By Yang Ater Yang
Residents in Lakes State capital Rumbek celebrated this year’s World Radio Day, while reflecting on the importance that the radio broadcasting plays in fostering peace and development in their State.
Lakes State, previously known for all sorts of crimes, instability and rampant killings is currently seen as one of the most peaceful States in South Sudan enjoying the dividends of peace, thanks to one man at the mantle of power, Governor Rin Tueny Mabor, who was recently given an award for being the best Governor of the year, having brought peace and sanity to the once restive State.
Some residents who spoke to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper correspondent in Lakes State Capital Rumbek, yesterday couldn’t hide their excitement on the World Radio Day as they singled out radio as one of the platforms that help propagate peace and development in the State.
Speaking during an exclusive interview, one resident Mr. Mathew Mayom Deng told this paper that Radio brings both bad and good news to people in the community. Adding that radio is one of the best tools which disseminate peace, forgiveness and reconciliation.
“We urge Radio reporters to report all type of news; bad and good news. As I speak, we also the civil servants are getting very low salary of 5,000 SSP from the government which can’t buy anything for the family. It’s really very regretful. So, we want Radio to report on this news so that the government can do something for the living of civil servants in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Juzella Nyanagar Jima said Radio helps people a lot in the process of peace building, reconciliation and that it helps also in promoting awareness raising on public health and development.
She said without Radio to promote awareness raising in the community many people in the country would have been at risk of dying as result of Covid-19.
“Radio is having a big role in the community, and it helps a lot in so many areas in making people informed about government developmental programs, entertainment, and it spreads news,” she said.
Another Rumbek resident, Philip Taban, stressed that without Radio peace and stability wouldn’t have been achieved in Lakes State.
“When Governor Rin Tueny Mabor was appointed, resolutions of peace building and reconciliation in Lakes State were read on Radio, and everyone in the community heard them and that’s why now there is peace and stability in Lakes State,” he said.
He said those who were following news of State government’s resolutions of restoring stability in Lakes State on the Radio got all information and they were safe from violation of the resolution.
“Radio also promotes traditional cultures like wrestling, entertainment, sports and public health awareness in the community,” he added.