CEPO: Assessing the role of the media in the HLRF
THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN COVERING 2nd PHRASE OF IGAD PEACE HIGH LEVEL REVITALIZATION FORUM FEB. 2018
March 5, (SSB) — The conducted 2nd Phrase IGAD–led High Level Revitalization Forum on South Sudan peace accord was properly and effectively covered by the media outlets across the country.
This was results of lobbying Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) and its partners to support national media in covering the peace revitalization process. JMEC is a tasked mechanism by IGAD to oversee the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
The public opinion across the country is positive and impressive on the role played by the media in covering the revitalization deliberations and providing updates on the outcomes of the revitalization. Majority of the citizens said they felt engaged on the peace agreement revitalization through the media coverage.
So the question of ownership of the peace accord will not be problematic because they are kept informed. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization-CEPO appreciates the support done by IGAD, JMEC and partners for supporting the media for effective coverage of the peace revitalization forum.
It is remarkable support and effective response to CEPO lobby for the national media to get involvement in providing accurate information for the public. Thanks to everyone and entity that made the media involvement possible.
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO says supporting media for effective coverage of the peace revitalization should be one of the essential acts of anybody or entity that promotes citizens involvement in peace mediation through provision of accurate information.
This time round of the peace revitalization second phrase was careful followed by the citizens. The citizens are fully aware of what happened and where are the registered challenges or obstructions with the process for seeking peace in South Sudan.
Media is a great actor in the current society growth and development, it is should be effectively and genuine be involvement and represent in any public affairs engagement in all sectors of human growth and development. Isolating or restricting media in covering any human growth and development, it is a total and clear demonstration of denying citizens accurate information.
Doing anything without providing citizens timely and accurate information is against the citizens’ genuine growth and development. Mr. Yakani stressed
CEPO is fully aware that some shortcomings were registered in involving every media outlet in Juab to cover the revitalization process.
This is not intentionally but it is a mistake that CEPO accepted and it should be correct immediately for better engagement of all media outlets in the third phrase of peace revitalization. CEPO will soon facilitate in partnership with state media entities and non-governmental media entities an evaluation forum for addressing these registered shortcomings and generating solutions for better involvement of the media outlets in next peace revitalization forum.
Effective media engagement in peace building is a key principle of CEPO
Finally, CEPO call upon South Sudan parties to the peace revitalization and partners to effective cooperate and support the engagement of media for effective and genuine coverage of the peace revitalization process for strengthening citizens access to accurate information on the search for peace
“The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) is a non-profit, civil society, South Sudanese organization, registered by the Ministry of Justice on 17th November 2010. The organization was initially formed in Khartoum in 1999 and consisted of mostly University students, but its scope broadened after it was established in Juba, Southern Sudan as a separate entity. Presently, CEPO is engaged in the areas of Peace and conflict mitigation, human rights, rule of law, livelihood, governance and democratic transformation. MR. EDMUND YAKANI BERIZILIOUS is the Executive Director of CEPO.”
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