By Alex Digi
Western Equatoria State governor, Alfred Futuyo Karaba has called on journalists to uphold professional conduct by exercising ethical reporting and stop supporting parties.
Futuyo’s call came at the backdrop of commemorating the 30th anniversary of the World Press Freedom Day, marked on 3rd May 3.
Addressing a gathering during celebration of World Press Day in Yambio, Futuyo accused some journalists in the state of promoting party agenda rather than reporting community issues.
“You’re not a journalist of a party. Be a journalist of Western Equatoria State and the eye of the citizens. Don’t defend a party, Futuyo urged journalists.
Castigating journalists on division along party lines saying it becomes difficult to help.
“If all of you are divided according to parties, how will the government help you as you requested for support? The party you’re defending should help,” he retorted.
According to Futuyo, partisan attitude of media practitioners discourages him from supporting journalists, in the state.
He urged journalists to first investigate any information before publication, to avoid tarnishing the image of the state.
“There are criminals here writing things, you can search all over but will not find where it started, you must face the law,” Futuyo puts the state media practitioners on notice.
He said “anyone who writes and puts on air wrongly, the head of UJOSS Western Equatoria State (WES) will be responsible. If I was to arrest anyone, you would be the one to be arrested.”
“Why do you allow people to write their own articles? Why do you allow yourselves to be politicized? Why are politicians involved in writing articles?” Futuyo questioned.
The governor decries habit of unauthorized persons taking responsibility of going to the media.
“Here in the state, you find even a minister writing that someone has died here, that is not their work, their work is politics” Futuyo lamented.
Mr. Billy Samson, the station Manager of Amadi FM in Mundri, Western Equatoria state said in reacting to the governor’s sentiments that the call should be taken positively.
He said press secretaries deployed in the government Institutions are the ones partisan in practicing journalism and supporting parties.
“Some employed as press secretary for a politician and at the same time a journalist, this is the implication, because you can’t write something bad for your boss” Billy explained.
Samson advised journalists in the state to do what is right for the interest of the communities.
Meanwhile secretary general of South Sudan (UJOSS) Union of Journalists, Majak Daniel Kuany said this year, the body decided to commemorate the day in Western Equatoria.
He said taking the celebration to the state gives opportunity for journalists in Western Equatoria to interact with other colleagues at national level.
The World Press Day commemoration concluded with two days training to empower journalists Western Equatoria state.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day was celebrated under the theme; “Shaping a future of rights: freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights.”