Police says to strengthen relations with media

By Awan Achiek

The Spokesperson of the South Sudan National Police Services, Col. John Kassara Koang Nhial, on Wednesday said the force is determined to improve relations with media practitioners in the country.

“When I took over the responsibility as a police spokesperson, I clearly stated that my office will cooperate with the media houses in terms of information dissemination,” said Nhial during a two-day workshop organized by the Rule of Law and Security Institutions Section (RoLSIS) of UNMISS in Juba.

The forum brought together representatives from the media, civil society, government agencies, and security forces.

Nhial acknowledged the role journalists and media practitioners play in providing information to society, while stressing the need for much-improved relations between the police and the media.

“It will be actually a bridge where the civilians will have access to the police institution, where they can air their opinions. We will be able to know exactly what are the concerns and the needs of our civilians. We will cooperate with you,” he said.

For his part, Mamadou Touré, Head of Security Sector Reform at UNMISS-Rule of Law and Security Institutions Section, said both media and security institutions play a vital role in ensuring peace, stability and accountability.

“However, we must acknowledge that at times misunderstanding and mistrust have strained the relationship between the media and security institutions,” said Touré.

Touré stressed the importance of creating mutual respect, professionalism and cooperation between the media and security organs.

“Journalists have reported challenges in accessing information, concerns over press freedom and safety risks on their line of duty. Security personnel, on the other hand, have raised concerns about misinformation, biased reporting and the potential security risks posed by unverified information,” he said.