South Sudan blocks social media over videos of Sudan killings

social media

The authorities of South Sudan have temporarily blocked access to social media for at least 30 days, after graphic content showing the alleged killings of South Sudanese people in Sudan sparked riots and lethal retaliatory attacks, Reuters reported on January 23rd.

The suspension was reportedly due to come into effect at midnight on January 22nd, director general of the National Communication Authority (NCA), Napoleon Adok, said in a letter to internet service providers dated January 22nd.

Adok said in the letter: “This is culminating from the recent upheaval in Sudan, that has exposed the South Sudanese population to unprecedented levels of extreme violence through social media posts.”

The NCA said: “This directive may be lifted as soon as the situation is contained,” according to The Associated Press (AP).

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The NCA added: “The contents depicted violate our local laws and pose a significant threat to public safety and mental health.”

Customers of the mobile operators MTN South Sudan and Zain would be unable to access Facebook, TikTok and other platforms for up to 90 days, the companies said in statements which were given on January 22nd.

A Reuters reporter in South Sudan’s capital Juba was not able to enter Facebook or TikTok.

A minimum of 16 Sudanese nationals were killed last week when riots were taking place in Juba as well as other parts of the country.

In a number of cities youths have looted and vandalised Sudanese-owned shops and set fire to several homes, in a retaliatory response to what they perceive was the involvement of Sudan’s military and allied groups in the El Gezira killings, according to police.

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Many South Sudanese people have been infuriated by footage from Sudan that appears to show killings by militia groups of south Sudanese in Gezira state. South Sudanese authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on January 17th, following a night of retaliatory violence, in which Sudanese trader-owned shops were looted. 

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat spoke out against  “the brutal killings of South Sudanese nationals” in Sudan and called for restraint.

Civil war in Sudan has created a growth of famine and the world’s biggest displacement crisis. In April 2023, fighting between forces backing rival military leaders, took place in Khartoum. Since then, it has spread to other areas. 

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Atrocities have taken place during the conflict, such as ethnically-driven killing and rape, the UN and human rights groups have said

On January 14th, the Sudanese army condemned what it described as “individual violations” in Sudan’s El Gezira, following allegations by rights groups of ethnically-motivated attacks on civilians from the army and its allies, The New Arab and agencies reported. 

Volunteer Sudanese rescuers said that shelling in the area of Omdurman, which is across the Nile river, killed more than 120 people, as reported by The New Arab and agencies on January 14th. 

Reuters, The Associated Press

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