The Killing of South Sudanese popular writer late Isaiah Abraham on Wednesday 4th December 2012 is a warning and an obstacle to writers. Isaiah was killed by unknown gunmen in his resident at Gudele west of Juba. Writers in Juba have joint the family of the late in protest, calling for serious investigation of the matter. “this killing is socking, but cannot stop us from fulfilling our mission as wrtiters” columnist of citizen newspaper Mr. Ateny wek Ateny.
On a peaceful demonstration from Juba Teaching Hospital to Juba International Airport, writers, family members and friends to the late said that the killing of Isaiah is too political which need formation of an independent institution to investigate the murder. “We urged the Government to form an independent institution to investigate this matter because you may find that even those who killed him may claim to carry the investigation” representative of Isaiah Abraham community to the National Parliament Hon. Deng Dau Deng was quoted.
The Protesters said that the killing of Isaiah has contradicted South Sudan transitional constitution, the transitional constitution has granted all citizen the freedom of expression and access to information and created platform to opinion, commentators, news writers to express their opinion, it has also created hope and inspired many young people to hold pens and write for equality and justice, despite of the freedom of expression and rights to access information, opinion writers, Journalists, commentators and civil society activists still receive instant harassment from security personnel.
The reaction of South Sudan Government on Media
Shortly after the declaration South Sudan Independence in 2011, Government security organs started by grabbing two journalists of the Destiny newspaper and ordered immediate shutdown of the Newspaper, in which the Editor in chief of the Newspaper Mr. Ngor Arol was detained for two weeks and released later without been taken for justice. The release of Ngor without been taken for justice has shown that his arrest was unlawful.
Again on April 4th 2012, security personnel kidnapped civil society activist following his call for the punishment of government officers associated with malpractice, so far two South Sudanese civil society activists have suffered burden of torture under hands of security personnel, this year. Bakita Radio journalists was banned from going to the National Parliament, after he tried force with security personnel in the assembly.
The Government of South Sudan has further expelled out United Nations Human right investigator. The order was done on 25 October, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Special Representative of the U.N Secretary-General for South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson has the report.
Hilde said that the United Nations is on protest against the decision of the Government of South Sudan to expel U.N human right investigator whose mandate is to dig human right situation in the country.
“We have recently received official communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan ordering one of our Human Rights Officers to leave the country within 48 hours” Hilde presented. The expelled UN member has been redeployed to the Regional Service Center in Entebbe, pending a decision on her future status waiting if the Government can rescind its decision.
The relationship between the Media and the Government of South Sudan
The Government of South Sudan has tried to respect the rights to access information and press. Media in South Sudan was about to gain independence after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, as media practitioners gained confidence and started real work. Many journalists by then opt to base in Juba and cover about Sudan because Juba was safer, real it was then safe to media practitioners before the declaration of the independence, but it seems like the Government was loyal to the Media only to gain confidence from the International Community and trust from the South Sudanese with an agenda known to the politicians.
The freedom of press and expression started slowing down as South Sudan splits from Sudan. The Government started its restriction on media as it attained its recognition from United Nations and other International bodies. The Government surprised South Sudanese by closing Destiny Newspaper. And dragged both the Editor in chief and the Editor of the Destiny Newspaper in to detention. And strengths its policy to restriction on journalists to access information. As situation became unbearable, international Journalists started facing challenges in accessing information, some opt to base in Kenya, the restriction continued and media coverage started diminishing. Freelancer reporters started fleeing their jobs and Independent Media practitioners continued receiving threats from known personnel.
The publication of corruption allegation between South Sudan Former Minister of Finance Athor Akuen and Sudan People Liberation Movement Secretary General Pagan Amum on the Citizen and Almasir newspapers has also increased fear to the media, as some of the Journalists tough, the case was bias. It made them to slow down writings.
Situation of writers in South Sudan
The situation of the media is deteriorating at a high speed that young writers could not stand, continued threats to writers has forces many Journalists and opinion writers to be pro-Government, those who based there words on reality have nowhere to survive, but all writers still have an option, to be independent or to quit. It was in 2009 when I started writing on the citizen Newspaper, then advanced to Sudan tribune in mid 2010. As I was pursuing my writing career, one of the old writers told me about the challenges they faced in the work. “I stopped writing because of continues threats I do receive” He told me.
The future of media in South Sudan
The Media in south Sudan to day was not like had been 2005-2010, in between 2005-2010, South Sudan Government real give horner to the freedom of press. The system changed as South Sudan obtained its independence on the 9th July 2011. Many said that the then Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) was buying trust from United Nations.
The media can survive, but cannot play all its role as watch dog because talented and experience writers will all be killed or quit their jobs and will leave young people who don’t have strength to resist any harassment.
Sure if great writers like Jacob Lupai and Nhail Bol of citizens newspaper are silenced, what will I do. I started writing at the age 20yrs in 2009 and only four years, it means I will automatically stop. If the situation continue for four years then I don,t know whether young South Sudanese will go again for media courses. Otherwise the media will just be the voice of Government because Government institution will be supplies them with press releases simply because no journalists may have interest of news coverages.
The appeals
The Government should work hard to punish the killing of Isaiah Abraham under the laws. The Government should show its commitment in the implementation of the constitution and pay respect to humanity. The Government should come out with media laws to regulate the work of the media.
Media practitioners should report all threats they suffered for publication to enable them know and let other international bodies aware of it. Reporters should balance their reports to prevent them from going into conflict of interest.
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