I remember you
your thoughts come to me
through the pages of the books I read
I remember you
your humanity breezes through my heart
everytime I perform a goodly deed
I remember you
your soothing words
induced with kindness
the relief they bring
anytime calamity might strike
And when crowds rejoice
in the arrival of my presence
I smile as the sweetness of
upholding a pleasant character
enters my heart
I still remember you
The humble nature of the one who reflects
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
greetings from leicester
I am enjoying some well needed rest,time with the family and ability to reflect with a clear mind. Life is good, very good at the moment, alhamdulilah. I started in London where I arrived on the morning of friday the 13th and stayed for the remainder of the weekend. London does not change. Same little kebab shops and mini markets are springing from every corner, little fish and chips houses are still at large and pollution fills the airwaves but the heart is at ease on her streets.
On Tuesday I went to Birmingham marking the first stop of the series of family visits I will embark on during my visit back home. Didn't get to do much but rest some more. By Thursday, the day I was departing for Leicester, I was so well recuperated, I could've started a one-woman revolution! But I managed to spend some good quality time with members of my family.
Since my arrival in Leicester, I've settled into making iftar, improving my siblings' Somali language skills, catching up with semi-lost friends and reminiscing on tales of yesteryear.
On Sunday we went to the masjid to catch a well-versed khutbah that left many of us with food for thought. The khutbah addressed the problems that have escalated from the breakdown of the family, an issue that is all too common within the Somali community. Although not many people were in attendance but I do hope the ones that were there, especially the parents, took away the lessons that were to be learned from that wonderful khutbah.
On Tuesday I went to Birmingham marking the first stop of the series of family visits I will embark on during my visit back home. Didn't get to do much but rest some more. By Thursday, the day I was departing for Leicester, I was so well recuperated, I could've started a one-woman revolution! But I managed to spend some good quality time with members of my family.
Since my arrival in Leicester, I've settled into making iftar, improving my siblings' Somali language skills, catching up with semi-lost friends and reminiscing on tales of yesteryear.
On Sunday we went to the masjid to catch a well-versed khutbah that left many of us with food for thought. The khutbah addressed the problems that have escalated from the breakdown of the family, an issue that is all too common within the Somali community. Although not many people were in attendance but I do hope the ones that were there, especially the parents, took away the lessons that were to be learned from that wonderful khutbah.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
some thoughts...
I had the privilege of attending the second annual Somali Diaspora youth conference here in the DC metro area a week before last where I gave a short presentation on the role of ethics and integrity in the media. This topic has been floating through my mind ever since then as I ponder on the situation of the Somali media. There is no denying the fact that there are many issues wrong with the Somali media but I intentionally made sure I didn't dwell too much on pointing these issues out during my presentation because I realised that, above everything else, these outlets were a result of the ongoing civil strife in Somalia, just like many other issues that affect the community today. Instead I opted for informing the community on the role of ethics in the media and how the community can play a role in shaping the stories covered.
In terms of the mainstream media, the most important asset for journalists and any media company is reputation. Behaving ethically in a consistent manner and remaining impartial and unbiased is therefore at the fore front of attaining good reputation with the target audience. This allows the media to connect with their audience and establish a sense of trust which will ultimately contribute to the growth of that news agency. This is why most if not all media agencies in the western world have a code of ethics. Some go a step further and establish their own self-regulatory bodies such as ombudsmen or industry wide bodies that ensure the code of ethics are adhered to.
However in many countries without freedom of the press or good governance, the majority of people who report the news may not follow the above-described standards of journalism. Non-free media are often prohibited from criticizing the national government in many countries and in some cases are required to distribute propaganda as if it were news. Various other forms of censorship may restrict reporting on issues the government deems sensitive.
But remaining truthful is especially important when news sources cover conflict stricken areas or areas where there is limited access to sound information, a place like Somalia. What’s even more pertinent here is that Somalis’ main form of obtaining information is through word of mouth and there is a heavy reliance on media outlets such as radio stations.
Ever since the collapse of the government, there has been an outbreak of media outlets in forms of radios and websites as well as TV. These have all been individually created with most of its owners having no previous experience or training in media. Consequently a surge of individuals claiming to be journalists broke out since there is no way of double checking the validity of their claim.
On the other hand, since Somalis became dispersed across the world fleeing the civil war, these media agencies grew to fill the communication void that was created by the war and Somalis had a means of staying informed of the happenings in their homeland. However many of these media outlets also served as a propaganda tool to promote personal, political or tribal goals and as a result fueled the ongoing war.
These media agencies commit ethical and integral offences on numerous levels including those based outside the country but with ignorance towards what ethics really is and the role it plays in the media, one can hardly blame the individuals committing those offences. The journalism industry in the Somali context has become devalued with everyone aspiring to be a journalist without seeking the knowledge or training.
Those outlets based within the country can only be held accountable with the return of good governance and judicial institutions that can regulate the industry. In additio these institutions can train them as well so that the quality of the local media is raised.
The ones based outside the country, in my opinion, suffer from a self-rightous type of ignorance in the sense that they believe they know what they're doing without having that knowledge. Or more scarily, they are aware they ought to seek experience in the field but are afraid to admit (believing that admitting one has weaknesses is automatically classified as failure).
Having said all of that I believe the community has an important role to play when it comes to images portrayed of the Somali community by the mainstream media.For example, by establishing a relationship with the media and keeping them informed of the issues the community cares about whilst giving them an angle relevant to them, ensures awareness is created. Once this takes place on a community wide level, the media in question will have a voice to reckon with.
On a more personal note, I am gearing up for Ramadan and my trip back home. Pray for my safe and sound landing and return, please. I've been working back to back shifts for the past 2 months if not more, so I could really do with a break.
In terms of the mainstream media, the most important asset for journalists and any media company is reputation. Behaving ethically in a consistent manner and remaining impartial and unbiased is therefore at the fore front of attaining good reputation with the target audience. This allows the media to connect with their audience and establish a sense of trust which will ultimately contribute to the growth of that news agency. This is why most if not all media agencies in the western world have a code of ethics. Some go a step further and establish their own self-regulatory bodies such as ombudsmen or industry wide bodies that ensure the code of ethics are adhered to.
However in many countries without freedom of the press or good governance, the majority of people who report the news may not follow the above-described standards of journalism. Non-free media are often prohibited from criticizing the national government in many countries and in some cases are required to distribute propaganda as if it were news. Various other forms of censorship may restrict reporting on issues the government deems sensitive.
But remaining truthful is especially important when news sources cover conflict stricken areas or areas where there is limited access to sound information, a place like Somalia. What’s even more pertinent here is that Somalis’ main form of obtaining information is through word of mouth and there is a heavy reliance on media outlets such as radio stations.
Ever since the collapse of the government, there has been an outbreak of media outlets in forms of radios and websites as well as TV. These have all been individually created with most of its owners having no previous experience or training in media. Consequently a surge of individuals claiming to be journalists broke out since there is no way of double checking the validity of their claim.
On the other hand, since Somalis became dispersed across the world fleeing the civil war, these media agencies grew to fill the communication void that was created by the war and Somalis had a means of staying informed of the happenings in their homeland. However many of these media outlets also served as a propaganda tool to promote personal, political or tribal goals and as a result fueled the ongoing war.
These media agencies commit ethical and integral offences on numerous levels including those based outside the country but with ignorance towards what ethics really is and the role it plays in the media, one can hardly blame the individuals committing those offences. The journalism industry in the Somali context has become devalued with everyone aspiring to be a journalist without seeking the knowledge or training.
Those outlets based within the country can only be held accountable with the return of good governance and judicial institutions that can regulate the industry. In additio these institutions can train them as well so that the quality of the local media is raised.
The ones based outside the country, in my opinion, suffer from a self-rightous type of ignorance in the sense that they believe they know what they're doing without having that knowledge. Or more scarily, they are aware they ought to seek experience in the field but are afraid to admit (believing that admitting one has weaknesses is automatically classified as failure).
Having said all of that I believe the community has an important role to play when it comes to images portrayed of the Somali community by the mainstream media.For example, by establishing a relationship with the media and keeping them informed of the issues the community cares about whilst giving them an angle relevant to them, ensures awareness is created. Once this takes place on a community wide level, the media in question will have a voice to reckon with.
On a more personal note, I am gearing up for Ramadan and my trip back home. Pray for my safe and sound landing and return, please. I've been working back to back shifts for the past 2 months if not more, so I could really do with a break.
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