PRESS CODE OF CODUCT FOR COVERAGE OF THE SOMALILAND 2005 ELECTIONS:

(In Somali and English)

Xeerka Anshaxa Saxaafadda Ee Doorashooyinka Somaliland 2005
Saxaafaddu waxay kaalin weyn ka qaadan kartaa la socodka abaabulka doorashooyinka iyo sida wax u dhacayaan. Warbaahintuna waxay ka haqab-tiri kartaa dadweynaha waxyaabaha socda ee dhacaya marka ay si buuxda uga xog-waranto ololayaasha siyaasadeed iyo arrimaha doorashooyinka.

Saxaafadda oo si buuxda oo sugan uga soo xog-waranta arrimaha doorashooyinkuna, waa qaab kordhinaya wacyiga iyo wax-ogaanshaha dadweynaha, macluumaadka la xidhiidha doorashada, musharaxiinta tartamaya, qodobada jira iyo barnaamijyada lagu tartamayo. Ka xog-waranka doorashooyinka, soo bandhigidda doodaha iyo afkaarta musharaxiinta iyo ololuhu, waxay dadweynaha u siinaysaa fursad iyo wax-ogaansho awood u siinaya inay wax ku kala doortaan maalinta ay codaynayaan. Waxa kale oo ay dadweynaha ka war-gelinaysaa xogta iyo macluumaadka la xidhiidha maalinta cod-bixinta, goobaha codaynta iyo waqtiga ama saacadaha la dhiiban karo codadka.

Si saxaafaddu ay u gudato waajibaadkan, waa in ay shuruudahan soo socda la fuliyaa:

In qaybaha saxaafadda oo dhammi ay galan-gal u yeelan karaan hawlaha doorashooyinka iyo cidii ku lug leh.

In weriyayaashu ay la xidhiidhi karaan hawl-wadeenada doorashada, goobaha codbixinta, musharaxiinta iyo cod-bixiyayaasha.

Inay tahay muhiim in saxaafaddu xaq u leedahay inay raadiso, heshana xog iyo macluumaad.

In saxaafaddu samayn karto xog-baadhis iyo warbixin, iyada oo aan u habranayn caga-juglayn iyo cabsi-gelin ama ciqaab.

In saxaafaddu ay u madax banaanaato inay ka xog-waranto arrimaha doorashooyinka oo dhan, iyada oo aan lagu samayn faaf-reeb iyo xanibaad lagula kaco hawlaheeda.

In saxaafaddu u baahan tahay inay si xor ah u tegi karto, una soo kormeeri karto dalka oo dhan si ay ula socoto ololayaasha iyo musharaxiinta, una aragto sida maamulka doorashadu uga socda dhulka oo dhan.

In dhamaan qaybaha warbaahinta iyo saxaafadda loola macmiilo si siman, ha noqdo qalabka warbaahinta dawladda iyo kan gaarka loo leeyahay intaba, ayna u sinnaadaan galaan-galka iyo la xidhiidhka axsaabta siyaasadda, musharaxiinta, dadweynaha wax dooranaya ee codaynaya iyo goobaha codaynta, wararka iyo macluumaadka intaba.

In hay’adaha dawliga ah iyo kuwa aan ahaynba ay ka waantoobaan soo fara-gelinta hawlaha saxaafadda iyo suxufiyiinta, soo fara-gelintaas oo ujeedadeedu ay noqon karto ku danaysiga iyo saamaynta doorashooyinka.

Si looga hortago mala-awaal iyo tuhun soo dhex-gala, waa in natiijooyinka doorashada la sii daayaa oo la faafiyaa waqti sugan oo habboon.

Warbaahinta debadda, gaar ahaanna laanta af-Soomaaliga ee BBC-da, waxay gaadhi kartaa soohdimo baaxad leh iyo dhegaystayaal badan, waxayna saamayn ku yeelan kartaa dadweynaha codaynaya. Sababtaas awgeed, waa in laamahaasi lagu dhiiri-geliyaa inay uga xor-waramaan doorashooyinka Somaliland si mug iyo tixgelin leh, iyaga oo xeerinaya anshaxa iyo xeerarka saxaafadeed ee doorashooyinka ee iyaga u dejisan iyo kan saxaafadda Somaliland ee hoos ku xusan intaba.

Guddiga Doorashooyinka (NEC), waxa lagu dhiiri-gelinayaa in ay la socdaan sida warbaahinta debaddu uga xog-waramayso doorashooyinka, sameeyaanna qaab loogala xidhiidhi karo cabashooyinka soo baxa.

Saxaafadda Somaliland, iyadoo gudanaysa, dhawraysana madax-banaanida tifaftirka, waxay dhinaceeda dejisatay kuna dhaqmaysaa anshaxan xeerarka doorashooyinka ee soo socda:

Inay ugu xog-waranto ololaha doorashooyinka si xaq-soornimo iyo dhexdhexaad ah, isku dheeli tiran, oo xag-jiris la’aan ah.

Inay hubiso in wararka iyo warbixinnada saxaafaddu ay yihiin xog-sugan, isku dheeli tiran, oo aan dhinacna u xaglinayn, haddii ay yihiin wararka iyo arrimaha taagan, xog-waraysiyada iyo doodaha saamayn kara dadweynaha codaynaya.
In saxaafaddu iska ilaaliso inay siiso fursado dheeri ah ama gaar ah oo aan meesha qaban, siyaasi haatan awoodda maamulka haya iyo mid aan haynba.

In aan la sii deyn ama la faafin baaq xisbiyeed ku saabsan doorashada maalinta ka horeysa codbixinta, si dadweynaha codaynaya fursad loogu siiyo inay si madax bannaani ah wax u go’aansan karaa, iyaga oo aan dareemin culays iyo cadaadis.
In intii suurto-gal ah, toos loo soo xigto musharaxiinta iyo axsaabta aragtidooda iyo doodahooga, halkii cid kale laga soo qaadan lahaa.

In la dammaanad qaado, isla markaana la sugo xaq-u lahaanshaha jawaab-celinta musharaxiinta iyo axsaabta siyaasadda, marka ay timaado xilliyada ololaha doorashooyinka.

In la hubiyo in wararka iyo xogaha la xidhiidha ay yihiin qaar sugan, isku dhan oo buuxa dhinac kasta, saamayn leh oo la danaynayo, kuna ladhan sida wax u dhaceen ama ku yimaadeen.

In la isticmaalo ama la adeegsado ereyo iyo luqad dhexdhexaad ah oo cuntama, oo aanay ka muuqan caadifad marka laga warbixinayo doorashooyinka. Waa in laga foojignaadaa, lana hubiyaa inay sugan yihiin ereyada farsamo ee la adeegsanayo, tirokoobyada iyo cinwaannada wararka iyo warbixinnadu.

Waa in laga fogaado wixii keeni kara kicin iyo caadifad marka laga hadlayo arrimaha lagu muransan yahay ama laga kala taagan yahay mawqfiyo kala geddisan ee la isku hayo.

In sideeda loo sheego oo ay qeexnaato ra’yiga iyo afkaarta gaarka ah ee cidi qabto, loona hibeeyo ciddaas, laguna soo koobo oo keliya bogagga gaarka u ah ama barnaamijyada afkaarta iyo faallooyinka ee dadweynaha.

In iidhehda iyo xayeysiisku ay qeexnaadaan oo aanay ku khaldamin xogta iyo wararka jira. Waa in la hubiyaa in iidhehda iyo xayeysiisku ay waafaqsan yihiin xeerarka anshaxa ee loo dejiyey axsaabta ee Guddiga Doorashooyinka (NEC).

Marka saxaafaddu hawlaheeda gudanayso ee ay xog iyo warar raadinayso, waa in suxufiyiintu u gutaan si daacad ah oo cad ama toos ah oo aan qarsoodi ahayn, isna sheegaan.

Waa in suxufiyiintu ay dhawraan ballan-qaadyada ay galaan ee ku saabsan asturaadda ama qarinta ilaha xogta, marka ay jiraan sababo loo garaabo. Haddii kale waa in shaaca laga qaadaa ilahaas.

Waa in aan la xadin ama si sharci-darro ah aan loo soo minguursan xog iyo macluumaad dad iyo meelo kale, waana in la xusaa wixii la soo xigto.

Waa in aan la dhalan-rogin sawirrada iyo muuqaallada, oo aan la marin habaabin dadweynaha.

Waa in laga aqbalin ama laga qaadan, siyaasi iyo musharax midna, wax yeelan kara ujeedo hawl-fududayn iyo laaluush ama ku danaysi.

In aan loogu kala eexan axsaabta oo aan loo kala burin qiimaha iidhehda ama kharashka laga qaadayo.

In aan laga iibsan xogta iyo wararka, ilaha laga helo ama laga qaadanayo.

Waa in Guddiga Doorashooyinku ay kala xaajoodaan kuna daraan guddiga loo xil-saaray la socodka arrimaha doorashooyinka, laba xubnood oo hay’addaha saxaafaddu soo magacaabaan, wakiilna ka ah. Dhinaca kalena, saxaafaddu waxay ballan-qaadaysaa inay dhawrto xaq-u-lahaanshaha guddiga doorashooyinka ee ah daba-galka iyo qiimaynta sida hay’addaha warbaahintu u dhaqan-gelinayaan, una dhawrayaan xeerkan Anshaxa Saxaafadda.

Hargeisa 6 July 2005
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PRESS CODE OF CODUCT FOR COVERAGE OF THE SOMALILAND 2005 ELECTIONS:

(English language version Source : http://www.haatuf.net/Archive2003/1ab.htm )

The media plays an important role in monitoring the electoral process. By covering the election events and the political campaign, the media insures that the public is aware of what is happening.

Good media coverage of the electoral process can increase public knowledge and information on the elections, the candidates and the issues. The coverage of elections in the media, and its analysis of candidate platforms and election issues, provides voters with the information they need to make an informed choice on voting day. It can also provide factual information needed by voters to participate, such as the day, hours and locations of polling stations.

In order to fulfill this role several conditions must be met:

· All media must have access to the electoral process and its participants.

· Reporters must have access to electoral managers, electoral sites, candidates and voters.

· It is essential that the media have access to public information.

· The media must be able to investigate and report in a safe environment, without fear of intimidation or retribution.

· The media should be free to cover and report on election events without restrictions or censorship.

· The media needs to be able to circulate freely throughout the country so that it can follow national campaigns or candidates and see how the election administration is working in outlying areas.

· All media should be treated equally, whether it is the government media or private. This applies to access to political parties, candidates, the electorate, electoral sites and information.

· Public authorities and other concerned parties should refrain from interfering with the activities of journalists and other media personnel with a view to influencing the elections.

· In order to combat the Danger of speculation the election results must be released in a timely manner

The foreign broadcast media, particularly the BBC Somali Service, have significant geographic coverage, listenership and potential influence on voters.

For this reason, these services should be encouraged to report on the Somaliland election campaign in a considered and in depth manner giving due regard to their own codes for election coverage and the code adopted by the Somaliland media below.

The NEC is encouraged to monitor the election coverage of foreign broadcast media and establish a liaison mechanism for dealing with complaints.  In return and with due respect for editorial freedom, the Somaliland media has adopted the following code of conduct for the election period.

· To cover the electoral campaign in a fair, balanced and impartial manner.

· To ensure accurate, balanced and impartial coverage of the news and current affairs and in the content of interviews and debates that may have an influence on the attitude of voters.

· To avoid excessive and privileged coverage of an incumbent politicians from the both the ruling and opposition parties.

· Not to disseminate any partisan electoral messages on the day preceding voting, to allow voters to take a decision without pressures.

· As far as possible, to report the views of candidates and political parties directly and in their own words, rather than as others describe them.

· To guarantee a rapid right of reply to a candidate or political party, if so required, in order that this right can be exercised during the campaign period.

· To ensure that news content is factually accurate, complete, relevant and in context.
· To use neutral words for impartial, dispassionate election reporting and take care with technical terms and statistics and ensure headlines reflect the facts of the story.

· To avoid inflaming emotions over controversial issues through impassioned handling of these issues.

· To label opinions and personal interpretations as such, and limit opinions and editorials to the editorial and opinion pages/programmes.
· To label advertising clearly so it is not confused with the news and to ensure that advertising coverage complies with the code of conduct for political parties adopted between by the NEC.

· Journalists are obliged to introduce themselves as such and to be honest and fair in the way news is gathered, reported and presented.
· To honour pledges of confidentiality to a news source, otherwise identify sources of information.

· Not to plagiarise and to give due credit to secondary sources of information.
· Not to alter photographs or graphics to mislead the public.
· Not to accept any inducement from a politician or candidate
· Not to give favourable advertising rates to one political party and not to another.
· Not to give money for sources of stories.
The National Elections Commission should consult with the media select two representatives from the media to serve on the Election Board of Monitors.  In return the media will respect the Board’s right to monitor and adjudicate on the media’s compliance with this code of conduct.

Adopted by members of the Somaliland media –Hargeisa, 6 July 2005