The Press Secretary for President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Ms. Lily Adhieu Martin Manyiel, has reiterated her commitment to working together with media stakeholders to accredit journalists to the state house in a bid to ease access to information from the country’s first office.
Adhieu made the remarks during the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day in Juba on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
“I will be working closely with the Media Authority, UJOSS and AMDISS to accredit journalists to the state house,” Lily Adhieu Martin Manyiel pledged. “I would like to appeal to the journalists to report accurately,” she added.
Speaking at the same event, Moyiga Ndru, the Commissioner for Access to Information Commission in South Sudan, describes the role of journalists in South Sudan as crucial in the development of the country.
“Media is a very important tool in the life of individuals in the society. It informs, educates, entertains,” he said.
Elijah Alier, Managing Director for the Media Authority of South Sudan, said: “Press Freedom is a government responsibility to ensure rights to free speech as protected under Article 24 of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 as amended,” he stated.
“The media landscape in South Sudan has significantly improved compared to the previous years of 2013 to 2017 as a result of the establishment of Media Authority as a bridge for building healthy relationships among media stakeholders based on mutual understanding and cooperation,” Alier added.
In a statement, Ajak Ayak Ater, the Vice President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan, called on all media stakeholders to join in the fight for free press in the country.
“We, in the Union of Journalists, call on all stakeholders in the country to join in defending the rights to freedom of expression and the press. Today’s occasion is also meant to remember our colleague journalists who have died in the line of duty,” Ater explained.
For his part, Koang Pal Chang, Chairperson for Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), calls on the authorities to resolve both the issue of Radio Miraya and the issue of Juba Monitor newspaper.
“Radio Miraya has a problem with the authorities, and Juba Monitor has a problem with the owners. I am appealing to the government and UNMISS to really resolve the issue of Radio Miraya because these journalists who are denied access to information because UNMISS refuses to register, they are human beings and they are South Sudanese, they have families and they need to be free to have access to information. So, let this issue be resolved so our colleagues from Radio Miraya are free to do their work without any challenge,” he noted.
Koang added: “I also call on the shareholders of Juba Monitor, we miss Juba Monitor and if they can resolve this issue amicably so we get Juba Monitor back on the streets.”