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Enmedia in Sudan at a Crossroads Assessment and outline of a strategy for media support Media in Sudan at a crossroads ASSESSMENT Published by International Media Support November 2007 © International Media Support The assessment has been carried out in close cooperation between the members of the Consortium for the project Promoting Freedom and Expression and Civil Society Involvement in Developing Democratic Media Legislation in Sudan: AMDISS Association for Media Development in South Sudan AMDISS Juba Tel: +249 (0) 914 248080 Tel: +256(0) 477 129385 Email: [email protected] ARTICLE 19 6-8 Amwell Street London, EC1R1UQ, United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 7278 9292 Email: [email protected] www.article19.org International Media Support Nørregade 18, 2 & 3 floor DK-1165 Copenhagen K Tel: +45 88 32 70 00 Email: [email protected] www.i-m-s.dk Khartoum Center for Human Rights and Environmental Development 16 SQ – Street 59 Amarat, Khartoum, Sudan Phone: +249 912 360 590 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Contact person: Faisal Elbagir Email: [email protected] Norwegian People’s Aid Storgt. 33 A Oslo, Norway Tel: +47 22 03 77 00 Email: [email protected] www.npaid.org Olof Palme International Centre Sveavagen 68 101 36 Stockholm, Sweden Tel: +46 (0)8 677 57 70 Email: [email protected] www.palmecenter.se Coverphotos: A Sudanese man reads a daily newspaper in Khartoum. Photo: Abd Raouf/Polfoto Interview with participant in stakeholder meeting among media professionals in Southern Sudan. Photo: Jesper Højbjerg/IMS Contents Contents Acronyms . 5 Preface . 7 Executive summary . 8 1 Introduction . 10 2 Outline of Content . 12 3 Context . 13 3.1 History . 13 3.2 Political . 14 3.3 Security . 15 3.4 Economic and social . 16 4 Legal framework for the media in Sudan . 17 4.1 International and regional treaties and conventions . 17 4.2 The constitutional framework . 17 4.3 Current media law policy . 18 4.4 New legislation under discussion . 20 5 Description of the media sector . 21 5.1 History . 21 5.2 Print media . 22 5.3 Printing houses . 23 5.4 News agencies . 23 5.5 Radio stations . 23 5.6 TV stations . 25 5.7 Internet sites . 25 5.8 Education and training . 26 5.9 Unions and associations . 27 5.10 Traditional and non-conventional media . 28 5.11 Languages . 29 Media in Sudan at a crossroads 3 Contents 6 Main challenges for the Sudanese media sector . 30 6.1 Stumbling blocks to progress in press freedom . 30 6.2 Legal reform challenges . .33 6.3 Need for professional skill building . 35 6.4 Poor working conditions . 37 6.5 Politicization of the media sector . 38 6.6 Informing and reporting on the peace agenda . 41 6.7 Access to information . 42 6.8 Technical and financial constraints . 43 7 Support to media development from agencies for international cooperation . 46 7.1 Background . 46 7.2 Areas of support . 47 7.3 Coordination . 49 7.4 Local ownership . 50 8 Outlining a strategy for media support . 51 8.1 Policy development and legal reform . 51 8.2 Strengthening media associations . 55 8.3 Quality of journalism . 56 8.4 Media operations . 58 8.5 Strengthening coordination and joint strategising among agencies for international cooperation . 60 9 Appendices . 61 9.1 International policy, legislative precedents and guidelines . 61 9.2 Media outlets . 64 9.3 Education and training . 69 9.4 List of institutions and persons interviewed . 70 9.5 List of institutions and persons consulted . 75 4 International Media Support Acronyms Acronyms AMDISS Association for Media NPA Norwegian People’s Aid Development in Southern NPPC National Press and Sudan Publications Council AMIS African Union Mission in NSB National Security Bureau the Sudan OAU Organization of African Unity AU African Union OPIC Olof Palme International CPA Comprehensive Peace Centre Agreement OSI Open Society Institute DAI Development Alternatives Inc. RSF Reporters Sans Frontières DPA Darfur Peace Agreement (Reporters Without Borders) EC European Commission SADC Southern Africa Development FTF Future Trends Foundation for Community Strategic Studies & Dialogue SLA Sudan Liberation Army GDP Gross domestic product SLM Sudan Liberation Movement GoNU Government of National SNRC Sudan National Radio Unity Corporation GoS Government of Sudan SOAT Sudan Organisation Against GoSS Government of Southern Torture Sudan SPLM/A Sudan People’s Liberation HDI Human Development Index Movement/Army ICC International Criminal Court SRS Sudan Radio Service ICCPR International Covenant on SRTC Sudan Radio and Television Civil and Political Rights Corporation ICG International Crisis Group SSBC Southern Sudan Broadcasting IFEX International Freedom of Corporation Expression Exchange SUDO Sudan Social Development IFJ International Federation Organisation of Journalists SUJ Sudanese Union of IMF International Monetary Fund Journalists IMS International Media Support SUNA Sudan News Agency ITU International UN United Nations Telecommunications Union UJOSS Union of Journalists of JAM Joint Assessment Mission Southern Sudan JHR Journalists for Human Rights UNDP United Nations Development JMC Joint Media Committee Programme KCHRED Khartoum Centre for Human UNESCO United Nations Educational, Rights & Environmental Scientific and Cultural Development Organization MDTF Multi Donor Trust Funds UNMIS United Nations Mission in the NASS News Agency for Southern Sudan Sudan UNSC United Nations Security NCA Norwegian Church Aid Council NCP National Congress Party USAID United States Agency for NDI National Democratic International Development Institute WB World Bank NGO Non-governmental Organisation Media in Sudan at a crossroads 5 Map 6 International Media Support Preface Preface In September 2005 I was part of a group of Sudanese media professionals from North and South and international media organisations traveling to Rumbek in Southern Sudan. It was a journey with almost historic dimensions. For several of the journalists the trip was the first time they were able to return to Sudan after the war had forced them to leave their country. It goes without saying that for them the journey to Rumbek was a very emotional experience. It was also a journey that argued well for the future. More than 20 years of civil war ended when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in early 2005. The peace agreement was the foundation on which the round table meeting in Rumbek was built. Peace had brought about significant improvements in the environment for media freedom, and concrete steps were about to be taken to strengthen the media where it was most needed. The round table in Rumbek resulted in a declaration calling for the creation of an environment conducive to a free and independent media. More round tables have followed, both in Southern Sudan, and at a national level and many concrete initiatives have been developed to improve and strengthen the freedom of expression environment in Sudan on a whole. Evidence of progress is still there, but serious challenges have also surfaced since then. Journalists still face limitations in their profession. The main obstacles for independent and free media persist, with censorship and the harassment and persecution of journalists. At the same time, the profession faces the enormous challenge of building journalistic capacity and infrastructure. Unfortunately, incoming support to the media has not always been provided in a coordinated and sustainable way. The changes have called for an updated and comprehensive assessment of the media landscape. Together with Sudanese and international partners, International Media Support initiated a new assessment, building upon “Media and peace in Sudan – options for immediate action”, an assessment of the media and opportunities for media development in Sudan published by International Media Support in August 2003. It is our hope that the assessment can provide a much-needed overview of the media situation in Sudan and thereby strengthen support to the media sector with the aim of enhancing the development of an environment conducive to media freedom in Sudan. The assessment was funded by the European Commission, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; we would like to express our deep gratitude for this support. Jesper Højberg Executive Director International Media Support Media in Sudan at a crossroads 7 Executive summaryy Executive summary This assessment describes and contextualises a series of challenges for an environment conducive to freedom of expression brought about by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 and the changes to the political framework in Sudan. The aim is to establish a comprehensive overview of the media situation in all relevant sectors, as well as developing an overview of support to the sectors and the strategies behind this support from agencies for international cooperation. Although the CPA opened up space for a more democratic setup for media ownership and practice and resulted in a number of changes to the media situation in Sudan, the freedom of expression environment in Sudan still faces important challenges. According to this assessment, the main challenges are: Need for media reform There is a dire need for legal reform in the area of freedom of expression and access to information. At the national level, new media laws produced and presented to Parliament show only slight improvement over the existing laws. In Southern Sudan the Legislative Assembly has adopted a more progressive media policy, but the four draft bills which have been prepared have not yet been processed by the assembly. Need for professional skill building Professional journalists are scarce, and objective and relevant reporting is a challenge for many Sudanese newspapers. In spite of the large number of media schools in Sudan, the results are discouraging. The academic and professional standards of the graduates are extremely basic and on-the-job training is almost non-existent. Poor working conditions Basic working conditions and employment rights in the Sudanese media are poor, especially in the printed media. There is widespread exploitation, not least of young journalists.
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