Twenty-six members of South Sudan’s security services and organized forces participated in a dialogue event earlier this month in Juba with some of South Sudan’s media houses, under the theme “Strengthening mutual relationship between media and security.”

Members of SPLA, the National Security Service and the police participated in the event, which was organized by the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) and held in Juba on 19-20 December.

Ayaa Irene Proscovia, AMDISS Media Development Officer, explained that the dialogue forum was organized by AMDISS in collaboration with Ministry of Information and the security organs.

She told Radio Tamazuj that the participating media houses included Bakhita Radio, The Citizen, Catholic Radio Network, Eye Radio, Voice of America, Juba Monitor, City FM, Radio Miraya, the state-run television and radio, and The Juba Telegraph.

The recommendations of the dialogue event were distributed on Monday by AMDISS. Among the key recommendations is one that journalists should be accredited with the relevant authorities in order to work.

“Both parties stressed the importance of complete accreditation of journalists to avoid the risk of arrest interference,” reads the recommendations document.

Participants also stressed the importance of “mutual cooperation and understanding”, “continued dialogue” and “more clarification of security standing orders,” among other ideas.

Proposed policy shift

If adopted, the recommendation to accredit journalists would represent a major shift in policy on the part of independent media houses. Prior to the outbreak of the crisis last December, it was widely reported that some media houses ‘defied’ directives to accredit journalists.

As reported by Eye Radio on 3 December 2013, “Many of South Sudan’s media houses have defied a recent government [order] that they must register all reporters, describing it as ‘inappropriate’.”

On the same day, the main English daily and the main Arabic daily threatened to shut down rather than comply with the accreditation order, Al Masier announced. The papers argued that the government should not be given powers to choose who is and who is not allowed to work as a journalist.

Likewise, Sudan Tribune reported on 4 December 2013 that independent editors “condemned” and “rejected” the government directive for registration of journalists. The Citizen editor-in-chief Nhial Bol was quoted as saying that editors walked out of a meeting with Minister Michael Makuei Lueth after he demanded that journalists submit their CVs to his ministry for vetting.

Similarly, Radio Tamazuj reported on 4 December 2013, “Editors have rejected the attempt by the Ministry of Information to register journalists, refusing to bring requested documents such as CVs to the ministry.”

The Citizen editor-in-chief stressed that the accreditation order was “an unlawful act,” warning that media houses could take the minister to court over the move and stressing that his order had only been issued verbally and not in writing.

Subsequently, the ministry’s registration drive stalled. Although the government never formally rescinded its demand that all journalists carry government-issued ID cards, to date the process has never been fully completed.

Meeting follow-up

According to AMDISS, the media houses and security organs will follow up on the recent dialogue event with a committee meeting in mid-January.

Members of the committee will include one member each from the National Police Service, the SPLA and the National Security, while AMDISS, the Union of Journalists and the National Editors Forum will also send representatives.

“The National Ministry of Information shall be the secretariat for the committee’s meetings and follow up the implementation of these recommendations.”

Meanwhile, AMDISS also recently hosted a similar event in Kwajok involving Don Bosco FM, Radio Miraya, Warrap State Radio, Mayardit FM (Internews), as well as some representatives of the security services.

Photo courtesy of AMDISS

Related:

Timeline: media struggle in South Sudan (18 Aug.)

New newspaper linked to S Sudan president’s office to promote ‘national sovereignty’ (13 Sept.)