VZCZCXRO9258
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1568 1861209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051209Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3529
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0060

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001568 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINS PHUM ECPS SU
SUBJECT:  UN RADIO MIRROR BEGINS BROADCASTING IN THE SOUTH; NORTH 
STILL BLOCKED 
 
Ref:  Khartoum 1559 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  While UN Radio has now opened in the South, 
UNMIS reports that UN radio broadcasting is still blocked 
nation-wide, in non-compliance with the UNMIS SOFA.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) UN Radio Mirror went on the air for the first time on June 
30 with live coverage of the inauguration ceremony for the UN 
broadcasting facility located on the west edge of Juba, behind the 
Customs Market.  Considerable pomp and circumstance accompanied the 
opening, which attracted more than a dozen ministers from the 
Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), in addition to representatives 
from a half dozen diplomatic missions and a throng of Sudanese. 
 
¶3.  (U) The ceremony kicked off with a speech by Minister Samson 
Kwaje, who recounted the chronology of the radio station and 
complimented the UN for its cooperative approach to the project.  UN 
Special Representative of the Secretary General Jan Pronk spoke 
next, emphasizing that Radio Mirror was the radio of the people of 
the South of Sudan, not Radio UN.  He stressed that free and open 
media is one of primary guarantors of democratic governance, and 
praised the GoSS for showing its commitment to democracy by 
supporting the UN effort to keep the people of Southern Sudan 
informed about progress on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement (CPA). 
 
¶4.  (U) GoSS President Salva Kiir spoke last, noting that UN Radio 
was one of four independent or non-GoSS stations broadcasting in 
various parts of Southern Sudan.  He thanked the UN for helping 
improve communication outreach in the South, and said that the 
broadcasting facility would help promote peace and support ongoing 
GoSS initiatives to improve security and fight corruption.  Pronk 
and Kiir proceeded to cut the ribbon to the main transmitter 
building.  At various interludes in the ceremony, the police band 
blared out tunes, a refugee rap singer just returned from Nairobi 
sang a song in Juba Arabic about peace and justice, and a troupe of 
grade school dancers performed. 
 
¶5.  (U) Later, Kiir gave an interview to the new Radio Station, 
during which he stated clearly that President Bashir's position on 
UN rehatting was not the SPLM's.  (Reftel) 
 
Comment:  Radio positive development for the South; still blocked in 
the North 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The advent of Radio Mirror was an important event in 
Southern Sudan, where feeble media coverage has been an impediment 
to keeping the rural population informed about the CPA, as well as 
what is happening in the larger world.  Until now, even in Juba, the 
putative capital of the South, depended largely upon a modern town 
crier, a dilapidated car with a loudspeaker lashed to its roof, for 
much of its information.  Radio Mirror, broadcasting 24 hours a day 
in English, Arabic and other local languages on FM 101, will fill an 
important information gap. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) As Pronk noted, Radio Mirror (also know as "Miraya FM") 
will work to support the unity option as set forth in the CPA.  Kiir 
reportedly expressed hope that UNMIS would extend its services to 
other Southern states.  With regard to Sudan's obligations via the 
UNMIS SOFA to permit UN radio throughout the country, Pronk's 
deputy, Taye Zarihoun, confirmed to us that the UN finally decided 
to approach the GOSS separately on UN radio, since the government in 
Khartoum was not budging on its opposition to UN radio nation-wide. 
 
 
HUME