Respected veteran South Sudanese journalist Alfred Taban, who heads the media sector in the national dialogue committee, said the country’s security organs have been obstructing media coverage of the initiative.

Alfred told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that security apparatus in the country have been intimidating the media from covering the activities of the national dialogue, including the state-owned media.

“The government TV has failed to fully cover the national dialogue due to obstacles put by the security,” he said.

Taban also accused some state governors of hindering the freedom of speech for citizens who participate in the national dialogue process.

He called on the government and the security organs to allow free and fair environment for the media to cover the on-going national dialogue.

Taban admitted that the exercise has failed to reach some areas of Western Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazal, Jonglei and areas controlled by the opposition due to insecurity.

President Salva Kiir in May last year launched the national dialogue initiative that seeks to reconcile and unite the country torn apart by the ongoing civil war.

The South Sudanese leader said the initiative is meant to open up avenues to discuss political, social and economic problems facing South Sudanese.