Sadly, journalist Adil Faris, a former director at the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), has been missing since Thursday, January 2025.
Reports indicate that he may have been abducted by unknown gunmen. This act against a journalist is deeply concerning.
Media outlets often face challenges when their reporters are denied coverage, particularly from high-ranking government officials at key events. This issue is tormenting and stressful for reporters, who sometimes find themselves subjected to detentions without any wrongdoing.
Last year, several media houses were barred from covering a Judicial Reforms workshop in Juba at the Radisson Blu, despite being invited by the Ministry of Justice. Officials claimed there was a lack of space for security personnel. Government officials must understand that journalists play a vital role in informing the public about events in the country. Censoring them is tantamount to denying freedom of expression.
The question arises: why issue invitations only to intimidate journalists later? Journalists do not pose any threat; they are performing their essential roles. All too often, they risk their lives for their work, especially those covering conflicts. In 2016, for example, five journalists lost their lives, highlighting the perilous nature of reporting in such environments.
A journalist is responsible for researching and writing news articles, gathering firsthand accounts, and organizing them into compelling stories from a fair and unbiased perspective. Denying access to information is unconstitutional and violates Articles 24 and 32 of the South Sudan Constitution.
The Right to Access to Information Act of 2013 states that every citizen has the right to access information held by both private and public bodies. National Security must recognize that journalists are fulfilling their duties much like any other profession.
The primary responsibilities of journalists include writing for newspapers, magazines, or websites and creating scripts for television or radio. They must also review content for accuracy, style, and grammar, updating stories as new information becomes available. Additionally, journalists are tasked with investigating story ideas and pitching them to editors.
Journalists have four key roles: normative, cognitive, experienced, and narrative. These roles correspond to what journalists seek to do, what they want to achieve, what they actually do, and what they believe they do.
Essential skills for journalists include strong communication skills, attention to detail, tenacity, research proficiency, logical reasoning, objectivity, and the ability to solve problems effectively. The fundamentals of journalism always address the who, what, where, when, and how of a news story, enabling journalists to create content that serves an audience that may lack access to crucial information.
I condemn the abduction of Adil Faris and urge all parties to take responsibility for ensuring the media’s civic duty is upheld. I appeal to the Ministry of Justice to advocate for transparency and public engagement as central principles of governance, and I call for his immediate release.
God Protect South Sudan
Be the Spectator