Media Repression Equals Elusive Peace in Sudan
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 launches a Media Policy for a New Sudan that will feed into discussions between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) as part of the comprehensive peace agreement.
ARTICLE 19 and Norwegian Peoples Aid have taken on the main role as facilitators of independent dialogue on freedom of expression and civil society involvement in media development – a cornerstone of the peace process. The dialogue will include a number of roundtables in the north and south of Sudan.
The northern dialogue will be led by Mahjoub Mohamed Salih, 2005 recipient of the Golden Pen of Freedom Award, and key-note speaker at this weekend’s Sudanese Civil Society Forum in Oslo.
“The government, the SPLM, donors and the UN have all signalled that they will prioritise media development in the post-conflict era. Still, none of them is involving civil society. There is a very real risk that Sudanese decision-makers, while partially responding to the international community when setting new standards for the media, will ignore their own constituents in their media development efforts.” says John Barker ARTICLE 19’s Africa Director.
ARTICLE 19 joins other international organisations at the Forum in Oslo to prepare input into next weeks Sudan reconstruction and development conference that includes UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Restrictive media laws and the absence of freedom of expression are identified as major hindrances to a sustainable peace in Sudan. Participants hope to promote legislation supportive of the peace process in the Sudan and the development of a media environment that will meet the needs of the country’s ongoing democratic progress.
– Note to editors: For a copy of ARTICLE 19’s process for dialogue and the principles that underpin the media policy, with recommendations tailored to journalists, print and broadcast media, please contact: John Barker, ARTICLE 19’s Africa Director on +44-(0)7951-834894 or at [email protected]