South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA), in a statement, strongly condemned the shutdown of the state-run Catholic radio, describing the move by authorities as "vague and groundless". Using such reasons to take the radio station off the air was an attack on the "heart of South Sudan’s Constitution", SSHURSA’s statement reads in part. "This must be condemned by anyone who cares about South Sudan’s current and future democratic and rule of law based governance", it adds The 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011 allows for the right to freedom of expression and media. Article 24(1) states: "Every citizen shall have the right to the freedom of expression, reception and dissemination of information, publication, and access to the press without prejudice to public order, safety or morals as prescribed by law". Garang Deng, a member of South Sudan civil society alliance said the way state authorities acted sends a frightening message to the press and demonstrates the government’s intolerance of independent and critical views. "Unilateral decision should not be the immediate response of the authorities to issues on which they hold different views”, Deng told Sudan Tribune Tuesday. Several media and human rights bodies accused Lake state information minister, Dut Makoi Kuok of unilaterally ordering the closure of the radio, allegedly for broadcasting a meeting he held with the station’s management. Makur Marial, who regularly commented on the radio said government blundered in its decision and that the reasons it put forward did not amount to closure of the Catholic founded station. “I was not present at the time, but I learned from colleagues that the minister just decided to shut down the radio to show that he is in the position of authority. There are no good reasons he could give to convince the people", Marial said by telephone from Rumbek, the Lakes state capital. Some of such reason, according to the minister, includes allegations that the radio station had been reporting on human rights abuses in Lakes state and that the programs and activities at the station have been politicised, he added.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 17:50:30 +0000
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