Concern Grows for Journalists Kidnapped in Somalia
在索马里遭绑架新闻记者受关注

　 
An organization representing Somali journalists has raised concern with the continued captivity of three freelance journalists - an Australian, a Canadian, and a Somali kidnapped nearly two months ago. The conflict in Somalia has had a severe impact on the country's media.

一个代表索马里记者的组织对三名自由职业新闻工作者持续被拘押表示关切。在三名记者中，一名是澳大利亚人，一名是加拿大人，另一名是索马里人，他们在大约两个月前被绑架。索马里的冲突对这个国家的媒体造成了严重的影响。

Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, freelance journalists from Canada and Australia, respectively, were abducted west of the Somali capital Mogadishu on August 23, along with Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi, a Somali journalist who was accompanying them.

来自加拿大和澳大利亚的自由职业新闻工作者林赫特和布伦南8月23号在索马里首都摩加迪沙以西的地方被绑架。同时被绑架的还有陪同他们的索马里记者埃尔米。

In early September, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $2.5 million. Since then, there has been no official communication with the kidnappers.

绑架者在9月初提出要250万美元赎金。从那以后，绑架者没有和外界有正式的沟通。

Later in September, the foreign journalists were shown in a video broadcast on al-Jazeera television. The station reported that a group calling itself the Mujahideen of Somalia claimed to be holding them, and criticized Canadian and Australian involvement in the conflict in Somalia.

9月下旬，这两名外国记者出现在“半岛”电视台播出的一段录像里。“半岛”电视台报导说，一个自称“索马里圣战者”的组织声称扣押著这几个人，这个组织还批评加拿大和澳大利亚卷入索马里冲突。

But there has been little other indication of a political motive. The French-based organization Reporters Without Borders questioned whether the video was produced by the kidnappers themselves.

但是几乎没有什么迹象显示绑架者有别的政治动机。设在法国的“记者无国界”组织对这段录像是否是绑架者自己录制的表示怀疑。

The Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists, Omar Faruk, says the kidnappers appear to simply be after money.

索马里记者全国联盟的秘书长法鲁克说，绑架者似乎只是为了钱。

"As far as we know, the kidnappers are freelance militias, and they have demanded a ransom," Faruk said. "They are not part of the warring sides. That is something that we have never seen. Journalists to be kidnapped and that huge amount of money demanded."

法鲁克说：“就我们所了解，这些绑架者是自由职业的民兵，他们提出了赎金要求。他们不属于交战的任何一方。记者被绑架，要求巨额赎金，这是我们从未见过的。”

He urged Somali politicians not to get involved in the issue, warning that their statements could complicate the efforts of clan elders, who he said have the ability to secure the journalists' release.

法鲁克呼吁索马里政治人物不要参与这一问题，他警告说，政治人物的声明可能使派系长老的努力变得更加复杂。他说，这些长老有能力使记者获释。

Reporters Without Borders has called Somalia the most dangerous country for journalists in Africa. Nine Somali journalists have been killed so far this year . Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.

“记者无国界”组织说，对在非洲的记者来说索马里是最危险的国家。今年以来，已经有9名索马里记者被杀害。法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。

"Journalists are not going to the field to cover the news. Because of safety reasons," Faruk explained. "There are many roadblocks in Mogadishu city. Journalists cannot walk, and if they walk having a microphone or digital camera they will be seen by the militias as spies or as enemies and they will be targeted. And they do not want to risk their lives. So quality journalism is dead in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu, there is widespread censorship, threats are constant."

法鲁克说：“记者不去实地采访新闻，因为安全原因。摩加迪沙市有许多路障，记者不能步行，而且如果他们走路时带著麦克风或电子摄像机，他们会被民兵当成特务或敌人，就成了攻击对象。记者也不想冒生命危险。所以索马里，特别是摩加迪沙，没有高质量的新闻。那里的新闻普遍受到审查。威胁是随时随地都存在的。”

Fighting continues in Mogadishu, with Islamist insurgents firing on African Union peacekeepers. Additional peacekeepers have arrived from Burundi in recent days, but the current force of around 3,000 Ugandan and Burundian troops is far less than the envisioned 8,000.

战斗在摩加迪沙持续进行，伊斯兰暴乱分子向非洲联盟维和人员开火。最近几天，从布隆迪又有维和增援人员赶到。目前大约有3千名乌干达和布隆迪的维和部队，远比期待的8千人要少得多。

The mission has had little success in controlling the conflict between Islamist insurgents and the Ethiopian-backed transitional government. The African Union has asked for the United Nations to take over responsibility for peacekeeping in Somalia, but there has been little indication the United Nations would be interested in doing so.

伊斯兰暴乱分子和埃塞俄比亚支持的过渡政府之间冲突不断，维和部队在控制冲突方面收效慎微。非洲联盟要求联合国接管在索马里的任务，但是没有迹象表明联合国愿意这么做。