January 8th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s Media Authority (MA) has asked renowned South Sudan journalist and Al-Watan Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Michael Christopher to apologize to the government of Sudan over reporting on the ongoing Sudan protests.
For almost three weeks, Sudanese citizens have taking to the streets in different parts of Sudan including the capital Khartoum over deteriorating economic conditions calling for end to President Al-Bashir’s 30-years rule.
In a brief statement issued on his Facebook page this morning, Christopher said it would be the right decision to ask the National Congress party to apologize to the Sudanese people instead of asking him to do so.
“I think the right decision is that the National Congress Party (NCP) and their Bashir apologize to the people of my country, Sudan, no Michael Christopher who should do so,” he said on his Facebook page.
Separately, the Eye Radio quoted Michael Christopher as saying that “they told me to write an apology letter to the government of Sudan concerning an article and I don’t think it was abuse of any beliefs, but it was just my journalistic opinion,” Christopher said referring to South Sudan’s Media Authority.
“My position is that I cannot make any apology… our newspaper didn’t violate the rules of the media authority and the overall journalistic work in the country,” he added.
According to the order by the media body, the renowned journalist has until tomorrow to apologize to Sudan. The government has also banned the Al-Watan newspaper among others from reporting on the ongoing unrest in Sudan.
The acting Director of the South Sudan Media Authority (SSMA), Sapana Abuyi, said that the ongoing demonstrations in neighboring Sudan were internal issues warning the South Sudan media of report it.
“The ongoing protests in Khartoum are internal issues affecting a friendly nation, the media in South Sudan should not write or broadcast instigative statements and comments about it,” he said in a statement on Monday.
