Cablegate: Un Radio Mirror Begins Broadcasting in the South; North

VZCZCXRO9256
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1567 1861208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051208Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3528
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0059

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001567

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINS PHUM ECPS SU
SUBJECT: UN RADIO MIRROR BEGINS BROADCASTING IN THE SOUTH; NORTH
STILL BLOCKED

Ref: Khartoum 1559

1. (SBU) Summary. While UN Radio has now opened in the South,
UNMIS reports that UN radio broadcasting is still blocked
nation-wide, in non-compliance with the UNMIS SOFA. End Summary.

2. (U) UN Radio Mirror went on the air for the first time on June
30 with live coverage of the inauguration ceremony for the UN
broadcasting facility located on the west edge of Juba, behind the
Customs Market. Considerable pomp and circumstance accompanied the
opening, which attracted more than a dozen ministers from the
Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), in addition to representatives
from a half dozen diplomatic missions and a throng of Sudanese.

3. (U) The ceremony kicked off with a speech by Minister Samson
Kwaje, who recounted the chronology of the radio station and
complimented the UN for its cooperative approach to the project. UN
Special Representative of the Secretary General Jan Pronk spoke
next, emphasizing that Radio Mirror was the radio of the people of
the South of Sudan, not Radio UN. He stressed that free and open
media is one of primary guarantors of democratic governance, and
praised the GoSS for showing its commitment to democracy by
supporting the UN effort to keep the people of Southern Sudan
informed about progress on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA).

4. (U) GoSS President Salva Kiir spoke last, noting that UN Radio
was one of four independent or non-GoSS stations broadcasting in
various parts of Southern Sudan. He thanked the UN for helping
improve communication outreach in the South, and said that the
broadcasting facility would help promote peace and support ongoing
GoSS initiatives to improve security and fight corruption. Pronk
and Kiir proceeded to cut the ribbon to the main transmitter
building. At various interludes in the ceremony, the police band
blared out tunes, a refugee rap singer just returned from Nairobi
sang a song in Juba Arabic about peace and justice, and a troupe of
grade school dancers performed.

5. (U) Later, Kiir gave an interview to the new Radio Station,
during which he stated clearly that President Bashir's position on
UN rehatting was not the SPLM's. (Reftel)

Comment: Radio positive development for the South; still blocked in
the North
--------------------------------------------- ------

6. (SBU) The advent of Radio Mirror was an important event in
Southern Sudan, where feeble media coverage has been an impediment
to keeping the rural population informed about the CPA, as well as
what is happening in the larger world. Until now, even in Juba, the
putative capital of the South, depended largely upon a modern town
crier, a dilapidated car with a loudspeaker lashed to its roof, for
much of its information. Radio Mirror, broadcasting 24 hours a day
in English, Arabic and other local languages on FM 101, will fill an
important information gap.

7. (SBU) As Pronk noted, Radio Mirror (also know as "Miraya FM")
will work to support the unity option as set forth in the CPA. Kiir
reportedly expressed hope that UNMIS would extend its services to
other Southern states. With regard to Sudan's obligations via the
UNMIS SOFA to permit UN radio throughout the country, Pronk's
deputy, Taye Zarihoun, confirmed to us that the UN finally decided
to approach the GOSS separately on UN radio, since the government in
Khartoum was not budging on its opposition to UN radio nation-wide.

HUME

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