Next year’s elections in Sudan will not only be a test for democracy but a test for the country’s media. Report by IMS staff, Michelle Betz

For most Sudanese journalists, especially in the country’s South, the planned election in April 2010 will be the first time they’ll cover an election. Sudan, Africa’s largest country, is just beginning to recover from Africa’s longest-running civil war and journalists here are keenly aware of the role they’ll play as the country moves forward.

IMS is providing training in safety, medical and reporting in a conflict sensitive election environment and hopes to reach 100 journalists in the first phase of trainings. Close to 50 journalists were trained in Juba and Yei in September while another 50 will be trained later this year.

Realizing the role of media in post-conflict

It became clear during the training that Southern Sudan faces conflict on numerous levels and in ways some of the participants had not considered before. Nor did they realize the important role the media play in covering conflict

Anthony Mogga says he has a better understanding of what is required to cover conflict.

- The perception of Sudan is that any conflict here is tribal”, said Anthony Mogga of Sudan Catholic Radio Network., he said and added, he has now learned that it is often more complex with underlying issues such as the struggle for power or resources.  

- We have been in conflict a long time [here in Southern Sudan], and we still are, said Innocent Asubo who works with Liberty FM in Yei. He aso said he would be able to use what he learned at the training to better inform his role in covering not only the elections but conflict.

Sirocco Mayom came from Bor in Jonglei State to attend the Juba training. He said it is the duty of journalists  to inform people about the elections and to avoid tribal conflicts.

IMS is partnering with the International News Safety Institute (INSI) to train radio, TV and print journalists in first-aid techniques to deal with injuries that could happen in this heavily mined and still militarized area.

Data Emmanuel, editor of The Maruba Newsletter in Yei, anticipates travelling a lot in what are still heavily mined areas to cover the elections.

- I am quite sure the first-aid training will come in handy, he said.

Casting 12 different ballots in one election

Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, which ended 21 years of civil war, elaborate and ambitious plans have been made for elections. In the South, the April 2010 election will likely prove to be extremely complex as voters will be expected to cast 12 different ballots. The poll will be followed by a referendum on independence in 2011. Some fear that there could be election violence and it is hoped that the training provided will help avoid the post-election violence Kenya experienced less than one year ago.