Mistreating a journalist is likened to hurting a hapless messenger, who is misconstrued for carrying words. Or, breaking a mirror that shows your image.
Journalism is as old as creation; in the bible, those of the Higher beings are referred to as Angels or messengers of God. Jacob wrestled with one and earned the name “Israel”.
During the Biblical flooding of Noah’s time, the pigeon (reporter) which was deployed to gather information about the water. In the Roman Era, they were the “scribes” that terrified Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte, former Emperor of the French, was quoted saying in dread, that “I better be attacked by ten thousand men with guns than ten journalists with pens”.
Despite the misconstrued mistrust and messengers, neither the dreaded tyranny, Napoleon Bonaparte dared to lay a hand against journalists nor Jesus Christ pronounced any curse on the scribes. Meaning that the crafty and Holy both respected the role of scribes in society.
Contrary to the ancient, today, the world over, journalists are jostled, tortured, detained and at times killed, their equipment destroyed like they are enemies while not. While the world gets creative and better, that of journalists takes an opposite dimension.
As a part of the whole, South Sudan doesn’t give journalists a party of cakes but wickers. So often, a journalist is either arrested and detained at the orders of a country commissioner, a state minister or lucky ones flee threats from a governor.
Constant threats to lives of journalists are not good indicators of a democratic nation we hope to build but rather pilling blocks of anarchy and tyranny.
Transparency, accountability and respect for the rights of others, are pillars of democracy. The fourth estate comes handy as a mirror for the stewards entrusted by consent of the citizens to see their true appearance.
Mistreating journalists, like crashing a mirror, doesn’t change appearance. Destroying the flashlight that shows the path in the dark, only leads the traveler into a pit.
Journalists are humans bound to error and once that happens, they deserve to be subjected to fair justice, not injustice.
Above all, like any other citizen, the government has a role to protect the rights and safety of journalists and their property against inhumane treatment and destruction.
Freedom of speech and expression must not be a prank but an honoured tool of democracy and development.