(SV)

Last week SPLM presidential candidate, Yassir Arman was leading a demonstration of some opposition parties to hand a protest memo to the National Elections Commission over the media restrictions and other NEC decisions which they consider as undemocratic.

The memo spoke about the media tightening and the unjust media chances for parties other than the NCP in the government official radio and TV channels.
At that same time, news from the south revealed that Southern Sudanese journalists are facing increasing intimidation as the security services clamp down on reporters ahead of landmark elections in April, a media rights watchdog warned on Friday.

According to the southern-based Agency for Independent Media (AIM) said it recorded several "disturbing reports" of the harassment of journalists across the autonomous south in 2010, including arrests and violence.

South Sudan security services briefly closed down two independent radio stations in Juba after they broadcast interviews with a campaign team for an independent candidate running for governor of Central Equatoria, as security men stormed into the building with guns, and they told the manager of the Liberty station to close the radio.

The manager of the Roman Catholic-run Bakhita radio, which was also temporarily closed, was told "no politics" were to be broadcast.
However, the clampdown has affected independent and government media.
Many fear restrictions could increase ahead of next month's elections, Sudan's first multi-party vote in 24 years.

Several SPLM leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with such practices which, according to them, will tarnish the image of the movement in these crucial moments which need the contentment   of the international community.

Arman who is fighting in the north for equal chances in the media is facing the SPLM trespassing in the South as the movement overstepped the unbalanced chance to the closure of radio station and harassing the journalists.

It is expected from Arman; if he has any kind of accountability, to comment on the violations of his movement in the South to coincidence with what he is calling for.

To sum it up we remind Arman to practice what he preaches.