The National Security Service of South Sudan has expressed concerns about reporting by the UN-run Radio Miraya. An official in the UNMISS Public Information Office, which oversees the radio, says he was ‘invited’ to a meeting at the Ministry of Information.
He found that an official of the National Security Service was also in attendance at the meeting. The UNMISS media official denies being ‘summoned’ to the meeting with the security official, but admits the authorities were not happy with a particular Radio Miraya report.
He did not explain the specifics of the complaint.
UN radio is not accountable to the government, according to the Status of Forces Agreement between the UN mission and the government of South Sudan, which says explicitly that the UN has ‘exclusive’ and ‘unrestricted’ control over the radio.
Contreras explained to Sudan Tribune in an interview on Thursday that the National Security Service official at the meeting “wished to discuss with me the general methodology followed by Radio Miraya news staff in reporting stories.”
He explained also that in the course of the conversation, the security officer expressed his concerns about one specific Radio Miraya report.
Earlier this year, Minister of Information Michael Makuei threatened all media not to air interviews with SPLM/A-in-Opposition, saying they will ‘face the consequences’ if they do.
Radio Miraya aired an interview with one of the spokespersons of the opposition.