The government of South Sudan has imposed a social media ban, lasting up to 30 days, in response to videos allegedly depicting the killings of South Sudanese nationals in El Gezira, Sudan. The release of these videos has been linked to violent riots and retaliatory attacks in various areas.The unrest reached its peak last week, particularly in the capital city, Juba, and a few other regions, resulting in the deaths of approximately 16 Sudanese individuals. Officials report that groups of young people in several cities set homes ablaze, while shops owned by Sudanese citizens were looted and vandalized. These actions were reportedly carried out as revenge for what many believe to be the involvement of Sudan’s military and its allied groups in the killings in El Gezira.
On Wednesday, Napoleon Adok, the director general of South Sudan’s National Communications Authority, instructed internet service providers to implement the ban. In an official letter, Adok attributed the measure to the recent turmoil in Sudan, which he said had exposed South Sudanese citizens to an unprecedented level of extreme violence through social media platforms. Reuters confirmed the contents of the letter.As per the directive, customers of mobile operators like MTN South Sudan and Zain will be restricted from accessing platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and others for up to 90 days.The Sudanese army, in response, dismissed the incidents in El Gezira as isolated cases of misconduct.
Isaac Anthony Lumori, better known as Mc Lumoex, a prominent South Sudanese musician and founder of a comedy program, expressed frustration over the ban. “The impact is significant because, as an artist, I heavily rely on social media,” he said. Lumori urged the government to explore peaceful solutions by engaging Sudan’s authorities to prevent further acts of violence by their military.
