Consultations on ITRS and Internet Governance Forum at Jacaranda hotel in Nairobi, Kenya  from 17 – 19, 2012.

Somalia Pre-war Telecommunication

After the independence Somalia has not been develop the telecommunication industry due to the following reasons:

1. It was not a priority Issue.
2. It was dominated by a State owned monopoly in basic network and services.
3. The Ministry of Post and Telecom was the sole provider and self-regulator of telecom services.
4. As of 1993 private Telecom Companies have emerged (9 Companies).
5. Competition began with very limited infrastructure by most measures.
6. Different operators enter/out the market competing basic telecom services both local and International.
7. Each Operator offers local and international services to its own customer on its own network.
8. No Interconnection (Many Small Islands).

Telecommunication Privatization Benefits

• Privatization in Somalia increases the scope of telephone coverage (See the Map).
• Competitive environment expanded the services, efficiency, and lowers prices.
• Competition brought technological advancement.
• Telecommunication sector in Somalia opens up a whole new range of economic possibilities.

Statistical Figures

• From 1960 -1980 Somalia had 6890
• 1980 – 1991  Somalia had 17,000
• 1991 – 1993 Somalia had Zero lines
• From 1960 -1980 Somalia had 6890
• 1980 – 1991  Somalia had 17,000
• 1991 – 1993 Somalia had Zero lines
• Internet Penetration:
•    5300 Subscribers
•    89000 users Approximately
•    Internet Coffee: 59 Centers

Mr. Daud met Kenya’s permanent secretary ministry of information and communications honorable Mr. Bitange Ndemo both discussed the regional communications away forward and internet governance related issues. Dr. Bitange he further introduced Mr. Daud few ladies among the ministry staff.

The group strongly condemned the demolition of Abonnema community by soldiers at the instance of the state government. Government has for years insisted that the waterfront community is a haven for armed criminal groups, cultists, and deviants.

The invasion by the armed security forces, however, led to the destruction of  homes, properties and businesses of residents of the community ”without the due process of law is callous, unjust, illegal and a reckless affront to constitutional governance”, the group said..

Felix Morka, the Executive Director of the group, on Wednesday June 27, 2012, at about 6.00 am, claimed that the Rivers state government’s demolition squad assisted by heavily armed police and other security forces invaded the Abonnema Wharf community located on the Port-Harcourt waterfront.

According to SERAC, ”without warning, bulldozers began to tear down homes and other structures in the community as residents that were rudely awakened by the violence fled in utter consternation. Residents that attempted to salvage personal properties were brutally beaten by members of the demolition squad. The demolition continued until about
7 pm”.

But, a frontline environmental journalist in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s main oil and gas region, Akanimo Sampson, who is also an activist of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ), said government had repeatedly put citizens on notice of their plan to tear down the community.

The move was caught in a bitter dispute between Okrika, the ethnic group of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, and Ikwerre, the ethnic group of Governor Chibuike Amaechi. The two ethnic groups were laying claims to the ownership of the waterfront.

Government is however, insisting that they acted in the overall interest of the state. There have been flurry of security reports from 2007 during the short-lived administration of Governor Celestine Omehia, linking Port Harcourt waterfronts as ‘hotbeds’ of armed rebels.

This clarification notwithstanding, SERAC said, ”the demolition of Abonnema community is being carried out in flagrant disregard of judicial process. On behalf of the community, SERAC obtained an order of interim injunction restraining the Rivers state government from destroying the community on November 11, 2011 in Jim George & Others vs. The Executive Governor of Rivers State & Others (Suit No. PHC/2286/2009).

”A ruling on a contested application of the government to vacate the interim order of injunction was fixed for July 2, 2012. Despite the pendency of this lawsuit and a
subsisting order of interim injunction, the Rivers state government has proceeded, lawlessly, to destroy the community.

”The government’s suggestion that Abonnema Wharf is being demolished in order to rid the
community of criminals is as unconscionable as it is absurd. Nowhere in the laws of Nigeria is demolition authorized as a crime fighting strategy. This is yet another pitiful excuse to justify the indefensible action of the government”.

”At the core of the decision to destroy Abonnema Wharf community, like it destroyed Njemanze and other waterfront communities in 2009, is Governor Amaechi administration’s
unbridled quest to acquire prime waterfront lands in favor of private businesses for upscale
entertainment and other investments. Under the guise of public-private partnerships, the
government has continued to utilize taxpayers’ resources and state instruments to advance the parochial interests of its affluent business collaborators to the extreme detriment of desperately poor citizens of the state. Since his inauguration, Governor Amaechi has vigorously pursued a land grab policy that has resulted in the painful displacement of hundreds of thousands of poor citizens”, the group alleged.

Forced eviction entails the removal of people from their land and homes against their will and without the provision of, and access to, appropriate forms of legal or other protections. The forced eviction of Abonnema Wharf constitutes a brazen violation of the human rights to adequate housing, dignity of the human person, private and family life, fair hearing and, indeed, the right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other human rights instruments.

In the mean time, SERAC is demanding an immediate end to the ongoing demolition of Abonnema Wharf community; an end to the violence and brutality that is being perpetrated against innocent citizens of the community; strongly urging the government to immediately provide emergency shelter and other services to the displaced population, and take expeditious steps to provide adequate compensation or resettlement to affected residents.

The group is also urging Governor Amaechi, who is equally the Chair of Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum, to observe observance of the rule of law in dealing with these populations, and to bring his strayed administration back on a path of constitutional
democracy.

ENDS

Africa is also ravaged by other natural and man-made disasters such as volcanic eruptions, epidemics and conflict.

The Secretary General of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) met with Mr. Pedro Basabe who is the head, UNISDR Regional Office for Africa on Thursday July 12, 2012 and held at his office in UN Complex in Nairobi, Kenya and discussed deeply how African environmental journalists could take part the disaster risk reduction activities in the region.

The United Nations Inter-agency Secretariat for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Africa Office organized several journalists’ trainings and produced a journalist’s guide for disaster coverage, in which AFEJ aims to circulate within its member’s directory.

Although, many countries in Africa have yet to develop their national plans for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into national development frameworks and sectoral programmes for instance to achieve substantive reduction in disaster losses the strengthening of national and regional environmental journalist networks is an essential condition for early warning system and sustainable development.

Given the potential increase in negative impacts of disasters on social, economic and environmental development in Africa and recognizing the threat that disasters pose to Africa’s ability to meet the Millennium Development Goals, the African continent, with the leadership provided by the commission of the African Union, developed an African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted by the African ministerial conference on environment in June 2004 and endorsed by the AU assembly of heads of state and government in July of the same yea.

The programme of action for the implementation of the African Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2005-2010) was developed and adopted at the first African ministerial conference on disaster risk reduction in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in December, 2005.

The second ministerial conference on disaster risk reduction, held in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2010, in which Mr. Daud Abdi Daud of AFEJ invited and attended together with Somalia’s environment minister honorable Mr. Buri M. Hamsa and was jointly organized by AUC and UNISDR Office for Africa Region, adopted a substantive revision of the POA and reflecting current gaps, extending the time-frame to 2015 and aligning it with the globally mandated Hyogo Framework of Action.

As per the objectives spelt out for convening the conference, delegates of IGAD member states presented situational reports on women and entrepreneurship development in their respective countries. Based on these presentations, experiences were shared and ideas exchanged on various issues revolving around women in business in the region. Moreover. Social protection instruments relevant to women in the trade sector have been reviewed and countries which have not yet ratified and domesticated these urged to follow suit so that they would live up to their expectations.

The conference participants have come out with concrete recommendations and developed workable action plan for implementation at different levels. While waiting for these to be endorsed by a regular IGAD council of ministries meeting and or the heads of state and government summit, the IGAD secretariat has felt the need for conducting a fellow up meeting of the women in business conference convened in November last year.

Most importantly, there was unfinished agenda presented then, the formation of the IGAD women in business forum to which IGAD secretariat was given a mandate to sort out issues raised during the event. Accordingly, further consultations with stakeholders and resolving the uncertainties sooner will be crucial since the forum to be established equally needs endorsement by high-level policy organ meeting. IGAD organized a two days meeting at Hilton hotel in Nairobi, Kenya from June 25^th-26, 2012 and seven IGAD member states were attended the conference, namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and South-Sudan.

The Secretary General of the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) Mr. Daud Abdi Daud who was a member of Somalia delegations addressed the participants said “Obviously, the reality is that women in Africa have limited access to productive assets, including land and to other things necessary for production like credit and education. However, the emerging microeconomic analysis consistently shows that gender-based inequality acts as a constraint to poverty reduction and sustainable development. These differences are too important to ignore and their impacts too severe, especially given Africa’s chronic food insecurity and environmental vulnerability”

“I believe that the participation rights and fair access to markets can build the resilience of communities and help them to shift towards a sustainable economy while at the same time adapting to changing climate. AFEJ invites you to share the information you need to put the frontline sites in order to shift your activities to be headed within Africa context and globally at large” Mr. Daud added

The participants have come out and agreed similarly last year with concrete recommendations and developed workable action plan for  endorsement the formation of the IGAD women in business forum and requested IGAD secretariat to organize another meeting in the coming year.

According to some field research by the members of AFEJ, African farmers have been involved conservation agriculture for a number of years. Conservation agriculture has helped small-scale farmers in Africa maximize their yields through control of soil erosion, soil stabilization, water harvesting and use of farmland manure. This approach has reduced labor demands and lowered the cost of input considerable, creating time for farmers to be involved in other productive activities inside and outside their farms.

Some of the farmers have redirected the saved income into making fish ponds and biogas units; activities that supplement one another ensuring household food security even in times when rains are erratic and unreliable.

Accelerating the delivery of these self driven actions need strengthening the ability of the African environmental journalists and also a vital one with important outcomes to integrate climate responses into national, regional and global development processes as well as sharing information and knowledge on addressing the impacts thus providing a solid base in mobilizing people into collective actions in finding solutions.

Raising awareness of climate change requires accurate information and multi and mass media in channeling the information. The role of the media in helping drive society towards addressing climate change in adaptation needs is highly limited in Africa. This requires more vocal coverage and call for more actions using various tactics and media outlets and is important in avoiding misinterpretation and setting unrealistic expectation.

Therefore, the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) and its members consist of 24 members associations from the entire African region are highly demand capacity building workshops and financial support on the implementation of AFEJ’s second face pilot project. This means that AFEJ is now aiming build the capacity of its members to enable doing rapid reaction coverage on climate change and food security as well as environmental problems across the region via professionalism.

This second face project will be based on awareness raising and training within AFEJ members from different countries and representing different good number of journalists on the ground.

This statement from the African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) comes after days when the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) issued the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5) and described that the fast-growing urban population, globally zation and climate change, alongside a need to boost governance, are among the challenges facing Africa if the continent is to put itself firmly on the path to a sustainable future. To read the full report click the below link for your information; http://www.unep.org/geo/pdfs/geo5/RS_Africa_en.pdf

The list of the current member associations of AFEJ

1. 1.    Zimbabwe Environmental Journalists Association (ZEJA)

Contact Person: Gilbert Munetsi – Secretary General

Tel: +263 772 564 585 OR +263 734 336 972

Email: gilbertomun@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.zejaworld.org

1. 2.    Somali Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (SOMESHA)

        Contact person: Daud Abdi Daud – Secretary General

                 Tel: +2525-989-886/+252-62-284 357

                      Email: somesha2010@yahoo.com

               Internet: www.somesha.wordpress.com

1. 3.    Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi(AEJ)

        Contact person: Emmanuel Muamba – President

               Tel: +265 162 646/+265 999 184 428

        Email: environmentaljounalists@gmail.com / emuwamba@gmail.com

1. 4.    Federation of Environmental Journalists of Nigeria(FEJON)

                    Contact person: Jennifer Igwe

                      Email: fejon_ng@yahoo.com / caremuchmore@yahoo.co.uk

1. 5.    Sera Leon Environmental Journalists Association (SLEJA)

             Contact person: Ishmael Kindama Dumbuya

                Tel: +23276897169 OR +23233777178

     Email: kindamadumbuya@yahoo.com / kindamadumbuya@gmail.com

1. 6.    National Network for Environmental Journalists in DRC (RENJE)

                                     Contact person: Roger pholo

Tel: + (243) 81 082 9526 – 99 821 8472

        Email: nkinsia@yahoo.com / rogerpholo@yahoo.fr /  renje_asbl@yahoo.fr

1. 7.    Burundian Environmental Media Alliance(BEMA)

Contact person: Alain Gashaka Chairman

Tel: +25778873131

Email: gashaka@gmail.com

1. 8.    Ghanaian Environmental Journalists Association (GHEJA)

       Contact person: Ama Kudom-Agyemang – President

                                                     Tel: +233 244 567-888

                  Email: kudomagyemang@yahoo.com

1. 9.    Togolese association des Journalistes pour l’Environnement

        Contact person: MAxime DOMEGNI – Communication Officer

                 Tel: + (00228) 90 39 56 87

                        Email: domegni@gmail.com

10. National Union of Liberia Environmental Journalists (NULEJ)

              Contact person:  Jacob Eagan Bright

                    Tel: +231776668385/+231886557618

          Email: liveonbright@gmail.com

11. Federation of Egyptian Environmental Journalists (FEEJ)

               Contact person: Dalia Abdel-Salam

                Tel: +20-10-1484879-Email: dalia.abdelsalam@gmail.com

12. South-African Federation of Environmental Journalists (SANFEJ)

         Contact person: Dhashen Moodley – Chairman

                      Tel: +27 (0)83 599 8432

                     Email: moodleyd@sabc.co.za / dhashen@gmail.com

13. Association of Environmental Journalists in South Sudan

               Contact person: Paul Jimbo – Chairperson

                Tel: :+249 (0) 955549389/+256477124693

                Email: pajim2004@yahoo.com

14. Organization of Sudanese Environmental Journalists (OSEJ).

                 Contact Person: Ishraga Abbas Chairperson

                       Tel: +249911234253

                    Email: ishraga.abdarrhman@gmail.com

15. Science and Environmental Journalists Organization of Niger (SEJON)

                                    Contact person: D-SAIDOU-chairperson

                                   Tel: 22790914043

                            Email: dsaidou1@gmail.com

16. Mozambique Environmental Journalists Association (MEJA)

                  Contact person: Charles Mangwiro-chairman

               Tel: +258824305459

                      Email: mangwiroc@yahoo.com

17. National Environmental Journalists Association of Benin (NEJAB)

             Contact person: Vince NANA-Chairman

             Tel: +22997444619

             Email; vinnfish@yahoo.co.uk

                Website: http://vinfish.blogspot.com/

18. Ethiopian Science and Agricultural Journalists Association (ESAJA)

                    Contact person: Mekonnen Teshome-Chairman

               Tel: +25911152603

 Email: mokish03@gmail.com

19. Media for Environment, Agriculture, Science and Sustainable Development (MEASSD)

Contact person: Mr. Absalom Shigwedha – Chairperson

Tel: +264812950963

Email: Absalom.shigwedha@gmail.com

20. Rwandan Environmental and Agricultural Journalists Association (REAJA)

Contact person: Mr Kadeli Alexis – President

Tel: +250788300683

Email: kadelal@yahoo.fr

21. Ugandan Environmental Journalists Association (UEJA)

Contact person: Mr. Joseph Miti – Chairman

Tel: +2561772472329/+256702472329

Email: jmmiti@gmail.com / jmiti@ug.nationmedia.com

For more information about the project or interview please don’t hesitate to contact AFEJ president honorable Mr. Jacob Eagan Bright from Liberia on +231776668385 or +231886557618 and AFEJ Secretary General Mr. Daud Abdi Daud from Somalia on +254 733 683 000 or +25262 284 357 or email them at info@afejnews.org or visit AFEJ website: www.afejnews.org

Short Background Information of AFEJ

The African Federation of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) is a network and regional association founded in April 15, 2011, dedicated to promoting education understanding and awareness of the environment through the honest and accurate reporting of local, regional and international environmental and development issues. It acted as the head of national environmental journalist forums or media organizations of 42 countries in African region.

AFEJ is a member of the: International Federation of Environmental Journalists (IFEJ) and the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations’ for Disaster Reduction (GNDR)