Nairobi Declaration on combat of Hate Speech In and the Republics of Sudan and South Sudan

and the role of the Media in conflict resolution and promoting respect for human rights

In /and the Republics of Sudan and South Sudan

A group of journalists working in print, broadcast, online media and writers from the Republics of Sudan and South Sudan participated in a conference organised and hosted by Journalists for Human Rights – JHR-Sudan, at Nairobi, Kenya in October 2014.

The participants discussed over two days of campaign conference, issues related to combat of hate speech, challenges and priorities in the protection of human rights and promotion of peaceful resolution to the conflicts within and between the two countries, Sudan and South Sudan. The participants agreed upon fighting against hate speech within and between the two countries and issued the Nairobi Declaration against hate speech and insuring the role of the media in conflict sensitive coverage and respect and promotion of human rights in the two countries.

On the 2nd and 3d, of October 2014, we met - us the undersigned- to discuss the issues mentioned above and on basis of these discussions, we hereby confirm our agreement that:

The right to freedom of expression, including but not limited to, freedom of the media and right to access to information, and academic freedoms must be respected, protected and fulfilled in both countries;
The right to non-discrimination must be respected, protected and fulfilled in both countries, and that all persons have a right to equal participation in civil, political, economic, social, and cultural life;
The governments, public figures, religious and society leaders, civil society activists, should not, and must take the needed measures to combat and fight hate speech, and all forms speech which constitute incitement to hatred, racial and religious discrimination and hostility and violence (hate speech).
Public figures in both countries have an obligation to refrain from, and take steps to combat, advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence (hate speech);

The two governments, including all public figures must obliged to respect the agreements reached by them and should implement them accordingly.

Any conflict or disagreement between the governments of Sudan and South Sudan should be resolved through dialogue and non-violent means.
Respect and implementation of agreements signed between the two countries.
The two governments must prohibit and criminalize hate speech by and through enactment of appropriate legislations and regulations to combat hate speech.
Measures taken to monitor and combat hate speech should not be taken as a tool to reduce or hinder the expression of protest against social injustice or indignation of opposition.


We call upon the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to:

Respect human rights, including but not limited to the rights to freedom of expression and non-discrimination, to refrain from fueling hate speech and to seek peaceful resolution of conflicts between the two countries and to stop harassment ,intimidation ,repression ,persecution and threatening of journalists and writers.
Reject the expression of racial or religious discrimination or xenophobia, which openly calls or propose performing procedures target minorities and different population groups.
establishment of national mechanisms for the protection of the people from hate speech , and addressing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and any form of hate speech and ethnic intolerance and ethnic, religious and regional discrimination.

We call for the protection of journalists facing intimidation, repression, persecution and threats by all available national, regional, and international mechanisms.

We further confirm our belief that the media in both Sudan and South Sudan has a central role to play in promoting respect for human rights and peace. We call on all media and journalists in the two countries to:

Practice responsible and ethical journalism, to combat hate speech and reflect respect for human rights, equality and non-discrimination in all reporting and to challenge all forms hate speech, in reporting on the situation in and between Sudan and South Sudan, for the sake of building peace and stability;
Stay away and refrain from exercise and encourage dissemination of hate speech.
Uphold the values of solidarity and advocacy between journalist within and between the two countries.
Cooperate with each other to promote dialogue and peaceful reconciliation and to combat hate speech,
Develop code of ethics to defend and promote professionalism and defend freedoms, and combat and ban gender discrimination in media organisations and institutions.


Agreed upon on 21st of October 2014,

Adopted and signed by:

NO
NAME
TITLE
1.
ALFRED TABAN BAJA
JUBA MONITOR – SOUTH SUDAN
2.
KAMAL ELGZOLI
LAWYER, POET, WRITER AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST - SUDAN
3.
ABDELWAHAB ALI YOUSIF BOB
FREELANCE RESEARCHER - SUDAN
4.
ADIL IBRAHIM ABDALLA COLOUR
ALMIDAN NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
5.
AHMED BASHIR BABIKER
TRANSLATOR - SUDAN
6.
AHMED KHALIL MOHMED
ALAYAM NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
7.
AKOL MEIN KUOL
WRITER AND POET - SOUTH SUDAN
8.
ALAELDIN MAHMOUD KHALID
SUDANESE JOURNALISTS’ NETWORK - SUDAN
9.
ALSIR ALSAID
RADIO DIRECTOR - SUDAN
10.
AMIERA OSMAN HAMID
WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST - SUDAN
11.
AMIR ELSUNNI BANNGA
ALKHARTOUM NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
12.
ARTHUR GABRIEL
WRITER - SOUTH SUDAN
13.
ATER GARANG ARIATH
CITIZEN NEWSPAPER – SOUTH SUDAN
14.
ATIOL ELMALIK ATIOL
SOUTH SUDAN RADIO
15.
ATOJ PATRES AKNON
SOUTH SUDAN TVs
16.
AWIN MAROTH BOL
FREELANCE JOURNALIST – SOUTH SUDAN
17.
AZZA ABUAOOF
ALJAREEDA NEWSPAPER – SUDAN
18.
BIAR KURCHIEK AYOM
FREELANCE JOURNALIST, ARTIST, CARICATURIST, PRESIDENT OF BRASH GROUP FOR VISUAL ART – SOUTH SUDAN
19.
EMMANUEL MARIO BAFRA
LAWYER AND WRITER – SOUTH SUDAN
20.
ENAAM MOHAMMED ADAM
ALTAYAR NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
21.
ENAM MOHAMED ELTAYEB
JOURNALIST - SUDAN
22.
FAISAL ELBAGIR
JOURNALISTS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS- JHR
23.
FRANCIS MAWIEN BAR
SOUTH SUDAN TV
24.
GABRIEL SHADAR
RADIO MARRIA – SOUTH SUDAN
25.
HAIDER ALMUKASHFI
ALTAGEER NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
26.
HASSAN FAROUG SIRELKHATIM
ALRAI ALAM NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
27.
HASSAN MOHAMED BERKIA
ALJAREEDA NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
28.
HUSSEIN SAAD RIZG ALLA
FREELANCE JOURNALIST - SUDAN
29.
IDRIS ELDOMA MAHMOUD
EDITOR IN CHIEF, ALJAREEDA NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
30.
INTESAR JADEN - KJ
SOUTH SUDAN RADIO
31.
KENNEDY NEMAYA YATA
ALRAY NEWSPAPER – SOUTH SUDAN
32.
KHALID FATEHI ABDOON
ALTAYAR NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
33.
LAURIN ODEIL ABAKA
FREE VOICE RADIO – SOUTH SUDAN
34.
LIEMIA ELJAILI ABUBAKR
FREELANCE JOURNALIST - SUDAN
35.
LILIAN SAMUEL WANI
SOUTH SUDAN TV – CENTRAL EQUATORIAL STATE
36.
LUAL KUOL LUAL DENG
ABYEI NOW ONLINE NEWSPAPER
37.
MADIHA ABDALLA MOHAMEDKHAIR
EDITOR IN CHIEF, ALMIDAN NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
38.
MAGED YAHIA ELGONI
ALJAREEDA NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
39.
MARY SAMUEL APOLLO
FREELANCE JOURNALIST – SOUTH SUDAN
40.
MASHAIR DARRAG IDRIS
ALMOSTAQILA NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
41.
MASHIAR RAMDAN HUSSEIN
ALAYAM NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
42.
MATHIANG CIRILO YEL
EDITOR IN CHIEF, ALMAWGIF NEWSPAPER – SOUTH SUDAN
43.
MOHAMED LATIF
JOURNALIST, TEEBA PRESS - SUDAN
44.
MOHAMEDELFATIH HUMMA NYALA
ALMIDAN NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
45.
NADIR KHALAFALLH ALAMIN
ALMAWGIF NEWSPAPER – SOUTH SUDAN
46.
NATALE ATEM RING
LAWYER, MEDIA ACTIVIST – SOUTH SUDAN
47.
NICHOLA FRANCO LADO
JOURNALIST, RADIO DIRECTOR , FREE VOICE RADIO – SOUTH SUDAN
48.
NURA WIL DENG MISS
SOUTH SUDAN TV
49.
OYET PATRICK CHARLES
JOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN
50.
PHILLIP WILLIAM MBUGO
JOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN
51.
QUEEN MAKELELE
FREELANCE JOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN
52.
REHEMA SIAMA MONOJA
JOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN
53.
RICHARD LADU MOGGA
MANAGING EDITOR –NEW TIMES NEWSPAPER - SOUTH SUDAN
54.
SABAH MOHAMED ADAM
EDITOR IN CHIEF, CITIZEN NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
55.
SALMA MAROOF MAGZOUB
ALYOUM ALTALI NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
56.
SAMAR DIEFALLA ABDALLA
CARICATURIST – AKBAR ALYOUM NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
57.
SAMIR BOL MONOK
PHOTOJOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN
58.
SARA TAGALSIER ATIYA
ALJAREEDA NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
59.
SHAMSELDIN DAWELBAIT
PROJECT MANAGER, READING FOR CHANGE - SUDAN
60.
SHEIMAA ABU ZINID
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST - SUDAN
61.
STEPHEN TUT PUOL
ASSOCIATION FOR MEDIA DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH SUDAN ( AMDISS)
62.
SUNDAY EDWARD LASU EYOBO
SOUTH SUDAN RADIO
63.
TARIG ALGOZOLI
SUDANILE ONLINE NEWSPAPER - SUDAN
64.
TILAL AFIFI MAHMOUD AFIFI
WRITER - SUDAN
65.
WADENG ALBINO DENG JUHG
CITIZEN NEWSPAPER - SOUTH SUDAN
66.
WOUR MAJAK AKOL ARIGAM
JOURNALIST, ABYEI NOW ONLINE NEWSPAPER - SOUTH SUDAN
67.
YOBU ANNET MODI KIJJO SOKILI
FREELANCE JOURNALIST - SOUTH SUDAN