Copyright © 2007 Somalilandlaw.com. All rights reserved

Somaliland Broadcasting Law

There is currently no separate Broadcasting Law and all the media, including radio and television, as well as the press, is covered by the Press Law.  The Constitution also guarantees freedom of expression.

Nonetheless, the Somaliland Government issued prior to the Press Law, a Ministerial Ban of Private Radio Broadcasting and although this Ministerial Decree is now contrary toe the Press Law and the Constitution, the ban it introduced is still enforced by the Government. Indeed, as recently as late August 2006, the President confirmed in an interview that it will contnue to be in place.  It is still not clear which law or power the Governemnt is praying in aid of in maintaining this ban, but one policy matter that has been mentioned by the Government was the likely effect unregulated private radios might have on public order.  There is, however, a wide gulf between a total ban and a total de-regulation of  broadcasting for which no one is arguing.  

There is one privately owned Television station in Somaliland, but there are no Somaliland based radio stations, other than the Government owned Radio Hargeisa, which covers only the city area.

A government owned television station (the Autonomous National Television) also operates now in the capital city of Hargeisa. For the Decree Law relating to this and our own commentary, please click here.

 ________________________________________________________________

MINISTERIAL DECREE BANNING THE IMPORTATION & OPERATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED RADIO STATIONS: 04/06/2002 - The Decree referred to the fact that the Press Law was at that time not yet completed and that there was no law then to regulate broadcasting, but see now the Press Law .  The Decree adds that Radia Hargeisa shall ne the only broadcasting radio in Somaliland.

(Minister of Information & Guidance)

Wasiirka warfaafinta iyo wacyigelinta Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland

Markuu arkay:         inay jiraan codsiyo lagu dal-banayo ogolaanshaha idaacado gaar ah.

Markuu eegay:        dastuurka JSL, lana tashaday xeel-dheerayaasha sharciga dalka.

Markuu ogaaday:   Xeerki saxaafadda dalku inuu weli ku laalan yahay golayaasha xeer-dejinta.

Isaga oo garaw-saday:     Halista ka iman karta ogolaanshaha idaacado gaar ah haddii aan loo hayn sharci lagu maamulo.

Waxa uu go’aamiyey laga bilaabo taariikhda wareegtada ilaa iyo inta laga helayo shuruucdii lagu maamuli lahaa:

1. In aan dalka la keeni karin idaacado gaar ah.

2. In aan hawada laga baahan karin cod ka baxsan Raadyow Hargaysa oo ah codka Qaranka .

3. In wixii idaacado ama qalab la xidhiiidha ah ee ku sugan dalka gudihiisa lagu soo wareejiyo gacanta wasaaradda warfaafinta.

4. Cidkasta oo ka hor timaada wareegtadan waxa la hor-geyn doonaa sharciga dalka”.

(SOURCE: Haatuf, Issue 91, 5^th June 2002)

THE SOMALILAND “AUTONOMOUS” NATIONAL TELEVISION

This Presidential Decree (No 97 of 2005) sets up the AUTONOMOUS NATIONAL TELEVISION. Article 1 of the Decree states that the National Television shall have an independent Directorate, but, under Article 2, the Directorate shall come under the Minister of Information & Guidance for advice and direction on policy issues. The Directorate shall be responsible for the dissemination of news and of political, economic and social programmes relating to domestic and foreign issues, which may be broadcast visually or aurally.

The next Presidential Decree (No: 98 of 2005) appointed Mr  Ali  Fu'aad Abdi Jama  as the Director General of the National Television.  

COMMENT:

Somalilandlaw.com considers that an opportunity has been missed in creating a genuinely independent authority or Board that can run this public service and that this new institution has been set up a Directorate headed by one person who will still report to the Minister for all real policy issues.  There are sound constitutional and political reasons for the setting up of a statutory independent National Television Authority whose members are appointed by the Parliament (and not just the President).   Firstly Article 113 of the Constitution states that special national public bodies, in addition to the ones mentioned in the Article, may be created. Secondly, the establishment of a new public body is not the same as the re-organisation of sections in existing ministries which, subject to budgetary considerations, falls under the exclusive power, but requires a law passed by Parliament. Thirdly, the expenditure on a national television is considerable and must be approved by the House of Representatives, which can only do that properly after it has scrutinised and passed the appropriate legislation. Fourthly the genuine independence of such an important medium is crucial to the development of our democracy and parliament, the political parties and the public would want to see a structure and a law that makes such independence a reality. There have already been concerns, especially in election times, about the role of the Government owned Radio which is controlled and run by the Minister of Information.

Somalilandlaw.com recommends the passing of a law which sets up a Somaliland Radio and Television Authority consisting of a Board of no more than 7 members appointed by the House of Representatives, which can run all the publicly owned radio and television and can report directly to parliament every year. The Authority will employ all their own staff and will have control of their own budget.

Somalilandlaw.com also urges that this is also a good opportunity for parliament to pass a Broadcasting Law which sets up a simple and modern system of dealing with the licensing of privately owned radio and television.

Somalilandlaw.com December 2006

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No: 97/2005

Madaxweynaah Jamhuuriyada Somaliland

Markuu arkay:  Qodobka 90-aad ee Dastuurka Jamhuuriyada Somaliland.

Markuu arkay:   Baahida loo qabo in dalku yeesho TV qaran oo  madax banaan.

• Markuu arkay:  Inay lagama maarmaan tahay abuurida Agaasin u madax banaan maamulka iyo Maaraynta hawlaha baahinta gudddo iyo dibadba u soo bandhigida Barnaamujyada horumarineed ee dhismaha qaranka.
• Markuu arkay:  Soo jeedimihi wasiirka Wasaarada Warfaafinta.
• Markuu tix geliyay: Ahmiyada wayn ee abuurida Agaasinka ugu fadhido danaha qaranka.

Wuxuu soo saaray Xeerkan:

Qodob 1aad:

Waxa la abuuray agaasin Madax banaanoo maamula Tv-ga Qaranka. 

Qodob 2aad:

Waa Agaasim leh maamul madax banaan hase yeeshee wuxuu siyaasad ahaan talo iyo tilmaan u hoos imanaya Wasiirka Wasaarada Warfaafinta iyo Wacyi Gelinta.

Qodob 3aad:

Wuxuu masuul ka yahay baahinta wararka, Barnaamujyada siyaasadeed, dhaqaale iyo Bulsho ee Qaran guddo iyo dibadba oo leh maqal iyo muuqalaba.

Qodob 4aad:

Agaasinka Tv-gu wuxuu yeelanaya qaab dhismeed u gaar ah oo ku lifaaqan xeerkan.

________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No: 98/2005 – 03/09/2005

Appointment of Director General of the Autonomous National Television

Agaasimaha guud ee Teelfishanka Qaranka ee Madaxa banaan (Director of the Autonomous National Tv of Somaliland).

Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyada Somaliland

Markuu Arkay:  Qodobka 90aad ee Dastuurka Jamhuuriyada Somaliland.

Markuu Arkay:  Baahida loo qabo in loo maacaabo Agaasime guud Telefishanka Madaxa Banaan ee Qaranka Somaliland.

Markuu Arkay:  Cv-giisa, Aqoontiisa, Waayo aragnimada uu u leeyahay Farsamada Teknoolajiyada Casriga ah (Information Technology), Maamulka iyo Maaraynta Telelifishanka.

Markuu Tix geliyay:  Soo jeedimihi madaxda ay khusayso hawshan iyada ahi.

Wuxuu go'aansaday In Cali Fu'aad Cabdi Jaamac uu ahaado Agaasimaha guud ee Telefishanka Madaxa bannaan ee Qaranka Somaliland.

_________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________