CPJ condemns “devastating” attack on S. Sudan journalists

January 28, 2015 (JUBA) – Press advocacy group the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the killing of five South Sudanese reporters in an attack on Sunday.

The journalists were among at least eight victims killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Western Bar El Ghazal state.

CPJ has called on authorities to “apprehend the perpetrators and hold them to account”.

“The murder of five journalists is a devastating attack on South Sudan’s already beleaguered press corps,” said Tom Rhodes, CPJ’s East Africa representative, said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

“We urge Western Bahr el Ghazal authorities to do their utmost to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, and to ensure journalists are allowed to carry out their duties safely,” said Rhodes.

The journalists were travelling with Raja county commissioner James Marodama Benjamin when their convoy was ambushed by a group of heavily armed men.

Benjamin was wounded but survived the attack.

He was returning to Raja after visiting families of people killed in separate raid on 22 January in neighbouring Sofo payam (district).

The deceased journalists have been identified as Musa Mohamed, director of the state-run radio station Raja FM, Adam Juma, presenter and reporter for Raja FM, Raja FM reporters Dalia Marko and Randa George and Boutros Martin, cameraman for the Western Bahr el Ghazal branch of South Sudan Television (SSTV).

Governor Rizik Zakariah Hassan has blamed rebels, allegedly clad in South Sudanese army (SPLA) uniforms and speaking a well-known dialect, of carrying out the attack.

The UN has called on local, state and national authorities to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

(ST)

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