U.S “strongly” condemns South Sudan minister over slain journalist

November 3, 2022 (JUBA) – The United States embassy in South Sudan has “strongly” condemned South Sudan’s Information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth’s remarks regarding an American journalist killed in August 2017.

Christopher Allen, a U.S citizen, was shot while covering a clash in Kaya, near South Sudan’s border with Uganda after having been embedded with rebel forces.

The deceased reportedly had a camera at the time he was shot by government forces.

Makuei, while speaking at an occasion to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, said the government could not probe Allen’s death.

“This man entered South Sudan illegally and it is why I declared in a statement that we have killed a white rebel because he was killed on the side of rebels,” he said Wednesday.

The U.S embassy, in a statement on Friday, strongly condemned Makuei’s comment.

“The U.S. Embassy condemns in the strongest terms the 2 November comments of Michael Makuei, the Minister of Information, regarding Christopher Allen, an American journalist killed while covering clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition in August 2017,” it partly read.

The U.S wondered whether Makuei’s remarks represented government’s position.

“The U.S. Embassy once again renews its calls to the Government of South Sudan to conduct a credible inquiry into Mr. Allen’s death and to share its findings with Mr. Allen’s family,” stressed the statement.

In August, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) asked the U.S Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to initiate investigations into Allen’s death.

South Sudan ranks 128th out of 180 nations in RSF’s 2022 World Press Freedom Index.

(ST)