S. Sudan newspaper editor quits journalism over death threats
September 9, 2015 (JUBA) – Nhial Bol Aken, a vocal editor-in-chief of an independent The Citizen newspaper in South Sudan and one of the most critical journalists in the country, has quit journalism, citing personal security and safety concern after allegedly receiving several warnings with death threats from government agents.
“It was not simple decision to make. It was difficult choice to make but I have finally decided to quit journalism after my family and I have concluded that I should stop due to security and safety reasons,” he said.
“I can no longer ignore this advice,” he said, adding “my security and safety have been threatened.”
He said his years of reporting industry have been the most precious in life and gave him all the sadness and happiness, all the dreams.
“I suffered and endured everything because of the dream I had. And now, the dream is dead, and I choose to leave,” he lamented.
His newspaper with its twin Citizen TV have many times been suspended by government agents.
Journalists in South Sudan have always complained of harassment and killings, forcing many of them to either change their profession or adopt new strategies including self-censorship since the current system prefers maintaining “coercive stability” as its priority in that any critical news and views are seen as potentially destabilising.
Independent media houses interested in investigative journalism, whose mission is to uncover the dark side of society, are seen as “destabilizers” and often encounter obstacles when trying to publish their pieces.
Most of the journalists have frequently found their physical safety threatened as the harassment, including arbitrary detention of journalists when reporting is almost an everyday phenomenon in South Sudan.
Nine journalists have been killed so far in the past four years since South Sudan became independent in July 2011.
(ST)