SSPDF and Journalists Seek Common Ground
In Juba, senior officers and leading reporters sat around one table on 16 October 2025, exploring ways to replace mutual suspicion with practical cooperation. The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and the media debated ethics, patriotism and misinformation in a candid, three-hour exchange.
Ethics Under Scrutiny
Colonel Peter Garang asked bluntly whether some online writers still honour professional oaths. He argued that unverified posts, often shared by anonymous accounts, tarnish the nation’s image and risk troop safety.
Garang differentiated trained journalists from citizen bloggers, admitting most accredited reporters respect codes but urging closer coordination with military spokespersons when sensitive security details arise.
Journalists Affirm Loyalty
Veteran editor William Maduok countered that patriotism guides every newsroom decision. He dismissed allegations of espionage, insisting that reporters collect grassroots testimony, vet facts with authorities and publish only verified material, thereby supporting national cohesion.
Maduok added that conflict-sensitive language shields vulnerable communities while still exposing abuses, arguing that transparency, not secrecy, ultimately reinforces stability.
Building a Framework for Cooperation
Both camps agreed on the need for joint workshops, rapid fact-checking channels and clear accreditation lists to stem the viral spread of rumours in the digital age.
Analysts at the forum said such mechanisms could bolster public trust in institutions and serve the wider peace process ahead of South Sudan’s planned elections.
Why the Dialogue Matters for Peace
The Juba roundtable showed that security and press freedoms are not opposing poles but complementary pillars. Where soldiers ensure safety, journalists provide information; together they nurture a more resilient society.
Sustained engagement, participants concluded, will help inoculate citizens against disinformation while amplifying constructive voices in Africa’s newest state.