Sudan media behaviour August 4

KHARTOUM, Aug 4, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — Sudan TV, on 4 August, was observed to be broadcasting unscheduled bulletins in Arabic at 1400 gmt and 1700 gmt. The major item in the 1400 gmt broadcast was a decree by President Al-Bashir appointing the new SPLM leader, Salva Kiir, as the country’s first vice-president.

The 1700 gmt bulletin repeated most of the reports contained in 1400 gmt one with the exception of a report on the return to normalcy in Khartoum. This report was first carried at 1632 gmt during a special programme in which the TV interviewed some Khartoum residents on the violence. The speakers condemned the violence and called for peace and need to uphold national unity.

The station kept on airing a three-minute advert, after every 30 minutes, also calling for peace in the country. The advert had a slogan “Peace for the country” and featured two video clips; one of Garang alone during the signing of the peace pact in Kenya, and the other of him with ex-Vice-President Ali Uthman Taha during the same occasion.

At 1845 gmt, the station broadcast a special programme on the Machakos peace protocol, which led to the final peace deal.

The station also carried reports featuring various political and religious leaders urging Sudanese to avoid violence and chaos.

The violent aftermath of Garang’s deaths also dominated bulletins on Sudan Radio on 4 August.

The radio aired lengthy bulletins, lasting between 40 to 50 minutes and featuring interviews with government officials and ordinary people, condemning the violence and calling for calm. The comments featured people from Khartoum, Kordofan and Darfur states.

Unlike the previous days, the station did not repeat clips of a special programme featuring Garang calling for national peace and unity.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.