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Somalia: Govt. shuts down Radio Warsan in Baidoa. Thu. December 14, 2006 12:16 pm. - Mohamed Abdi Farah (SomaliNet) The only remaining local independent FM Radio Warsan in Baidoa city, southwest of Somalia has been shut down on Thursday by the interim government authority - amid growing pressure on free press in the areas controlled by transitional federal government, Reports say. “The radio station was off air around 5:00 pm local time when armed policemen led by the deputy police commissioner in the town Hussein Kerow forcefully entered the station and switched off the Radio’s power generator,” the executive director of Radio Warsan, Abdifitah Mohamed Ibrahim Gesey said in an interview with Somalinet Mr. Gesey said he did not know the reason that his station was closed. “I was out of the station at the time of shutting down the Radio and I really got shocked when I heard the news and this is total violation against the free press,” “I think my station was shut down because of early air program on complaints by families that illegally moved away from areas near to presidential palace,” Gesey said. He said there has been no early warning by the government given to the station and it was surprise action. He added that there was no any official decree from the government ordering the closure of the Radio Warsan. “I was told that it was an oral order from the police command in Baidoa,” he said. Since the arrival of the allegedly Ethiopian troops in Bay region, southwest of Somalia, the free media in Baidoa has been facing mounting pressure including constant threatens from the government No harassment was subjected to the staff of Radio Warsan, Gesey confirmed. Earlier, the studios of Shabelle and Horn Afrik Radios in Baidoa were shut down by the government accusing it of airing reports bias to Islamic Courts side. There has been four Radio stations operating in Baidoa, the base of TFG; Radio Warsan, Shabelle Radio, Horn Afrik Radio and Baidoa Radio which is pro-government. Currently, in Somalia the free press is hard to do its journalistic job on normally because of the rival administrations in the country that each wants only to hear ‘Yes news’ would be unpleasant with any ‘No news’ News Category: Somalia Latest Headlines Latest News East Africa threatened by soaring food prices-O... Somalia: 9 civilians killed by Ethiopian soldiers i... Nigerian drug trafficker beheaded in the holy city o... Nigeria: Militant group threatens to attack oil pipe... Philippines to send over 300 soldiers to Liberia for... Nigeria: 12 killed as petrol tanker burst into flame... U.S: Man shoots three people at community college <... Iran: Fresh nuclear talks could resume- says top offi... South Africa: UN boss plans to name SA judge for top... Asia: Jet pilot could face life in prison for ‘delib... More News...