MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATIONAL UNION OF SOMALI JOURNALISTS (NUSOJ) MR. OMAR FARUK OSMAN TO THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY OF NATIONAL WRITERS UNIONS (NWU) IN NEW YORK CITY, USA, ON AUGUST 10-12, 2018
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the entire journalism fraternity in Somalia, we find it fitting to extend to you comrade President Larry Goldbetter, National Leadership and general membership of NWU our warm greetings and solidarity message to your Delegate Assembly.
NWU is the torch bearer for fighting the interests of freelance journalists, pillar of hope for writers, a robust trade union that is firm on principles of press freedom, democracy, meaningful copyright defense and true representation of journalists’ labour rights.
We as NUSOJ totally concur with you that Solidarity of all journalists throughout the world is indispensible in order to build a strong and progressive global journalists movement within the framework of the International Federation of Journalists as the nucleus of a progressive movement that challenges despots who oppress journalists and independent journalism, to defend journalists rights and to promote interests of free trade union in the media industry. On our part, we are ready to spearhead this solidarity to all journalists’ unions by sharing the knowledge and experience we have gained since our foundation.
NWU Delegate Assembly is taking place when journalists are all the time more endangered or oppressed. We are in a world where political and financial interests are superseding fundamental principles of human rights and democracy. We are in a world where oppressors and their strategies of the war on terror are much-admired to the detriment of their victim journalists.
Our union knows this tyranny quite well. NUSOJ has been relentlessly fighting for journalists in the face of murderous attacks, death threats, attempts to disunite journalists’ fraternity and even unbearable actions of taking over our own trade union by the same oppressive elements with the aim of silencing the independent voice of journalists in Somalia. We rejected and resisted. We have won many battles but the war is not yet over. We are not taking a softer line. We are militantly organized and mobilized for action.
With this struggle, we urge you Comrade President to continue to be true agents of change, resolute as ever and never wavering even in the face of adversity. This is a revered struggle for journalists, for press freedom and for democracy.
We look forward in working with you as we fight back the forces of oppression, and fight forward in guaranteeing fundamental rights of journalists.
Let the Delegate Assembly unleash more energy and commitment to steer this great union of writers to greater heights. We wish you well in your deliberations.
Long live NWU, long live!
Omar Faruk Osman Secretary General
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.