Somalia: Islamists ban radio music

There was virtually no music played on Somali radio stations on Tuesday following orders from hardline militants that such move is un-Islamic. The militants have also banned bras, musical ringtones and movies bringing back memories of strict social rules imposed on Afghans in the late 90s by Talibans.

"Now I think we are going to be forced to hear only the horrific sounds of the gunfire and the explosions," said Khadiya Omar, a 22-year-old Mogadishu resident who called music a "tranquilizer" to help him forget life's troubles in an AP report.

Residents were awestruck by the news as Somalia has a tradition of music. Rock, rap and love songs from the U.S., Europe and Africa could be heard on Somali stations before the ban according to the report.

As many as a dozen Mogadishu-based radio stations stopped playing music on Tuesday after the insurgent group Hizbul Islam gave the order earlier this month.

However, Somalis in the country's capital can still listen to music on two stations: one that the government controls and another that is funded by the United Nations. Both stations are based in the small area of Mogadishu under the control of government and African Union forces.


http://www.africanews.com/site/Somalia_Islamists_ban_radio_music/list_messages/31302

:wtf:

article about that http://tundratabloid.blogspot.com/2009/10/somalia-hanging-leather-bag-police.html

no kidding i read an article about that, ..i guess the 'Virtue Police' ,no shit they are real.. were they feeling up women in burkas to make sure.. apparently in places, Afghanistan reportedly also.. the Virtue police will pick up un-escorted women and take them in for questioning.. where they are gang raped because only a whore would be un-escorted, then released. she cant report it or she will be charged with infidelity and buried up to her waist and stoned to death..

I keep hearing that in Afghanistan the people fear the police much more than the Talaban.. and the talaban are a bunch of Medieval rat bastards..!!

maybe that's the only show on the Taliban Channel.

There was an image of a Cylon putting up a sign that says "No Fun Allowed", but I can't find it.

Bunch of folks in the music biz want to save the world - here's a gold-plated chance. No need to propagandize or politicize - good music, maybe a straight-up news feed from CNN International or BBC world service.