Southern Sudan govt to give media freedom of reporting – Kiir

Oct 19, 2005 (JUBA) — The government of Southern Sudan says it will create space for the media to enjoy freedom of reporting, Sudan Radio Service (SRS) reported.

Talking in his office in Juba on Monday, to two representatives of the Association of Media Development in Southern Sudan or AMDISS, the president of the government of Southern Sudan, Lt-Gen Saliva Kiir, said the media has a major role in sustaining peace.

The president says, as a government, they would like to encourage the media in Southern Sudan, and they would like the media to work better in this situation now that peace has been realized.

Talking about the freedom of expression as enshrined in the international conventions, human rights and UN conventions on the freedom of expression.

Salva Kiir said they want to encourage media in Southern Sudan and they would like the media to operate in an environment of freedom and that it is his belief that media freedom should be granted.

In a separate meeting last week with the vice-president of the government of Southern Sudan, Riek Machar told the journalists in Southern Sudan to draft their own media laws and submit them to the Southern Legislative Assembly for adoption.

(SRS/St)