JMEC Deputy Chairman Ambassador Augostino Njoroge has called for an end of the crackdown on journalists and the protection of fundamental principles of press freedom in South Sudan as the world marks this year’s World Press Freedom Day today.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), South Sudan is ranked 140th in the World Press Freedom Index, where at least eight journalists were killed in the past five years and tens of others detained or fled the country.

In a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Njoroge said, in conflict situations as it is in South Sudan, free, objective and neutral media can help promote peace, enhance national dialogue and counter hate speech that would otherwise tear the fragile country apart and plunge it into further conflict.

He further said while performing their day-to-day duties, journalists in the country suffer character assassination, sexual and physical assault, arrests and even death.

The deputy chair called on the unity government, state agencies as well other important non-state actors to help promote and protect existence of free media and expand the continuously shrinking space of the sector.

“The media, in South Sudan, like it is globally can offer a platform for various voices that seek to promote tolerance, dialogue, cohesion and compromise. This will ensure an all-inclusive national healing and dialogue and also shape the development agenda of the country,” he said.

He challenged sector players to lead in imparting understanding of the South Sudan’s peace process as envisaged in the Peace Agreement by engaging various players.

May 3 is annually set aside to evaluate and celebrate press freedom around the world and to defend the media from attacks on its independence. The day is also marked to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.