US Ambassador Susan Page has called upon the government of South Sudan to promote and respect fundamental freedoms enshrined in the transitional constitution. She said this at the launch ceremony of an American radio station in Juba. 

Juba is one of several African capitals where the American broadcaster has set up FM towers, others being Nairobi, Accra, Abidjan, and Bangui. The station in Juba is funded by the US Department of State through the US Broadcast Board of Governors. It will broadcast the locally produced ‘South Sudan in Focus’ program for 30 minutes or more per day while airing VOA’s English to Africa service the rest of the time.

Operating at 93.5 FM, the new transmitter is the second FM radio station in Juba paid for by the US Government. The other one is funded through the US Agency for International Development and known locally as ‘Eye Radio 98.6 FM’.

According to the ambassador, the transitional constitution is a kind of covenant between the people of South Sudan and the government at every level. “In democratic societies there must be feedom of press and communication without interference from the state or other players,” said Page.

“Free speech is protected by the constitution and other laws and free press allows everyone to hold diverse opinion in public and private forums without the fear of detention, arrests, abuse or even death,” she said.

Speaking at the launch event in the capital of South Sudan, Juba Monitor Editor-in-Chief Alfred Taban termed the working environment for journalists in South Sudan as poor owing to lack of media laws.

Taban urged the government to eliminate repressive media laws inherited from Khartoum. He said that journalists in the country are committed to developing the nation, although harassment may be a hindrance to towards the advancement of the country.

Reporting by Yobu Annet

File photo: Voice of America trainees with the US Ambassador Susan D. Page at a workship in Juba, June 2012 (bbg.gov).