Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba Santo Laku Pious said in a speech this week that the ongoing war in the country is due to lack of information, criticizing harassment of journalists.

“If there are no medicines, proper security, food, if journalists are being harassed, if citizens are being killed by 'unknown gunmen', they said we should not talk. The bishop must talk if things are not right,” Laku added, urging South Sudanese to stand against evil and support right actions in their communities.

The bishop made these remarks during the occasion marking the ten year anniversary of Radio Bakhita.

Laku said that all South Sudanese have the right to speak out, not only those from one tribe.

“If there is someone who is still saying that this one should not talk and that one should not talk, it is not right. There is law that states what should not be said and what have to be said. If anyone say something that you do not like, go to the court,” he said.

He urged the government to be transparent to avoid rumors by allowing the public to know the situation in the country, pointing out that lack of information causes anger among communities as communities rely on false information.

He called for encouragement of South Sudan journalists and musicians to promote development of the country, urging media houses in the country to have good programming to build the local communities in a moral way. The bishop also called on the public to help monitor radio programs and report any program that is unethical.

The bishop also urged media to play a role in educating South Sudanese in the process of reconciliation.

“The media have to work hard to make sure that these groups of people who do not have the word reconciliation, the word 'sorry' in their own language, we have to insert it to them this time so that they learn, and they know that without the word sorry, reconciliation without the word 'thank you', we will not go ahead,” he said.

“The next thing is the respect to the human person. The human being have to be respected. There are still people who do not respect the human being completely,” he said advising South Sudanese communities to bury the dead decently.

The bishop said the current ongoing killing in the country is due to different understanding among communities of the value of the human person.

“We need to use these radios not just to broadcast news, yes, is good to have news, but educational news,” the bishop added, saying tribalism has to be fought through strong media cautioning leaders on use of their own communities to cling to power.

Related:

Photos: Bakhita FM celebrates 10 year anniversary (9 Feb.)

Catholic bishop says telling the truth is risky in South Sudan (2 Feb.)