The South Sudanese official who threatened to shut down the UN-run Radio Miraya has been invited to speak as a guest of honour at an upcoming UN-backed press freedom event in the capital Juba.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth will be the “chief guest” at the opening session of World Press Freedom Day in Juba on 4 May, according to the program schedule.

On 16 February the minister openly threatened journalists of the UN station Radio Miraya saying, “Miraya: you are interviewing rebels. If it happens again we are shutting you down. And this must be made very clear. We are shutting you down if you interview any rebel here to disseminate his or her plans and policies within South Sudan.”

His remarks are in line with an unwritten policy that opposition politicians especially those in the armed opposition should generally be kept off the radio. Journalists who were present at the event where Makuei made these remarks said he was likely reacting to an interview that morning with Rebecca Garang, who is not part of an armed opposition group but is a critic of the government and the widow of the late founder of South Sudan's ruling party.

Makuei at the same event also referred to earlier threats to USAID-funded Eye Radio not to broadcast opposition statements saying, “Last time, we shut down the Eye Radio, and we gave them a warning. It is happening now at Miraya."

In further remarks he also defended the government's expulsion last year of foreign correspondent Mohammed Adow saying the latter was “lucky” not to have been imprisoned "like the man in Egypt" -- a reference to Al Jazeera correspondent Peter Greste.

UNESCO's Juba Office is supporting the press freedom event and organizing it together with representatives of the journalists' union, national media development association and national editors forum. According to the program schedule, other topics to be discussed at the event include “self-regulation”, “freedom of expression with responsibility”, and “dialogue between the media and security agents.”

Brigadier General Malaak Ayuen has been invited to lead discussion on the latter point, according to the schedule.

File photo: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth

Related:

'I will shut down the UN' says South Sudan's information minister (17 Feb. 2015)

Makuei: ‘Citizens don’t need to know’ (9 Dec. 2014)

Timeline: media struggle in South Sudan (18 Aug. 2014)

S. Sudan minister says slain Bor civilians were ‘intolerable’ (19 April 2014)

Transcript: South Sudan Information Minister warns press (6 Nov. 2013)