South Sudanese journalists pay tribute to slain Al Jazeera Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

JUBA – South Sudanese journalists gathered at the Al Jazeera office in Juba on Wednesday to pay tribute to Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was killed by Israeli military in the occupied West Bank on May 11.

Veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on May 11.

The 51-year-old was covering an Israeli army raid on the Jenin refugee camp when she was shot in the face by a single bullet, despite wearing a press vest.

Oyet Patrick, President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan offered his condolences to the late journalist’s family, the people of Palestine, and media family.

“The journalists in South Sudan would like to pass their condolences to family of late Shireen Abu Akleh,” Oyet said in his condolences message on Wednesday at Al Jazeera office in Juba.

Oyet said called on the international community to investigate the case and hold Israeli forces responsible accountable.

“Her killing is a crime and as such it should be investigated and those who have committed this crime should be brought to book,” Oyet said.

“Her killing is violation of a fundamental human rights and it set a bad example that a journalist can be kill while on duty. It is a concern to us, journalists because we have no tribe, we have no race, and we have no region.”

Haithm Aweet, a Juba-based Correspondent for Aljazeera news network described the death of her colleague Shireen Abu Akleh as a great loss to the media fraternity.

“The death of our colleague Shireen Abu Akleh is great lost to the media fraternity. Her killing is the worse incident against the journalist, and she was sending truth to the world through Aljazeera channel,” Aweet said.

Another journalist, Abu Akleh said journalism is not a crime, and journalists doese not have nationality.

Majur Chol, freelance broadcast journalist said that “We have not only lost a journalist, we have also lost a mother and we stand in solidarity with Aljazeera as a media family.”

“We will never forget our colleague late Shireen and we will always remember through the work she has done when she was still alive.”

A Palestine-American, Shirin Abu Akleh was a well-known face in the Middle East for her remarkable coverage of the harsh realities of Israel’s military occupation.

Born in Bethelem, Akleh often shared her own experiences as a Palestinian journalist on the frontlines. She was brought up in Jerusalem and moved to America later.

Akleh relocated to east Jerusalem and the West Bank where she lived and worked.