- Title: SOMALIA: Islamists go ahead with ban on playing music by all radio stations
- Date: 19th April 2010
- Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (APRIL 18, 2010) (REUTERS) BROADCAST MASTS ABOVE CITY SIGN READING "SHABELE MEDIA NETWORK" EXTERIOR OF OFFICES TWO MALE RADIO ANNOUNCERS SEATED AT DESK CLOSEUP OF AUDIO MIXING BOARD / TILT UP TO PRODUCER IN STUDIO CLOSEUP OF SCRIPT PAPER MALE ANNOUNCER READING SCRIPT EXTERIOR OF SIMBA RADIO OFFICES DOOR LEADING TO "STUDIO A" MALE PRODUCER WORKING AT DESK WITH COMPUTER CLOSEUP OF MALE PRODUCER ADJUSTING AUDIO LEVELS MOGADISHU STREET MOALIM HASHI, HIZBUL ISLAM OFFICIAL ENTERING HIS OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) MOALIM HASHI, HIZBUL ISLAM OFFICIAL, SAYING: "We made the decision because the radio stations are broadcasting songs... music sang by women and this is against Sharia Islam and they should be broadcasting Islamic programs so they have to stop the music." HASHI WITH BODYGUARDS (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) MOALIM HASHI, HIZBUL ISLAM OFFICIAL, SAYING: "We are going to practice Sharia law because you see local media are pretending to be western media and they are mixing Sharia with western culture yet we know them. They are pretending to be western but they must be Islamic." PEDESTRIANS IN STREET TRAFFIC PASSING PEDESTRIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) IBRAHIM ISAQ, MOGADISHU RESIDENT, SAYING: "We listen to music because music is our culture and it refreshes our minds. So we have to listen to music." INTERSECTION IN STREET WITH TRAFFIC PASSING / POLICE OFFICER (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) DAYIB HASSAN, MOGADISHU RESIDENT, SAYING: "It is good to ban music and I support the Islamists for banning music on local radio stations in Mogadishu. We have have to listen to the Islamic programmes. Sharia does not allow us to listen to music." TRAFFIC IN STREET
- Embargoed: 4th May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Somalia
- Country: Somalia
- Topics: Communications,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5HAP3WUV91AOQJB73STY4SHIR
- Story Text: Islamist rebels announced a complete ban on music played by private radio stations in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, after issuing warnings last week.
Somalia has been enmeshed in civil war since the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and Islamist militants now control large parts of the its territory. A fragile government, backed by African Union troops and U.N. funds - controls just a few blocks in the capital.
The rebels want to impose a harsh version of Sharia law and the ban on music demonstrated their growing reach.
Hizbul Islam -- which is allied with al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels -- had given a 10-day ultimatum to Mogadishu's radio stations last week, according to a media rights group. However, the government also warned stations who comply with the ban that they will be shut down, leaving broadcasters confused as to which law to follow.
Some stations used the sound of roosters crowing, traffic and recitation of traditional poems instead of music to link programmes.
Moalim Hashi, an Hizbul Islam official, announced the ban Sunday (April 18) and said music was against sharia law.
"We made the decision because the radio stations are broadcasting songs... music sang by women and this is against Sharia Islam and they should be broadcasting Islamic programs so they have to stop music," said Hashi.
Similar actions were taken outside the capital and the Islamists routinely ban what they call social vices like music or women not wearing veils.
"We are going to practice Sharia law because you see local media are pretending to be western media and they are mixing Sharia with western culture yet we know them. They are pretending to be western but they must be Islamic," said Hashi.
Listeners have expressed varying reactions to the ban with some accepting it and others opposing it -- though not openly for fear of punishment.
"We listen to music because music is our culture and it refreshes our minds," said Ibrahim Isaq, a resident of Mogadishu.
"It is good to ban music and I support the Islamists for banning music on local radio stations in Mogadishu. We have have to listen to the Islamic programs. Sharia does not allow us to listen to music," said Dayib Hassan, another Mogadishu resident.
Al Shabaab earlier in the month said they had taken the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) off the air in regions they controlled because it spread Christian propaganda. It also took action against the U.S.-funded Voice of America. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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