By Lodu William Odiya
The South Sudan people Defense Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang has yesterday urged the officers to avoid intimidating journalists when carrying out their duties.
This remark followed a roundtable discussion between the stakeholders on media relations and human rights organized by the South Sudan Media Authority and the SSPDF.
“Let us not intimidate and harass the Journalist, you should collaborate together” Lul said.
He also advised the Journalist to work accurately while verifying and information that they come across.
Lul emphasized that in case of any inquire the media houses should sympathized with his department for accurate verification of information.
“Our people sometimes are not in a place where there is network, if you check at our core values, the last one is accountability. the reason why you see taking so long to get back to you is accountability because if I release information without approval, that statement will be disowned, it will be on my neck” Lul explained.
Meanwhile the Managing Director of the Media Authority, Elijah Alier Kuai underscored the relationship between the army and the media in South Sudan goes beyond the professional interaction, stating that it is a cornerstone of our nation’s stability and progress. journalists play a vital role in promoting harmony, justice, human rights, democracy and development.
“They serve as public watch’s watch dog, illuminating realities that might otherwise remain hidden. For journalist to fulfil this role effectively, a healthy, respectful and transparent relationship with the armed forces and security agencies is independence” he stated.
He said the training of Journalists together with the law enforcement agencies reflected the growing partnership between the media and the army which is rooted in mutual respect for human rights and access to information.
“Dialogue, capacity building and engagement among media and stakeholders has helped create more vibrant and professional media landscape in South Sudan” he said.
Alier underscored these efforts were enforced by the ongoing human rights training provided to the security forces, including the South Sudan Peoples Defense Forces (SSPDF) which was designed to foster respect for human rights, international humanitarian law, and civic responsibilities in their interactions with civilians and media.
As the nation grapples with a resurgence of tensions fuelled by a volatile political landscape,
proliferation of hate speech rapidly spread misinformation online, hence limiting journalists from accessing other information.
This creates a vacuum readily filled by those with vested interests and some individuals genuinely seek to share information and protect their communities, others exploit the situation to incite violence and exacerbate existing divisions.
The confluence of political instability, ethnic tensions, and the rapid spread of misinformation creates a volatile mix that could easily ignite devastating conflict among communities.