Reports circulating in some media outlets claim that a journalist who was arrested in Rumbek after allegedly sending a story to one of the social media outlets is working for Juba Monitor. Indeed Mabor Riak Mangok is and has been our Rumbek based correspondent. This is how far Juba Monitor knows him, but his association and activities with Radio Tamazuj is his own not known or within the newspaper knowledge. As a correspondent he is paid based on his contribution and the number of stories published. Juba Monitor does not supervise or monitor other activities carried out by the correspondent at his duty station. While it is not in anyone’s interests, there is no way as one of the leading newspaper we can be dragged in the case because we know and we are well-aware of the journalists’ ethics and code of conducts. We are also well aware that Radio Tamazuj among others has problems with the authorities. It would not be in our interests to antagonize the government while carrying out its mandate because we operate within the law of the country. However, we at Juba Monitor do not agree with any form of harassment of journalists without following the media laws of this country which is clearly enshrined in the constitution. There must be and should remain order in carrying out or articulating any grievances between journalists and other parties. It should not be handled without following the right procedure which is to go through the Media Authority unless the subject matter is a threat to national security which each country in the world protects for the interests of sovereignties. It is not combative journalism that would bring one to the fold and public arena. It is factual reporting that counts at the end of the day. It is important that journalists operates within their scope and should not be carried away with some influence from external agents. This is what we at Juba Monitor stands for, not that we are perfect but trying to be and remain in this category with high aim of improving to go further.
