Some listeners of Voice of America (VOA) across South Sudan have raised concerns over access to information following Trump's move to close down the Voice of America.
A key
institution in promoting freedom and democracy, VOA went silent at the weekend
after 1,300 were placed on administrative leave.
Last Friday,
US President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the dismantling
of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the outlet.
On Monday
evening, a listener from Kapoeta of Eastern Equatoria State said he tuned in to
Singaita 88.3 FM to listen to VOA-South Sudan in Focus at exactly 6:30 pm, and to
his surprise there was no news bulletin.
“Voice of
America used to be of great benefit; as a listener, we were able to know what
was taking place around the world and in South Sudan and Africa at large, and now
with its shutdown, we will not be able to get firsthand information,” said
Augustine Nadolo.
Elizabeth
Lochapio, the station manager of Singaita 88.3 FM in Kapoeta town, said the
shutdown of the program will greatly impact both the station and the listeners.
She disclosed
that she received several complaints from the audience on Monday evening
questioning why the program was not aired at that time.
“On Monday evening I received a lot of
complaints from our listeners, and some of the callers were asking why the program
was not aired at that particular time. This basically means that many people are
used to this program and listen to it, and they have been following it because
it feeds them with the information on what is happening in South Sudan and
other parts of the world,” Lohapio stated.
“I
personally have been one of the audiences who listen to the VOA program
because it updates me with the current news and information on what is
happening in South Sudan and other parts of Africa and the world at large.”
Another
listener from Aweil, Northern Bhar el Ghazal State, said Voice of America kept
him informed.
“VOA was a
valuable source of social and cultural information about South Sudan and its
neighbors. Programs like 'South Sudan in Focus' kept us informed. We listened
to VOA every evening,” Simon Lual Buk explained.
Meanwhile, Dominic
Deng Wol from Malek Alel village in Aweil said, “VOA provided accurate
international and regional news when you were listening to South Sudan in Focus. Its closure will negatively impact the community, as we relied on it for
evening news. We need VOA to resume its broadcasts.”
Atem Atok
Atem, a listener of Mayardit 90.7 FM, urges the Trump administration to
reconsider the decision to shut down the Voice of America.
He said, “I
am urging the Trump administration, if possible, to allow Voice of America to
broadcast to help the community to get news.”
According to Anyar Kuol Anyieth, station manager of Mingkaman, the dismantling of the VOA by
President Trump is one step toward authoritarianism.
“Executive
order is a bad indicator toward press freedom, as many will exploit the media
space, lessen accountability, silence human rights and the rule of law. It is
giving power to the authoritarian world to increase censorship on the media. Trump should look into the impact that it will have on the modern world that
relies on the mainstream media to get accurate and uncensored information,”
said Anyar.
Michael
Abramowitz, VOA director, expressed his deep concern about the development,
highlighting the consequences it would have on the agency’s mission to inform
the world, particularly in countries under authoritarian regimes.
The program
had long been an important tool in the United States' global efforts to promote
democracy and provide objective news, especially in regions where freedom of
the press is restricted.
The
implications for U.S. foreign policy, as well as the agency’s credibility and
reach, could be devastating, leaving the world’s most oppressed populations
without the journalistic resource they rely on.
Across The
Radio Community (TRC) stations—Akol Yam FM in Aweil Northern Bahr el Ghazal;
Mayardit FM in Turalei, Warrap State; Mingkaman 100 FM in Mingkaman, Lakes
State; Singaita FM in Kapoeta Eastern Equatoria State; Leer FM in Leer,
Unity State; and the Voice of America—South Sudan in Focus airs weekly from 5:30 to 6:00 am in the morning and from 6:30 pm to -7:00 pm in the evening.
