South Sudan bans 20 foreign journalists
Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) chairman Oliver Modi (left) attends a meeting on the killing of South Sudanese journalist Peter Moi of The New Nation newspaper on August 21, 2015 in Juba. Juba has banned 20 foreign journalists. PHOTO | SAMIR BOL | AFP
What you need to know:
- South Sudan Media Authority Elijah Alier, who did not disclose any names, said the agency had issued over 200 permits to foreign journalists and media houses to operate in the country.
- South Sudanese veteran journalist Alfred Taban on Tuesday called for the dissolution of the Media Authority.
- South Sudan has become increasingly dangerous for journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The South Sudan Media Authority (SSMA) has banned 20 foreign journalists from entering or operating in the country for what it termed “unsubstantiated and unrealistic stories”.
The chairman of the regulatory agency, Elijah Alier, said most of the affected journalists had often reported stories with the potential to incite hate and violence among the South Sudanese.
Mr Alier, who did not disclose any names, said the agency had issued over 200 permits to foreign journalists and media houses to operate in the country..
He said some of the journalists had neither reliable sources nor specific geographical bases, factors he blamed for the claimed inaccuracies in their reports.
The journalists, Mr Alier said, had filed stories that insulted or degraded South Sudan and its people.
INCITE VIOLENCE
Their reports, Mr Alier went on, sometimes incited violence rather than encouraging the public to embrace peace. He added that some of the reports had violated the provisions of the Media Authority Act.
“Issues to do with hate speech, incitement to violence and disinformation are not acceptable in the context of our law. Some of the reporters have not even been seen in South Sudan, you need to respect the country,” Mr Alier was quoted saying by a local radio in Juba on Wednesday evening.
He said the agency had no problem with journalists reporting on facts, adding that unverified information that often led to panic and heightened instability was unacceptable.
“Reporting about the humanitarian situation is acceptable. Such reports are helping South Sudan as they inform the world and the donor community,” he said.
South Sudanese veteran journalist Alfred Taban on Tuesday called for the dissolution of the Media Authority, saying it was adding to the suffering of journalists and facilitating their intimidation, arbitrary arrests and harassment.
WORST COUNTRY
Mr Taban, the founder of the Juba Monitor daily newspaper, said in his opinion piece that the Media Authority was an arm of the security agency, which had made the work of journalists and respect for press freedom impossible.
South Sudan has become increasingly dangerous for journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Several journalists have died in line of duty in the young nation.
