Information minister gives media ultimatum to register or close

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The Information Minister on Monday gave media houses a one-week ultimatum to register or close down until media acts are signed into law.
 
Alfred Taban, who headed the media delegation that met Michael Makuei Lueth, told journalists on Thursday that the minister maintained his position to close down media activities.
 
He said Minister Makuei was adamant that all media houses and individual journalists must register in order to practice journalism.
 
Mr Taban, who is the executive member of the Association of Media Development in South Sudan or AMDISS, said if the media discovered that the entire government was involved in decision, the delegation would also confront them.
 
Hesaid journalists resolved that individual media houses and journalists should not register with the Ministry of Information.
 
Mr Taban added that journalists agreed to continue to lobby for the rejection of the ‘illegal act’ of Minister Makuei until they are stopped.
 
The AMDISS official said journalists also agreed to continue with their normal work until the minister stopped their activities.
 
Mr Taban said the media houses resolved to hold another meeting to decide what more to do if the minister stopped media work.
 
The AMDISS official called on minister Makuei to seek dialogue with journalists rather than confrontation.
 
Union of Journalist of South Sudan General Secretary Edward Lodu Terso earlier said journalists should not register with Information ministry.
 
A number of journalists met at AMDISS on Thursday to hear the reported from the delegation sent to meet Minister Makuei and discuss the way forward.