Empowering S. Sudanese Journalists On Conflict Sensitive Reporting Search for common ground-(SFCG), a peace building nongovernmental organization operating in South Sudan is equipping South Sudan journalists with skills of conflict sensitive reporting. 05 July 2016
By Modi Gilbert * YEI, 04 July 2016 [Gurtong]- *The training that targets seven States of South Sudan, aims at equipping journalists with knowledge of how to report about conflict sensitive stories and how they can operate in sensitive conflict environment, according to Daniel Lasuba, the media coordinator for (SFCG). He says the project called “I Love my country strategic communication for South Sudan” is funded by the European Union. The organization has already trained over 46 South Sudanese media practitioners in five different States. On Saturday the organization engaged other 16 journalists drawn from different media houses including; Easter FM, Liberty FM, Morobo FM. Spirit FM and freelancers to a 2-day training workshop. The organization will be in Yambio, Gbudwe state next month. In an interview with Gurtong, the media coordinator for, SFCG Daniel Lasuba says dealing with facts is the best way of reporting on sensitive conflict stories and environment. He appeals to the jou rnalists attending the training to put into practice what they have learned from the training during their work.’ “I want to tell them to practice what they have learned, to stick to the ethics of journalist; they have to be accurate, they have to always deal with facts, they should not to be biased. They have also to be responsible Journalists” he said. Journalists who have attended the training testify that the training is helpful in the day to day life of a journalist. Seme Yata John is one of the journalists who attended the training in Yei River State. He says the training has come at a right time when journalists are in need of the skills. He says the training has given him new skills of reporting more especially in areas where conflict of different kinds exists. On the other hand Seme pleads to the government to respect the work of journalists. “The government should not look on to the journalists as their enemies” he said “we call on the government to honour us because we are the bridge between the government and the citizens” Adding “we pass accurate information to the citizens to know what activities the institutions of the government are doing.” Government officials welcomed the training saying it is paramount since it gives journalist skills to work professionally. Stephen Ladu Onesmo is the Minister of Information, Youth Culture and Sports for Yei River State. He believes the initiative will aid journalists to desist from reporting on rumours. He advises all journalists to follow their professional code of ethics and calls on the journalists who have attained skills of reporting on sensitive conflict stories from the training workshop to use the knowledge they have gotten. He says the government of Yei River State vows to work together with journalists to foster development. “Government needs journalist because the information needs to get to the citizens” said the minister. The Governor of Yei River State, David Lokonga Moses upon his arrival to take office, earlier on promised to work together with journalists and protect them. However security personnel early this year stormed the catholic radio network member in Yei, Radio Easter for reporting about extra judicial killings in Kajo-Keji County. Posted in: Home <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx> - See more at: http://gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ID/19586/Default.aspx#sthash.oheNogdO.dpuf -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14ooJ6mwGZ7J3mGA2pFbBENZ2eycPpbKdoJF27-a%2BteuBEQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
