By Samuel Lual

Radio Jonglei resumed operations on Wednesday after a 10-day shutdown triggered by the accidental broadcast of a controversial community song during heightened inter-communal tensions.

According to TiJwog Agwet, the Excutive Director of Radio Jonglei , the station was shutdown when an automatic playlist system aired a song linked to one of the communities recently involved in violent clashes. The broadcast occurred shortly after deadly conflict between two communities in Twic East.

“The song played automatically from our system. No one knew it would come up at that moment,” Mr. Tijwog Agwet explained. “But due to the sensitivity, it was perceived that the station was celebrating one side of the conflict.”

Following complaints from the affected community and intervention by the National Security officers, the song was removed from the playlist and an investigation was launched. The governor of Jonglei State recommended the closure of the station pending further review.

The 10-day blackout significantly impacted the flow of critical information to the public. Radio Jonglei, which provides health updates, community announcements, and religious programming, was a vital source of information, especially as the region battles outbreaks of cholera and malaria.

“Everyone was crying out,” Mr. TiJwog Agwet  said. “We couldn’t air public health information or church messages. That affected many (people).”

The station was allowed to resume broadcasting after government authorities, including the Media Authority, acknowledged that the incident was unintentional and emphasized that legal processes should run concurrently with continued public service.

“We have been cautioned to be more careful,” TiJwog Agwet  stated. “The media institutions now have to monitor content more closely, especially songs linked to communities in conflict.”

The Media Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and National Security, will oversee measures to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future.