Battle of the bans: Somali government orders stations to play music, 1 week after Islamist ban

Somali govt tells radio to defy Islamist music ban

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Two Somali radio stations say the government has ordered them to close for obeying a week-old order by an Islamic militant group to stop playing music.

Officials at Somaliweyn and Tusmo radio stations say they won’t obey the government order to resume playing music and shut down Tuesday.

Abukar Mohamed Hassan Kadaf of Somaliweyn says the National Security Agency called the station executives to a meeting and later sent them a letter with the order.

Hizbul Islam ordered more than a dozen stations to stop playing music on April 13. The stations have had to re-record their ads. Some are using gunfire, car horns and animal cries to act as a bridge between programs.

Somalia has not had an effective government for 19 years.