VZCZCXRO6858
RR RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #2152 2821418
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091418Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1283
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002152 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV SOCI SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - PUNTLAND ADMINISTRATION PROMISES TO 
RE-INSTATE VOA SOMALIA SERVICE 
 
REF: NAIROBI 2116 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Following a series of telephone 
conversations with Puntland Administration officials since 
the October 1 decision to ban Puntland FM radio stations from 
carrying the Voice of America's (VOA) Somalia Service 
(reftel), Puntland President Faroole's Chief of Staff October 
9 called Somalia Unit to report that VOA Somalia Service 
would be re-instated.  He nevertheless urged the USG to do 
what it could to combat what he said was the bias in VOA's 
reporting on events in Puntland and he continued to worry 
about what he said was the unrepresentative clan composition 
of VOA's Puntland staff.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) A series of telephone conversations with Puntland 
Administration officials since the October 1 decision to ban 
FM radio stations in Puntland from broadcasting VOA Somalia 
Service programming and to forbid certain Somalia Service 
journalists from working for VOA in Puntland, seemed to 
produce on October 9 a decision to allow VOA Somalia Service 
to resume broadcasting in Puntland. The President's Chief of 
Staff, with whom Somalia Unit had been in touch earlier, 
October 9, called to thank the Embassy for participating in a 
Puntland-related event in Minneapolis during the week of 
October 12 and to announce, as a "good will gesture," that 
VOA Somalia Service Puntland would be allowed to resume 
broadcasting. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Chief of Staff nevertheless insisted that the 
Puntland Administration's complaints about biased coverage 
(reftel) remained, and that they should be addressed by the 
USG.  The unrepresentative clan composition of VOA's Puntland 
staff should be remedied as well, he said. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  The Chief of Staff did not specify exactly 
when the ban would be lifted, and did not say if the 
Administration's decision extended to allowing the banned VOA 
journalists to resume work.  Embassy intends to call the 
affected journalists during the week of October 12 and will 
report on the implementation of the Puntland Administration's 
decision. 
HOZA