Catholics in Juba complained Sunday that they missed broadcasts of Mass for the third week in a row due to the government’s continued censorship of the church, and urged the authorities to allow them to participate in their faith.
National security agents shut down Catholic church-owned Radio Bakhita FM on 16 August, silencing prayers and songs normally aired on the station for weekday listeners as well as Sunday worship services for faithful unable to attend church services in person.
“There are lot of people are not coming to the church, they are listening the prayers on the radio,” said Juba resident Wilson Barnaba, speaking to Radio Tamazuj. “So the closing of the Bakhita Radio has really affected the Christians.”
Before its closure, each Sunday Radio Bakhita, Juba’s only Catholic station, broadcasted Catholic Mass, Bible teachings, Rosary prayers, and songs to people who choose to worship in their homes or work places.
“There are many programs, like gospel songs, persons preaching, and other things that are missing,” said a Catholic woman named Anne. “I feel bad. I really like [Radio Bhakita] so much…it helps me spiritually. It makes me grow in my spiritual life, my faith.”
Other worshipers complained that besides losing Sunday mass, they are missing out on the station’s other popular programming.
“Radio Bakhita helps us, gives us information especially in our Catholic Church, provides us with information concerning the church and how it grows, how it helps the people in terms of building peace in the country,” said Mandela Dominic. “So when it was closed actually we really missed it a lot, we could not get the informations.”
National Security closed Bakhita FM on August 16 because its news program ran a story which aired views from both the government and the rebels about an incident of fighting. They have said that the station will not reopen unless it self-censors.
The station said that it was providing balance by broadcasting both sides of the conflict. South Sudan’s government has previously said that anyone who airs views from the opposition is committing an “offense.”
‘A public good’
Some Catholics questioned the security agency’s stance.
“If we are to consider the reason behind [the closure] maybe it could be political…or maybe it could be personal, but it is not good to take a personal view to close a public good like a radio station that is meant for the public,” said a Catholic student named Robert. “They should not interfere with a public good like a radio station that is meant to benefit so many people.”
“The people they should stand together with whosoever is ready to stand strongly against that view,” he added.
Still, some Catholics said that Radio Bakhita had overstepped its purpose by venturing into the political arena.
“The way I see, Bakhita Radio as a Catholic radio should carry things which concern the church, but not politics,” said Daniel Nyarua Ruachak. “If the radio is involved in politics I’m not happy about it, sincerely and honestly.”
Still, nearly all Catholics who spoke to Radio Tamazuj said the station must be reopened.
“Let the political people open the Bakhita radio so that our faithful that don’t have the time to go to the church [can] get the prayers or the programs about the youth or the Christian or the community people,” said Mr Barnaba.
A man named Darius told Radio Tamazuj that even if the station committed an error, national security went too far in closing it down completely.
“Maybe there was a mistake but I think it should have been corrected but not just to close it down,” he said. “We want this Radio Bakhita to continue passing the message as before.”
Related:
Timeline: violence against churches in South Sudan
South Sudan aims to censor church radio
File photo: St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral in Kator, Juba
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