Ottawa, Canada, April 18, 2009 – A citizen of Canada and Somalia, he was killed on the streets of Mogadishu, but Ali Iman Sharmarke’s Radio HornAfrik continues to give a voice to the people of war-torn Somalia. In celebration of Ali Iman Sharmarke’s legacy, the Sharmarke Peace Foundation will host a dialogue on the importance of a free press. The lecture will raise funds to secure the education of Somalia’s next generation of journalists. Liban Sharmarke, son of the late Ali Iman Sharmarke, will be joined by Allan Thompson, Carleton University journalism professor and head of the Rwanda Initiative, and Adrian Harewood, host of CBC Radio’s All in a Day.

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Time: 6h00 – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Villa Marconi 1026 Baseline Road, Ottawa, ON.
Tickets: $ 20.00
Students: $10.00
A light snack will be served

Ali Iman Sharmarke returned to Somalia in 1999 to help rebuild the media in his war-shattered country. Along with Mohamed Elmi and Ahmed Abdisalam Adan, he was one of three founding members of one of Africa’s great media success stories, Radio HornAfrik. Radio HornAfrik continues to be one of the few independent media operating in Somalia and reports on issues of social interest, politics, war and peace. He was killed on August 11, 2007, Killings of Sharmarke is still under investigation. Sharmarke is the recipient of the 2007 Tara Singh Hayer Award which recognizes Canadians for courage in journalism.

The event is open to the media. Liban Sharmarke, son of the late Ali Iman Sharmarke, is available for media interviews. For more information on the Sharmarke Peace Foundation, visit www.sharmarkefoundation.com

For information, contact:
Isabelle Bourgeault-Tassé
613-816-7620

The Sharmarke Peace Foundation condemns the February 4th senseless assassination of Said Tahlil Ahmed, Director of Horn Afrik’s media in Mogadishu, Somalia. Said Tahlil is the 3rd senior employee of the popular Horn Afrik media to be killed in less than a year and half. SPF is upset about the murder of prominent Somali journalists and Director of Horn Afrik media. Said Tahlil was shot numerous times by 3 masked gunmen in Bakara market near Said’s Office. It was not long ago when my husband Ali Iman Sharmarke, then the Director of Horn Afrik Media, was killed when a remote controlled device blew up his car in Mogadishu on August 11. 2007. He was driving home returning from his friend’s funeral, who was another journalist. The manager of capital voice is a sub-division of Horn Afrik media. Mahad Ahmed Elmi was shot while he was heading to work earlier that day. This senseless assassination of Said Tahlil indicates the dangerous environment in which our brave Somali journalists perform their duties. The Sharmarke Peace Foundation is sending condolence to the family and friends of Said Tahlil Ahmed.

INNAA LILLAHI WAINNAA ILEYHI RAJICUUN

Luul Farah Mohamed
Executive Director Sharmarke Peace Foundation

Speech by Nora Sharmarke, daughter of late Ali Iman Sharmake at the first anniversay of the death of her father.

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for coming to this occasion of commemorating the first anniversary of the death of my dad and role model, Ali Iman Sharmarke as well as the unveiling of the Sharmarke Peace foundation which came about to ensure that my dad’s desires and life goals are kept alive.

My name is Nora Sharmarke, the daughter of Ali Iman Sharmarke. I was born in Ottawa Canada in 1997 therefore I am a Somali-Canadian citizen. I am in year seven at The Braeburn School in Nairobi.

I have two brothers who are currently away in Canada. My mother Lul Sharmarke who is with us here today continues to guide and inspire us despite the tough times that we encounter.

I feel honoured today to stand here and celebrate the life of my father. He was my hero and will always remember his good and generous deeds to us as a family and to the Somali society at large.

Unlike many children who always have their father around, my father was always away on many occasions. I would miss him and sometimes compile questions that I would ask him the next time he came home.

I remember some particular questions that I once asked him and I quote “Daddy why are you always away from us? And when are you retiring?” He replied, “I am away because I am helping the poor, the destitute and all those who are suffering to find peace in my beloved country, Somalia.”

This answer put the matter to rest and I was happy and I always wished him well in his endeavours.

In the quest of being close as a family we moved from Canada to Kenya in 2007 so that my dad could visit us as frequently as possible. Unfortunately after two months of settling in Kenya, my dad was brutally killed on 11th August 2007 by the enemies of peace in Somalia.

After intense soul-searching and much consultation, we as Ali Sharmarke’s family decided that instead of revenge, we shall seek peace and reconciliation for the good of all of the Somali community both at home and those in the diaspora.

My father having been a journalist inspired me a lot. I made a personal decision to take up journalism when I grow up and strive to achieve the legacy of my dad. The Sharmarke Peace Foundation will be the channel through which we shall keep the vision of our father alive!

Dad you died while serving the poor, the suffering and the destitute. I know that you went straight to heaven. We as the Sharmarke family shall work hard through the foundation to ensure that your life was not in vain!”

Thank you all once again for your attendance.

Nora Sharmarke, the daughter of Ali Iman Sharmarke

Waxaa fiidnimadii khamiista oo ay bishan November aheyd kowda lagu qabtay magaalada Toronto ee dalka Kanada xaflad aad u weyn oo abaalmarino dhinaca saxaafadda ah lagu guddoonsiiyay suxufiyiin caalami ah oo naftooda ku waayay howsha ay hayeen iyo waliba suxufiyad ilaa iyo hada ku shaqeyneysa xaalad adag oo nafteeda khatar galineysa.

Xafladdaas abaalmarinta suxufiyiinta caalamka ee ku shaqeeya marxalado adag ayaa waxaa soo diyaariyay sanad walbana qabta ururka Kanadiyaanka ah ee (Canadian Journalists for Free Expresion).

Abaalmarinta loo yaqaano “Tara Singh Hayer Award” oo la siiyo suxufiyiinta Kanadiyaanka ah ee muujiya geesinimo dhinaca warbaahinta ah ayaa sanadkan loo gartay Allaha u naxariistee Ali Iman Sharma’arke oo ka mid ahaa milkiilayaasha shirkadda warbaahinta Hornafrik ee xarunteedu ku taallo magaalada Muqdisho,bishii Agoosto 11 keediina lagu dilay magaaladaas isagoo ka soo noqday aasiddii Allaha u naxariistee Mahad Cilmi oo ka mid ahaa shaqaalaha Hornafrik oo isagana isla subaxdaas la dilay.

Waxaa abaalmarintii loogu talogalay marxuumka xafladdaas ku guddoomay Liibaan Cumar Faarax oo matalayay qoyskii uu marxuumku ka tagay. Liibaan wuxuu xafladdaas ka jeediyay khudbad aad loo jecleystay oo isugu jirtay mahadnaq uu u soo jeediyay ururkii abaalmarinta bixiyay iyo wargalin ku saabsaneyd in qoyskooda oo ay hormood u tahay hooyadiis luul Faarax Maxamed iyo saaxiibadood ay go’aansadeen inay sameeyaan Foundation loogu magac daray Ali Iman oo ka shaqeyn doonta howshii uu Cali u taagnaa ee in isbadal dhinaca wanaagsan lagu sameeyo mujtamaca Soomaaliyeed iyadoo warbaahinta la adeegsanayo.

Waxaa sidoo kale xafladdaas gabay ay aad ugu riyaaqeen dadkii halkaas joogay oo ka badnaa shan boqol oo qof ka soo jeediyay wiil yar oo magaciisa la yiraahdo Liibaan Sahal oo uu dhalay Sahal Cabdulle oo ah suxufi Soomaaliyeed oo u shaqeynayay wakaaladda wararka ee Reuters kuna dhaawacmay isla gaarigii uu ku dhintay Cali Iimaan.

Xafladdaas oo ay wax ka xiriirineysay Carol Off oo ah daadihiyaha barnaamij la yiraahdo “As it Happens” oo ka baxa idaacadda CBC ee dalkan Canada, ayaa iyaduna si qiiro leh oo maqal iyo muuqaal ah uga hadashay howshii khatarta badneyd ee uu marxuumku ka hayay Soomaaliya, iyadoo xustay inay Xamar ku booqatay.

Waxaa kaloo xafladdaas abaalmarino lagu guddoonsiiyay Farida Nekzad oo ah wariye reer Afghanistaan ah iyo qoyskii Saher Al-Haidari oo aheyd suxufiyad u dhalalaty dalka Ciraaq oo bishii Juun ee sanadkan lagu dilay magaalada Baqdaad.