Thursday, November 04, 2010

The Citizen Newspaper suspended for advertising alcohol!

The CPA had brought into fruition the one country, two systems. While the South is semi-autonomous, with its own government and laws, the North had some form of sharia lwas implemented like banning sale of alcohol and Islamic banking etc. How do you balance that, when the country is trying to unite?

It is tricky, when on one hand you want to say that the country be kept united, while on the other hand you oppress and suppress the same people who want to be united with? Does that sound like a catch 22?

The banning of the Citizen Newspaper is one good example. While alcohol consumption and sale is legal in Southern Sudan, including advertising, it is banned in the north. When the Citizen advertised alcohol in its paper, which also circulates in the north, it is served a suspension for one month for breaking Islamic laws. How can we reconcile these facts, bearing in mind that the paper is owned by Southern Sudanese who are being coerced to vote for unity.

The only option, as put by the editor of the Citizen, is to close the office in Khartoum and relocate to an Independent South Sudan!

No comments: