January 23rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan government on Thursday denied blocking local news websites in contrary to accusations by some media houses which reported that their websites are not accessible in South Sudan.
South Sudan government in July 2017 blocked the access to the Nyamilepedia, Radio Tamazuj, Sudan Tribune and Paanluel Wel for what it said was a “hostile” reporting by these houses.
Speaking to the Voice of America’s South Sudan in Focus last Thursday, South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the government have not blocked any website and that all the mentioned websites are operational in the country.
“We have not blocked any website and if you open them now, you will find that they are operational,” Makuei said.
He said that all the mentioned media house operates outside South Sudan and that they are not registered with the government and as such the South Sudan government have no control over them.
“The problem is that they are not registered with us. They are operating outside South Sudan and we have no control over them,” he said.
Makuei further accused the websites of writing against the revitalized peace agreement signed in September last year by the government and opposition groups in Addis Ababa saying despite his directive that media houses should disseminate peace, there are some media house who are still writing against it.
“Even upto now, there are people who are still writing against the peace agreement. My directive from day-1 immediately after the signing of the agreement was very clear: that as of now, all the media houses should speak the language of peace and disseminate peace, forgiveness and togetherness and that is holding even though some of these houses are still writing hostile articles but we are not doing anything,” Makuei further added.
