Message from the President

 

While visiting Botswana, President Clinton said, Africa, in general, needs an independent radio service. “State-run media are the norm in much of Africa; accompanying such media are often biases and positions of the prevailing political party or in some cases, repressive regimes” (Reuters.)

Waaberi Broadcasting Services was born out of that need. Welcome to Waaberi Broadcasting Services and its website (www.radiowaaberi.org). Democracy is a human right, therefore it is an entitlement, not a privilege, and so is information. In this information age in the Horn of Africa, the people are starving for unbiased and uncensored news. The fact that the region had some of the worst despots in the world and still has a highly controlled media is directly related to its low level of economic and social development. It isn’t a coincidence; many belief there is a strong direct correlation between authoritarian rule and underdevelopment. The correlation between poor governance and its ill effects is more salient in Somaliland, Somalia, Djibouti, and the regions in Kenya and Ethiopia that are predominantly Somali than anywhere else. Undoubtedly, the Somali peoples in those countries and regions are suffering in more ways than one and as the State Department’s Country Reports indicate their human rights and civil liberties are violated continuously. For details please visit: (www.State.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004) and (www.freemedia.at/wpfr/africa/Somalia.htm), Amnesty International (Web. Amnesty.org/library/index/ENGAFR520032005) and read Africa Right reports.

Authoritarian rule is a form of terrorism, which requires a concerted effort of letting the word out – that dictatorship is terrorism and that freedom would triumph over dictatorship. In order to manipulate, authoritarian regimes spend a great of resources in keeping the public uninformed but Waaberi Broadcasting Services is determined to change that in a non-partisan way. Waaberi Broadcasting Services sponsors neither political candidate nor sides with any political party. It doesn’t influence legislation nor is it a surrogate to any other group. Its mission is to advocate democratic reform, human rights and freedom of the press in the Somali speaking peoples in the Horn of Africa.

Please join me promote democracy, monitor human rights, the right to dissent and the right to inform so that the Somali speaking peoples enjoy liberty with dignity and while you are enjoying listening Waaberi Broadcasting Services either through the internet or through the good old fashioned way (transistor radio), remember that this is a shoe-string endeavor and with your donation Waaberi Broadcasting Services could foster democracy to flourish.

Thanks for visiting,

Ali Gulaid

President of Waaberi Broadcasting Services