Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — The Prime Minister of Somalia Hamza Abdi Barre today outlined steps his government would take to launch operations to liberate territories under Al-shabaab. “Our goal is to provide government services in areas to be liberated with special focus on decentralisation,” said Hamza.
He said the government would continue with economic reforms but the principal focus of the government would be “a war against Al-shabaab”. The government policy side-lines existing Federal Member States particularly Jubaland and South West State in a move that aims to impose martial administration in areas to be taken from Al-shabaab. The provisional martial administration will be run from Villa Somalia under the cloak of reconciliation, critics said.
Hamza accused the Somali media outlets of being biased towards Al-shabaab. “As far as the war against Al-shabaab is concerned the Somalia media outlets are not neutral” he said. Reporters in Mogadishu have criticised Hamza for endangering the lives of the media.
“Hamza publicised a government policy to muzzle the media. His accusation that the media is biased towards Al-shabaab is baseless. In Kismaayo where Jubaland administration rules, reporters face threats if they report human rights violations by Jubaland authorities” said a reporter working for a Mogadishu-based radio station.
There is a growing fear that the Federal Government of Somalia would resort to using the National Intelligence and Security Agency to intimidate or harass reporters.
Hamza said reconciliation in “liberated areas” would be a key element in the war against Al-shabaab. Liberation of areas under Al-shabaab is a dream, but it is a dream we can realise if we have changed our ways” added Hamza.
© Puntland Post, 2022
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