South Sudanese journalist and Radio manager, John Gatluak Manguet Nhial was killed in the late afternoon of July 11, during the recent violence that erupted in the country's capital, Juba, dealing another devastating blow to the country's embattled press. He was 32 years old.
"Being a journalist in South Sudan is risking one's life," John said in an interview last year. "But I have dedicated myself to serving my community through radio as a watchdog, informing them about what the politicians are doing once the citizens elect them to power."
Jennifer Cobb, a spokeswoman for Internews, a U.S.-funded organization that assists radio stations in South Sudan, confirmed to the Associated Press yesterday that Gatluak was killed Monday at the compound of the upscale Terrain Hotel, where he had gone for safety after he was briefly arrested Friday night.
The Rev. John Chuol, a representative of Gatluak's family, said the 32-year-old journalist was targeted because he is a member of the Nuer tribe.
"We received a phone call from one of John's colleagues... saying they were attacked in their workplace and they were asked to go out and let people from other tribes go. When they saw that John was a Nuer they shot him dead immediately," Chuol told Radio Tamazuj.
John leaves behind a wife, Rebecca Chol Ngudeng Teny, and three children, including a new baby born the day after he was killed.
Undetered, John passionately believed in what he was doing and was becoming one of South Sudan's future leaders, in a country in need of good leadership. He committed his life to helping the people of South Sudan. When the war broke out in 2013, he was working with Internews as the station coordinator at Naath FM in Leer. In the months that followed, his station was at the centre of fighting that spread from Juba into the states. He led his team as they faced intimidation from the opposition forces.
"He was a heroic reporter and a leader, widely loved and embraced in his community," said Nigel Ballard. Internews Director of Community Radio. " He had great integrity, would never rush to judgement and was always fair. John was quiet, gentle and a deep thinker whose actions were informed by his commitments to open and indepependent journalism."
Gatluak had distinctive Nuer facial scars on his forehead, making his ethnicity easily identifiable. A photo of his body reportedly shows that he was shot in the face and lying on his back, his arms outstretched.
"When I look at the photo, it looks like he raised his hands up as someone who is surrendering," said the source.
South Sudanese journalists expressed grief and shock at the murder of their colleague. Emmanuel Monychol said in a group email,
"When I saw this email my heart became so weak I could not open it... he was a very kind person, friendly and God-fearing man. Our hearts go out to his family in their time of sorrow. It's hard to believe this,” said Alfred Taban. “God save us from all that is happening."
John Gatluak was the second media worker killed in Juba this past week. A cameraman working in the Office of the Presidency was reportedly killed in crossfire. A number of other civilian casualties have been reported in Juba, including some killed deliberately and others caught in crossfire.
Source: Internews/ South Sudan News/Radio Tamazuj/AP
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