SOMALIA - Media Reaction to Suicide Bombing

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002456 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KPAO SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Media Reaction to Suicide Bombing REF: NAIROBI 2444 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Somali media outlets have uniformly expressed revulsion at the December 3 suicide bombing in Mogadishu that took the lives of three TFG ministers, seriously injured a fourth, and killed more than a dozen others attending a medical school graduation. Some of the Media are suggesting that the extremists' attack on the students and their families was perhaps a step too far. Post continues to underscore U.S. government outrage at the attack in its contacts with the Somali media. End summary. -------------- Uniform Disgust, Varying Focal Points -------------- ¶2. (U) Most Somali media reaction to the December 3 suicide blast in Mogadishu has focused on the deaths of the three Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ministers. BBC's Somali Service noted that the three assassinated ministers were prominent and in frequent contact with the Somalia public. Many reports noted that the ministers were well-respected and were accomplishing much good work on the ground. Some reports faulted the TFG for failing to secure the venue of the graduation, given that such a high concentration of senior government officials was present. Other reports noted that the attack was a shock to the country's beleaguered educational system, as two of the ministers were veteran educationists who represented the future of education in Somalia. ¶3. (U) Another area of focus was on the students, for whom the graduation ceremony was being held. BBC's Somali Service noted that this event honored students who had managed to persevere through years of conflict to complete their studies, only to die on their happiest day. Virtually all outlets noted the sad irony: that these youth were killed as they were preparing to begin their careers as doctors in a country desperately short of medical professionals. ¶4. (U) Somali journalists have focused on the loss of at least two of their colleagues in the blast. Somali journalist organizations including the Somali Coalition for Freedom of Expression (SOCFEX), the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ),and the Somali Journalists Rights Agency (SOJRA) have issued press statements lamenting the deaths of the journalists who died in the attack. In addition, many international journalist organizations, to include the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),both of which have relationships with the Somali journalist unions, issued statements condemning the attack and highlighting the loss of the journalists. ¶5. (U) VOA's Somali Service interviewed a well-known Somali-American religious elder who condemned the bombing and stated that it went against the basic teachings of Islam. Most outlets have carried the various international statements issued after the bombing, as well as TFG President Sharif's statement and the Prime Minister's comments to the media. -------------- Post's Outreach to Somali Media -------------- ¶6. (U) On December 3, the Embassy joined the EU, AMISOM, IGAD, the League of Arab States, Norway, and the UN, in issuing a statement that condemned the attacks. We have also done an interview on a Somali radio station, and will continue to conduct interviews in the coming days. There is a high level of interest among Somalis in the international community's reaction to this event. RANNEBERGER