Radio Miraya
2866: News Report: SPLM decries misinformation towards government
SPLM Secretary General Peter Lam both started by addressing claims on mainly social media that SPLM were organizing a meeting in Lake Stett with the aim of transferring SPLM power to presidential envoy Beaumel, the shooting incident at the home of former Director of National Security. Beaumel being a large to be acting president and the latest being Beaumel directed a bank of South Sudan governor to disclose account balance of their president's family. He refuted all the allegations being transmitted through the social media and said their party has decided to respond to them because they are causing alarm among the population and party members. We know in our experience that cyber warfare has now become the new front for bringing down governments and systems that have been established. And so therefore leaving them the way they are would be awoke in the minefield. And so we have chosen to respond to some of these social media allegations. The sources of these rumors are sponsored by individuals to target some leaders in our government. And the writers, most of whom are young social media writers are being paid by some political leaders to do this. And we know this because we have also found some of them. And when investigated they tell you who paid them to write against some leaders or against the government. And this is unfortunate. The being done is sponsored from outside the country and also inside the country. Majority of those is sponsoring this propaganda. They are those who are fighting against, those who are fighting against the government in the S V L M. Some of them are disgruntled politicians who are looking for positions in governments. They think that if they can defame some of the leaders who are in government, maybe this people will be decreed out and they will come in. That is what they wish and you will find that particular politicians from a certain place will defame somebody from their area. And so that when that person is removed, at least they have a chance of coming. This is what our people have really come down to. Some of these people are also disgruntled officers in active duty who are targeting political leaders. The people who are supposed to enforce the law are also engaged in these kinds of activities. And so as a asylum, we have been advocates for freedom of his speech. But from freedom of his speech that defames and infringes on the rights of others is not free. It is criminal. But Mel who is a senior S V L M member and a special presidential envoy described the allegation us meets his of social media. He says he is a display member of the party and government official. The country cannot be built by those people whose work is just revolving about negative negative media propaganda that advise you to stop. As you have had people like us, if you don't know us, we have reached this position because of respect. Respect for our country, respect for the system and respect for leaders. I would also advise the politicians. We have what we call positive politics, play your politics positively, not negatively. Because the consequences of you playing negative politics are very high. The S V L M Secretary General Lam says the party respect people's rights to freedom of expression, but the government is capable of shutting down social media if it is for spreading misinformation. We have the capacity to shut down social media and social media. We have that. And don't tear people. We are the one who are saying don't shut down social media as S V L M. But if we put our hands up, if the social media becomes an anti S V L M, we will put our hands up and we'll allow those who have capacity to shut it down to do that. You know even in the region here, you don't have access to social media the way you have it here in South Sudan. Even Ethiopia here, you don't have it. I'm not even talking about big countries like China. So let us not push the button. Let us not abuse the freedom of speech. It will end up with you by being locked out and you cannot use any of these social media outlets. You may remain with your phone. The rumors and shooting incidents last month in Juba have sent wave of panic, although government officials and office of the president issued a statement calling people to remain calm. (speaks in foreign language)