Somalia film wins Rory Peck gong
Updated on 14 November 2008
A film shot in September 2007 and broadcast the following month won the Rory Peck Award for News last night at a ceremony in London.
The Channel 4 News-commissioned film from Mogadishu was honoured for its "drama, vividness, humanity and context".
The Rory Peck award goes to freelance coverage of on-the-day news where the focus is on the immediacy of the story.
Watch the winning film
Please note: contains graphic footage
The piece which shows in graphic detail the suffering in Somalia was shot by local cameraman Abdullah Farah Duguf, widely known as 'Duguf'.
One of the judges said: "This is one of the most difficult stories in the world to tell. But he told it with clarity, courage and an amazing eye for detail.
"The camerawork is extraordinary in the circumstances."
Duguf has been working as a cameraman in Somalia since 1993. He has also worked extensively with international broadcasters and agencies as a fixer.
Farah says that the deteriorating situation in Somalia over the past two years has made it almost impossible for him and most other journalists to operate there.
He said: "In this civil war local journalists have become a target. During this filming assignment I received a lot of threats and intimidations as have other journalists, but despite this danger I worked very hard to ensure I remained anonymous.
"Never in the past 17 years have conditions been so insecure, dangerous and chaotic."
He has decided to seek refuge for the foreseeable future.
The awards ceremony
Duguf accepts his award
Farah says that the deteriorating situation in Somalia over the past two years has made it almost impossible for him and most other journalists to operate there.
He said: "In this civil war local journalists have become a target. During this filming assignment I received a lot of threats and intimidations as have other journalists, but despite this danger I worked very hard to ensure I remained anonymous.
"Never in the past 17 years have conditions been so insecure, dangerous and chaotic."
He has decided to seek refuge for the foreseeable future.
