South Sudan and the UN Mission (UNMISS) have agreed to end the bickering over the registration of the UN-owned radio after previously being ordered not to cover events.
In March 2018, the Media Authority, a government body charged with regulating journalistic practices in the country, suspended the operations of Radio Miraya FM 101, citing non-compliance and refusal to be regulated under South Sudan laws.
The radio station has, however, continued to operate without interruption despite the suspension order.
In April, Information Minister Michael Makuei lashed out at Radio Miraya and reiterated his directive banning the station from covering government events and functions across the country, threatening that its journalists would be arrested.
South Sudan has many radio broadcasters which have been registered with the Media Authority but Radio Miraya is covered under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed between the government and the UN in the wake of South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
The Media Authority has been under criticism for a heightened crackdown on press freedom since its establishment in 2016.
However, UNMISS Spokesperson Linda Tom told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that they reached an agreement with the South Sudanese government on the operations of Radio Miraya.
“While Radio Miraya operates under the Status of Force Agreement or SOFA, an agreement was reached with the Government on the operations of Radio Miraya,” Linda said.
“The UN and the Government have always agreed on the importance of the services of Radio Miraya in helping achieve peace, security, and prosperity for all South Sudanese. The station will continue to deliver impartial, balanced, factual, accurate, and informative news and programs, especially as the country prepares for elections in December 2024,” she added.
On his part, Deputy Minister of Information David Maiju Korok stated: “On the issue of Miraya FM, we have been having a lot of grudges with them, but it is good that we reached a consensus.”
“They avoided registration with the Media Authority but now we reached a consensus and they registered. And we will be handing them the certificate officially through a press conference so that the public can know the issue between Radio Miraya and the government,” Deputy Minister Korok said after a meeting with the ministry staff last week.
Reacting to the news, Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), which promotes civil society values, said he hopes that the registration of the UN-owned Radio Miraya with the Media Authority will not be used by the authorities as a legal basis for censoring or shutting down the station.
“Regarding the forthcoming political events in the country, citizens require unrestrictive, selective or discriminative civic space,” Yakani said, alluding to general elections in December 2024.
Radio Miraya provides news on the activities of various UN agencies to the public in South Sudan and political programs aimed at fostering peace.