Senior SSPDF officer proposes dedicated unit for military artists
The Director of the Cyber Security Unit, Brigadier General Mike Mike, has proposed the establishment of a dedicated unit within the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) for artists serving in the military as he presented Atem Salva Kiir’s donation of $13,000 to the Artists’ body
Mike made the proposal during an extraordinary meeting of the South Sudan Artists’ Union held under the theme “Together, We Build a Strong Entertainment Industry” at the Union’s office at Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba.
He said the proposed unit would provide military artists with a formal institutional structure while ensuring that they continue to observe military discipline and professional standards.
Mike stressed that artists serving in the military remain subject to the same rules and responsibilities as other military personnel, regardless of their artistic careers.
“When an artist misbehaves while he or she is in the military, he or she will be treated as a military. If you respect yourself, we will respect you too. But the most important thing is to have their own unit in the army,” Brigadier General Mike Mike said.
He said the proposed structure could take the form of an Artists’ Union or a dedicated unit within the army, aimed at promoting coordination, mutual respect and professional development among military personnel involved in the arts.
The initiative would also seek to use artists as a link between the military and the civilian population through music, entertainment and other creative activities.
During the meeting, Brigadier General Mike Mike presented 13,000 US dollars from Atem Salva Kiir to the South Sudan Artists’ Union to support the initiative and activities within the artistic community.
The proposal comes as the Artists’ Union seeks to strengthen its organizational structures and promote a more professional entertainment industry in South Sudan.
Organizers said the extraordinary meeting was intended to bring artists together to discuss ways of building a stronger and more coordinated entertainment sector
