Comments on: The forgotten victims in Somalia

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:06:03 +0000

Thanks for the heads up - think the direct link to us you want is this one:

http://www.fromthefrontline.co.uk/blogs/index.php?blog=16&title=journalists_kidnapped_in_somalia&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

By: m. keita

m. keita — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:01:40 +0000

Day 7: Freelancers hostage in Somalia

By: B

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:14:32 +0000

To be fair the majority of the articles do not mention the name of Abdifatah in them, and even worse they don't mention that it was a Somalian journalist with them, but just a fixer or guard. Also in the first few days not many of the articles had Nigel's name either. Amanda's was the first name to be put in print. So of course she would have more Google results.

Also it seems ironic that Amanda's is the main name and photo in the news, but it is the Australians and Somalians who are doing the most work and putting in all the effort to find them - the Canadian government has not even issued a statement about its missing citizen.

While it is Amanda who I identify with most, I would never have considered not including Nigel and Abdifatah in my blog entry about the incident. I do fear it is Abdifatah and then Nigel who are at the most risk of being killed, but they are all in this together and hopefully will make it out together.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:06:31 +0000

Word on the street is that this is entirely financially motivated and has been carried out by individuals with connections to the Somali government. The westerners are very valuable. This difference in risk faced by the westerners and the Somalis is a reminder that as journalists we have a responsibility to consider the potential dangers to everyone in our party. In Mogadishu I always do as I’m told by my fixer but am continually astounded by the number of people who seem to think they know best. In Mogadishu that sort of attitude costs lives, and not always your own.