South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
May 18, 2010 (JUBA) – A UN-sponsored Miraya FM radio is under serious warning by the minister of Information and Broadcasting, Paul Mayom Akech, who accused the media house of inciting ethnic violence in Southern Sudan through its broadcasting pattern.
He said the recent broadcasting of news by the radio were inciting ethnic violence in Southern Sudan and demanded that the radio’s editorial body be reviewed including “at worst” dismissing all the staff that are there and replacing them with “people who would be conscious of the interest of the people of Southern Sudan.”
He called for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the body that owns and sponsors Miraya FM, to publicly apologize to the people of Southern Sudan for airing divisive news to the population.
This is “for the people of Southern Sudan to know that we have not let matters flow as others wish,” he said.
The information minister issued the warning during his meeting with the head of UN in Southern Sudan, David Gressly, and gave the radio administration one week to put the editorial body in order or the radio would be closed down.
Mayom also warned another Juba-based private radio, Bakhita, against concentrating on local politics instead of religious programs, saying the government would also be forced to withdraw its license.
Miraya FM was established soon after the formation of the Government of Southern Sudan in 2005. Most of its staff are Southern Sudanese.
The government’s official spokesperson cited the recent broadcasting of renegade Gen. George Athor Deng’s demands by the radio as one of the issues that amounted to incitement of violence in the region.
(ST)
Gatwech
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
What?
Is press censorship at play in South Sudan.
Kur
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Terrorists like Athor should not have access to legitimate media coverage. It does not make sense. If criminals can be allowed to air their crimes, what would be the purpose of the media ?Freedom of media should not be abused by encouraging evil in the name of freedom. Freedom comes with responsibilities. It is therefore the responsibility of the press to obey laws and security concern of the people of South Sudan.
Kur
Madhod
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
I don’t think Miraya FM Radio has done or violated anything here, rather than forcasting the facts. To me SPLM is trying to silence the media from reporting things that are not favorable by the SPLM party. Mr. Mayom Akech needs to understand the freedom of speech, and he needs to know that the media doesn’t have to report thing that SPLM wants to hear, otherwise, it won’t be called a good journalism. We need to set an example to the world that, the GoSS is not like the NCP party in the North who always censor the news in their favor. Reporting the facts doesn’t translate into inciting violence, it simply means that the reporter is giving us the information as it happened. SPLM needs to know that we are no longer in struggle movement, but in a transformation stage to be a better government, which allows freedom of speech, liberty, fair election, and all the things that comes with it. If the SPLM leadership is not ready for this, then it needs to vocate the leadership seat to a person who understand what freedom is.
Sudan virus
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Good observation minister Paul Akech!
The editor is responsible for all these nonsenses at side of the Radio miraya fm and you are responsible on side of the government of south Sudan.
Miraya fm have several times bewitch our president elect Salva Kiir to die and you keft quite of the issue.
The program officer/administrator of miraya fm must organize refreshment training for their staff who are vias against the people of southern Sudan.
Thank you Akech
Gai Kuol Deng
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Your excellency,
Where have you been, this so-call Miraya FM and Bhakita Radio have done alot of damage in our society; you should have closed them down all together.
Any entity or individual that engaged on inciting enmity amongst our people deserve no forgiveness.
If that is press freedom then it has to be erased in our constitution.
Follow your words please and Godbless the people of South Sudan.
king
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Calm down uncle Paul Mayom Akech, don’t be panic and start threatening or intimidating innocent media because they didn’t create the rebellion of general Athor. Your SPLM/A or GoSS created this conflict. You aggravate the existing charges of intimidating and threatening by your SPLM/A or GoSS. Or if you want go ahead and close them down and come and differentiate between your GoSS and NCP to the world. Uncle Paul this sign are due to your incompetent GoSS and if you con’t handle to leader leave and let us look for someone who can handle. We aren’t happy when we hear all kind of threatening and intimidating from government officials. Please don’t make it worse you already created the mess there is nothing you going to be shame about it. Just let it go through your skin and it is not going to hurt you if you not going to be panic and cuase you heard attack.
Paul Lokuji Micah daudi
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
That’s great CUR Mayom
The media in Southern Sudan should be put into right track otherwise it will be a new Rwanda in South Sudan;
Miraya FM as its a UN base thing is full of people whom actually don’t care for the good in Southern Sudan that’s why they like to cause tribal conflict but that time had gone,curb their hands and cut off their fingers respectable minister before they cause more harm than good,any way where can the UN throw its staff to work its only looking for more conflict in Africa to find jobs for its trouble makers like David Grisly and others to accommodate them in the UN
Gatluak Latjor
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Good directions Sir for the common good of South Sudan, but what about those mouths whose rumours are the fatal weopons our enemies invest on.
Akuma
South Sudan warns Miraya FM radio against inciting violence
Rwanda genocide of 1994 that killed 800,000 of people were due to RLTM radio incitment. we need to be carefuly when broadcasting news
Dr. Akuma,
Chicago, USA