Reporters Without Borders Africa desk said avoiding community radio stations to cover political and security issues was inconceivable in a country where the civil war affects the population’s everyday lives.
In a press release CRN obtained Cléa Kahn-Sriber said community radio stations are often the only available source of news and information at the local level, commenting that the government is committing an intolerable act of censorship by banning their function.
He said international analysts were worried about the draft available last December because its regulation of journalistic ethics was overly restrictive and media regulatory authority was to be under the president’s control.
The Reporters continued that the government censorship seems to have found a new target on Catholic Church’s community radio stations.
He pressed freedom index, adding that the country left a trail of media freedom violations despite the fact that it is the world’s newest country.
Mr Kahn reacted following Western Bahr El Ghazal Deputy Governor Joseph Garang Zachariah, threatening to close down Voice of Hope using its new Media Bill, questioning the Radio legality and operation mission in Wau.
The Deputy Governor warned the Radio to distant from covering issues related to politics and only concentrate on homilies and Gospel music.