Jamal Osman named One
World media journalist of the year
Somali reporter Jamal Osman is named journalist of the year
at the One World media awards for a collection of his films
for Channel 4 News.
The awards, presented by Channel 4 News Presenter Jon Snow
on Tuesday night, recognise outstanding journalism on the
developing world. Jamal beat fellow nominees Sue Lloyd
Roberts (Newsnight) and Felicity Lawrence (The Guardian) to
take home the for a portfolio of work on Somalia.
In the first piece in his entry, Jamal travelled to
Mogadishu to meet a team of athletes for the Olympics.
Their training ground is the "road of death", the dividing
line between government forces and al-Shabaab militia. But
the athletes have few options since Mogadishu's national
sports stadium is now destroyed after al-Shabaab fighters
used it as a military base.
A rare story of inspiration, the film captures the grand
ambitions of the team - not just to succeed in their sport -
but also to use that victory to reunite their country.
Famine
Jamal returned to see the extent of the drought in Somalia,
showing the mental effects for those whose lives have been
upturned – alongside the physical effects of malnutrition.
And as the UN confirmed that famine was spreading rapidly
across the country, he was the first to enter al-Shabaab
territory and speak to the Islamist group.
And amid discussions between the UK and the US governments
about the legitimacy of al-Shabaab, Jamal met the refugees
caught in the middle. He heard tales of appalling abuse and
tells viewers of the anger at the failure of the
western-backed to protect them from rape.
Ben de Pear, head of foreign news at Channel 4 News, said:
"Jamal Osman has brought the Channel 4 News audience a
unique understanding of Somalia’s struggle with natural
disaster, famine and internal conflict. His knowledge has
enabled him to tell stories that most other journalists
would struggle to reach, or understand, explaining this
complicated country with fantastic simplicity. We're so
pleased to see him recognised as a leader in journalism
about the developing world."
