Elijah Alier, Managing Director of the Media Authority in South Sudan - courtesy

The expelled UN Radio Journalist has been working with Radio Miraya, which was declared an illegal entity in 2018 by the media regulator, Media Authority Managing Director has said.

According to Elijah Alier, Radio Miraya is operating illegally in South Sudan.

This comes after the governor of Warrap State expelled a local journalist working for the UN radio, from the state over his reporting on the area.

In a letter seen by Eye Radio, Governor Aleu Ayieny claims that Manyang Mayom was involved in activities that threaten peace and stability in the state.

The governor did not, however, state what activities the journalist was involved in to warrant claims of anti-peace practices.

When contacted by Eye Radio, the managing director of the media regulator says it is not aware of the expulsion.

“We are not aware of the message. If something happened to a journalist, the concern stakeholders have to give us the information. But there is nothing we can do about the journalist of Radio Miraya,” Elijah Alier told Eye Radio.

Alier says the UN Radio has not been licensed to operate.

“Radio Miraya have been operating under suspension order for persistent non compliances and refusal to be regulated under media law in the republic of South Sudan since March 2018,” he said.

“They [Radio Miraya] don’t follow any laws of the country, so anything to do with Radio Miraya as Media Authority, we don’t recognize anything that they are doing.”

In March 2018, the Media Authority ordered for closure of radio Miraya over what it called “persistent non-compliance” and “refusal to be regulated” under the country’s media laws.

“This is to inform the public and media houses that the Media Authority has suspended the operations of Radio Miraya 101 FM for persistent non-compliance and refusal to be regulated under media laws in the republic of South Sudan,” a statement from the Media Authority reads.

According to section 34(1) of the media authority act, 2013, a person shall not provide a broadcasting service except in accordance with a valid broadcasting license.

Alier said the suspension letter was sent to Radio Miraya after numerous notifications since June, September, November 2017, and February 2018.

“Nonetheless, the management of Radio Miraya has not responded, which is a clear violation of non-compliance with the media authority orders,” he added.

Alier said the Media Authority has requested the National Communications Authority (NCA) to withdraw the frequency 101FM that was allocated to Radio Miraya FM under UNMISS for non-compliance with the license condition with effect from Friday march 09th, 2018.

The order applies to all of Radio Miraya’s platforms including online broadcasting, according to Alier.

He said the suspension will stand as long as the management of Radio Miraya refuses to be registered.

He said journalists working with Radio Miraya will not be allowed to cover events outside UNMISS because they would not be having accreditation.

Radio Miraya is the radio station of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The UN Radio started broadcasting in South Sudan on June 30, 2006, when it was still part of the Republic of Sudan.

In May 2017, a UN Radio Journalist, George Livio was detained for nearly three years.

Livio, the reporter of Radio Miraya based in Wau, was arrested in Wau and later transferred to Juba.

The management of Radio Miraya is yet to respond.