{"id":20049391,"date":"2023-08-15T22:57:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T20:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20049391"},"modified":"2023-08-23T17:19:55","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T15:19:55","slug":"warring-parties-respond-to-plea-by-sudan-media-to-end-war-safeguard-journalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/warring-parties-respond-to-plea-by-sudan-media-to-end-war-safeguard-journalists","title":{"rendered":"Warring parties respond to plea by Sudan media to end war, safeguard journalists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A joint statement today by 17 Sudanese media institutions and press organisations, including Dabanga \u2013 Radio TV Online, with \u201ca comprehensive plea to safeguard the role of journalism in crisis reporting, hold perpetrators accountable, and work towards a future where media remains a cornerstone of a democratic Sudanese society\u201d, has prompted wide reaction, including the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and a leader of the Arab Socialist Baath Party.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding to questions on the joint statement<\/a> by Dabanga News, the official spokesman for the SAF, Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah, said: \u201cThe SAF, as a national and regular institution, supports the rights and freedoms guaranteed to media professionals in performing their media mission, ensuring that they are not subjected to any harassment, and allowing them to perform their role within the limits of what security conditions allow, and what the requirements of Sudanese national security allow”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018We are in favour of media institutions playing their neutral media role, that does not take sides with falsehood or a specific party\u2019 \u2013 SAF spokesman, Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Gen Abdallah added: \u201cWe [the SAF] are in favour of media institutions playing their neutral media role, that does not take sides with falsehood or a specific party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He condemned the violations suffered by a large number of media workers, which included armed men entering their homes and stealing their property, and acknowledged that that the violations have included media equipment being smashed, preventing journalists from doing their duty, and harassing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RSF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youssef Ezzat, political advisor to the RSF Commander, Lt Gen Mohamed \u2018Hemedti\u2019 Dagalo, responded that the RSF welcomed todays joint statement by media institutions. He assured Dabanga News of the RSF\u2019s readiness to allow any local or foreign media outlet to enter their areas of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018We invited all media outlets to our areas of control, but they did not come\u2026\u2019 \u2013 RSF spokesman, Youssef Ezzat<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

However, at the same time, he said that journalists would only be allowed into areas under RSF control if the RSF is notified in advance, explaining the need for \u201cthe RSF to fully coordinate with journalists and ensure that they are provided with protection to carry out coverage in the areas under its control\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ezzat denied that the RSF has detained any journalists. \u201cWe invited all media outlets to our areas of control, but they did not come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arab Socialist Baath Party<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof Siddig Tawer, a former member of the Sovereignty Council and a leading member of the Arab Socialist Baath Party<\/a>, praised today\u2019s joint statement by press and media institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tawer told Radio Dabanga that \u201cthe joint statement draws attention to a real catastrophe, almost forgotten, in light of the absurd practices of both sides in the war, across the country\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He acknowledges that \u201csince the first day of the war, workers in the field of journalism and media have been subjected to compelling circumstances as a result of the practices of both sides of the war\u201d, noting that \u201csome of them remained stuck inside their workplaces for a long time\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018Restricting professional media deprives public opinion of the reality of the scale of destruction and the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan\u2019 \u2013 Prof Siddig Tawer \u2013 Arab Socialist Baath Party<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tawer condemned what he called \u201cdisinformation campaigns and concealment of facts and their absence of professionalism and professional media ethics\u201d. He warned that the \u201celements of the former regime\u201d exploited their presence within the security services, and \u201cdeliberately restrict the national media voices that reject the continuation of the war\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says that those elements resorted to settling scores, which led to a surge in non-professional media content. \u201cThis represents a threat to national harmony by facilitating hate speech and sedition among the components of society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He concluded: \u201cRestricting professional media deprives public opinion of the reality of the scale of destruction and the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joint statement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joint statement Sudanese Media: Four Months of Violations<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, collaboratively produced by a number of media organisations in Sudan, represents a unified effort by independent media institutions and press organisations to address the critical state of press freedom in Sudan amidst an ongoing and devastating conflict. Spanning the period from April 15, 2023, to August 15, 2023, the statement emphasises the perilous situation faced by Sudanese journalists who have become collateral victims caught between opposing factions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday\u2019s statement stands as a comprehensive plea to safeguard the role of journalism in crisis reporting<\/a>, hold perpetrators accountable, and work towards a future where media remains a cornerstone of a democratic Sudanese society,\u201d the signatories say.<\/p>\n