Assessing the Impact of Mayaradit FM following the May 2011 Abyei Emergency

This article describes radio as one of the most effective ways of disseminating information to affected communities in humanitarian emergencies and promoting information flow between the host community, internally displaced persons (IDPs), government officials, and humanitarian responders. This report assesses the impact of a community radio station in positively affecting the lives of people in a community during an emergency conflict situation. It specifically highlights the role of Myardit FM in managing conflict in Turalei, Warrap State, South Sudan, in the disputed Sudanese border region of Abyei in May 2011.

The purpose of this assessment, carried out between June 28 and July 2 2011, in and around Turalei, was to investigate the impact of Mayardit FM following the May Abyei crisis and the subsequent mass displacement of people, as well as to make recommendations for future improvements. According to Internews, Myardit FM helped to: reunite families separated in the flight from Abyei; facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance; promote mutual understanding between the IDPs and host communities; and reduce panic and confusion by providing communities with up-to-date information about the security situation in and Turalei.

Specifically, host behaviour toward the IDP was reflected in the following: "Respondents from all groups felt Mayardit FM had played an important role in facilitating communication and promoting understanding between the host community and IDPs. This was particularly the case when the IDPs first arrived in Turalei, but also in the following weeks, when competition over a decreasing pool of resources created elevated potential for conflict between the two communities. The majority of respondents cited a broadcast of a speech by a host community executive chief calling on the Twic community to welcome IDPs from Abyei into their community and provide them with food and shelter. Many considered this broadcast to have been directly responsible for the scale of the assistance provided by the host community....'We learned from the IDPs that many were still sleeping under trees. They spoke about their fears. That touched our hearts and we felt sympathy for them,' said one male host community respondent. 'We learned about the constraints of being displaced.'"