S. Sudanese media regulator cautions journalists against inciting tribalism

JUBA – The South Sudanese Media Authority, the government regulatory body tasked to oversee the work of the media in the world’ youngest nation, has warned journalists against inciting tribalism in the country.

Sapana Abui, Director General for Information and Compliance of Media Authority made this warning during the third graduation of the Media Development Institute, the body, committed for developing the capacity of journalists in the world’s youngest nation in Juba on Wednesday.

“The most important thing in our situation, in our country, is that in your writing, in your news, don’t incite tribalism,” Abui told the graduates.

The media Authority  Director General for Information advised the alumnae to tell trust in their journalistic work.

“In your cost of collecting information, in your news, be careful to write the facts as you see and the facts as you see, don’t be afraid of it, write it the way you have seen it,” he said.

He revealed that the regulatory body is facing challenges in identifying accurate, and fake news from the group he called “smart phone” and “house journalists”.

“In our country, we have three categories of journalists, we have the one you know, the normal journalists who are trained professionally, and doing their work professionally. We have smart phone journalists who sourced their information wherever they can get it, and then disseminate them to the public, and we have house journalists. They are just in the house; they get information whether from the spirit or what and they passed it to the public,” he said.

Abui explained that these three categories of journalists are competing in disseminating information to the public.

“It has become a norm in South Sudan always when there are chances for projects, the first tip goes to internationals, but to us, we say that give the chance to nationals, because we don’t have locals unless those who are using their smart phones out there, and have not passed through MDI, then you are allowed to called them locals,” he expressed.