Phone company blocks access to Radio Tamazuj website
A telecommunications company in South Sudan has cut off access to the website of the news service Radio Tamazuj, according to Vivacell customers. The company is part-owned by South Sudan's ruling party SPLM.
A user of Vivacell's data service in South Sudan today explained that his browser told him that the Radio Tamazuj website “might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.” The user had no problem accessing another news website commonly visited by South Sudanese readers.
Another reader of the Radio Tamazuj website said he noticed the problem last night while trying to use Vivacell data to connect to the site. His web browser told him that the “server can't be found,” while other websites loaded fine. The same user also said he had no problem accessing the website from the MTN network.
Users of wifi networks in South Sudan, many of which are connected to the Internet by satellite connections known as 'VSAT', are still able to access the website.
Radio Tamazuj's broadcasts on shortwave radio are unaffected and will continue uncensored. The radio station announced recently plans to expand its broadcast airtime.
Facebook users reported they could still access Radio Tamazuj's news via the radio station's Facebook page. Fans expressed frustration with Vivacell. “I cannot access with Vivacell,” said Felix. “Vivacell is the most poor in connection and very very slow. Discouraging,” said Jahim.
Customers also complained of recent rate hikes introduced by Vivacell after the devaluation of the South Sudanese pound.
Customer Adraako Helen said, “Too slow and bundles has express speed of getting used without being used.” Dan Njuguna commented, “Do people still use vivacell data?? I quit that weeks ago when I realized it was the slowest and most expensive!”
Ties to Lebanese company, SPLM
Vivacell is majority owned by Lebanon's Fattouch Investment Group. A minority stake is held by the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), whose investment in the company predates the independence of South Sudan.
News reports from 2009 revealed that SPLM owned up to 25% of Vivacell through Wawat Securities Limited. Additional information about the party's investment was disclosed in a leaked investigation report that President Salva Kiir had ordered the party undertake in 2013 against its former secretary-general Pagan Amum.
The investigation report described Wawat Securities as an “investment arm” of SPLM, explaining that Wawat took 25% of the shares in Vivacell and Fattouche Investments Group Holdings Ltd took 75%, according to a framework agreement between the two parties.
However, the investigation report was unclear about the percentage of Vivacell shares currently owned by SPLM, referring to other evidence indicating the SPLM's holding in Vivacell may actually be significantly smaller than 25%. The report noted also that SPLM leased land to Vivacell at a “symbolic rate” close to 0 pounds per square meter.
Topic: Radio Tamazuj to increase broadcast time, news output (Read 1606 times)