Is photographing in public gatherings a crime?
By Madhieu Thiep Madhieu
September 9, 2014 – South Sudan attained her independence in July 2011, after a long and unnecessary struggle which claimed the lives of so many citizens. For the past 22 years of civil war with Sudan, people of southern Sudan took arms demanding freedom of expression, worship, ownership, movement, equal distribution of nature wealth and opportunity for all without discrimination.
But as we managed to separate from northern regime via referendum, the country had been grappling with enormous challenges that need urgent and good response from the government. One of the issue that irked and prompted me to take a pen and a paper is photographing in public occasions like independence celebration.
It seems to be a serious and a grave offense when a person takes photos in an official gathering, because of the reason that is best known by the security agents. Our security forces proved to be more active in confounding cameras and phones of citizens who are excited and wishing to photograph with friends for future memories. To bring you into the same boat, I personally had encountered and experienced such criminal act, committed by our security organs in two separate events. The first was in 2013 at Malakal stadium where I attended the 2nd anniversary of independence. The stadium was full to the brim with colorful traditional dances, military and students’ matches. I hurriedly switched on my camera and started shooting happily. But unfortunately my happiness was hijacked by security personnel who appeared in front of me and seized my machine and receded with it. My mouth was tightly closed and bewildered, what measures I should take to bring back the camera. Luckily, before I could talk, an old man who stood next to me intervened and rescued back to life my digital. I took it and trotted away like a dog that had missed the bone.
However, the disparagement did not stop as a matter of fact. The worse happened in warrap state where I also joined another big and remarkable event, in a chilly morning at Kuajok freedom square. The occasion wasn’t none other than 3rd Independence anniversary celebration. In my absence, it was announced that no unauthorized photographing permitted in this freedom square, except those mandated by information ministry. I arrived and hidden myself in a huge crowd of people with my camera well positioned and began taking snaps of military parade. A young man wearing dark eye glasses with his hands interlocked at the back believed to be member of CID, emerged anteriorly and begun questioning me, as if I was before the judge. “Who told you to photograph?” “Are you a member of information?” Give me the camera? He ordered. I was completely astonished and breathe out a huge carbon dioxide like I was being been chased by a wild animal. I didn’t know which question among the three I should give an answer, but I regroup my momentum and said to him, I wasn’t aware of the ban. He insisted commanding me to hand him my camera. But due to heavy presence of military forces around me, I honored the orders and released the machine to him.
Though he walked away with my camera, my friend and I couldn’t give up. We followed him into thousands of people and requested him to stop for a while. He did and it was our turn to spoke to him. We began to apologize and persuaded him to forgive us though I didn’t consider it as a mistake. After long cajoling and peaceful negotiations, he stretched his black palm and handed to me the camera, but gave a stern warning not to photograph again. As soon as I received the camera, I left the ground immediately with my gloomy facial expression showing strong dismayed, disappointment and discouragement. It didn’t bother me any longer to stay in celebration where I am dehumanized.
All these bad experiences I had encountered prompted me to ask whether, taking photos in public gatherings becomes a crime? If it is, then what kind of offense is that? I know photographing in public occasions in other countries not South Sudan isn’t a serious crime, although it means protecting VIPs images not to be captured by a mere citizen other than the press. In public celebrations, security personnel are supposed to search for criminals possessing dangerous weapons not cameras. We know that bombs are planted in digital cameras in advance countries where terrorism is rampant, but security has a mean of detecting them. I was not expecting confiscation of cameras in a happy event where everyone is rejoicing with friends and wanted to keep their moment in photos for future memories.
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