Families of journalists killed in Western Bahr el Ghazal state call for investigation
May 1, 2015 (WAU) – Family members of five journalists killed under unknown circumstances in January last this year have called on the government of the South Sudan’s state of Western Bahr el Ghazal to make public the result of investigations on the death of the victims.
The call was made on Friday during a ceremonial ceremony held at the ministry of information and communication in the state capital, Wau, in the name of the five journalists killed on 25 January 2015.
The five journalists who worked for the government’s run South Sudan TV (SSTV) were killed around Wau when their convoy to Raja county was ambushed while accompanying the county commissioner. They were identified as Musa Mohamed Dhayia, Buturus Martin Khamis, Adam Juma Adam, Randa George and Dalia Joseph.
The state government promised to investigate the incident and name perpetrators but this has not happened to date.
Speaking at the occasion on Friday, families’ representative, Joseph Martin Khamis, called on the state government to provide them with single information behind the death of their sons and daughters.
He said since the investigation of inquiry committee was formed earlier this year, there was no any feedback to the families, which he strongly criticized.
Meanwhile state information minister, Mary Karlino, assured the families of the state government’s commitment to continue investigating the killing and bring the perpetrators to book.
James Deng Dimo, Secretary for the South Sudan Union of Journalists in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, recalled the incidents befalling South Sudanese journalists in the country.
“It is unfortunately for a peaceful democratic institution like the media to continue experiencing such situation throughout, not only in Western Bahr el Ghazal state where five journalists were murdered this year but all over the country which include the killing of the country’s most [political] commentator Mr. Isaiah Abraham in December 2012,” he said.
Also no investigation report was announced by the government in the killing of Isaiah Abraham in front of his house in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, although the national government at the time assured citizens of its commitment to bring to book the murderers.
Dimo urged the state government to leave no stone unturned in unearthing the facts leading to the killing of the five journalists.
(ST)