By By Godfrey Olukya 3-7-2013
Catholics in South Sudan’s Lakes state are bitter over the closure of their radio station.
They say that it is unfair for their radio to be closed by the government. One of the Catholics leaders in Lakes state, Keneth Longwa
said, ‘We wonder why our radio has been closed yet it helps many of us to recite prayers. Our government should stop mistreating church related institutions.’
Rumbek -based Good News Radio, a station of the Catholic Radio Network (CRN), was closed since June 28th 2013 by authorities in Lakes State. Orders to close it were reportedly issued by state Ministry of Information.
The station’s management reportedly attended a meeting at the request of the ministry officials last Tuesday, after which a letter ordering the station to be closed was received.
‘All is being done to re-open the radio’ said the acting station director Peter Mabur Makur. He said that the diocese authorities are
working to resolve the issue with the state government.
Earlier, the state’s Information and Communication minister, Dut Makoi Kuok, confirmed to the press that he had requested from Radio Good News a letter of operation issued by the National Ministry of Information but they did not have it. He said without this document the station would be ordered to cease broadcasting.
However, Makur said that all eight stations of the CRN across South Sudan are covered under a valid Certificate of Registration issued in 2010 and which has no expiry date.
END