Remembering Fallen Journalists
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGERY
As we approach the end of 2024, 18º North would like to pay tribute to our journalism colleagues who died under tragic circumstances this year and send our condolences to their families and friends.
Barbara Gayle
In Jamaica, Gleaner veteran court reporter, Barbara Gayle, was found dead at her Caymanas Estate home in Jamaica on December 17 with multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma to her head. Police have now charged 24-year-old Travis Ellis with her death. According to RadioJamaicaNewsOnline, Ellis reportedly confessed to killing Gayle for her GLA 180 Mercedes Benz motor vehicle and was planning to sell it.
Job Nelson
Also in Jamaica, a post mortem has determined that Gleaner sports journalist Job Nelson, who had a motor vehicle crash in May, died from a metal object from the airbag of the car he was driving, and not a gunshot wound as first reported. The object pierced his body after the crash, causing damage to his lungs and resulted in internal bleeding.
Haitian Journalists
On Christmas Eve in Haiti, two journalists were among those killed and several others wounded in what the AP described as the worst gang attack on Haitian journalists in recent memory. A police officer was also killed. The Miami Herald reported two officers were nursing gunshot wounds.
Suspected gang members, who’ve taken over an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince, opened fire on them as they were awaiting the arrival of the country’s health minister to reopen the country’s largest hospital in the capital.
The AP reported that Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs, posted a video on social media Tuesday claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening.
The Haitian Victims
The killed journalists have been identified as Markenzy Nathoux from Boston Caribbean Network and VOA/Creole; and Jimmy Jean of Moun Afe Bon TV.
In photos and videos online, journalists were seen lying on the floor covered in blood with gunshot wounds to the head, chest and mouths. Even the tongue of one journalist was pierced by a bullet.
In a voice note to 18º North soon after the incident, the coordinator of media development organization, Institut Panos, says he cried and was in shock. “It’s very terrible, very terrible.”
The coordinator, who didn’t want to be named given the security situation in Haiti, says a colleague covering the event for Panos had to “go to the back of the hospital to save his flesh.”
Video capturing the fright of persons behind the hospital during Tuesday's gun assault from Tipotay Lakay's YouTube channel.
The Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers on Saturday condemned the attack and said “The tragedy of Haiti is that the truth of what is happening remains in the dark, because the people whose jobs it is to report on what is happening can't do that work.”
It continued, “Haiti is a place where reporters aren't just killed, their bodies are mutilated to send a warning to their peers.”
Recall that in May around World Press Freedom Day, 18º North had highlighted the plight of journalists in Haiti who’d been attacked, kidnapped and even murdered by gangs amid the civil unrest that has engulfed the nation following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The Caribbean country tops the 2024 list of the world’s top offenders in allowing the murderers of journalists to go unpunished, as measured by the Global Impunity Index of the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
In collaboration with Institut Panos, we launched a campaign to help Haitian journalists.
That campaign raised a gross amount of US$265, and a net amount after platform fees of US$244.01 was successfully turned over to Panos.
Panos says all the money received will go toward helping defray some medical costs for at least two of the injured journalists from Tuesday’s assault, and the organization will be adding to the amounts that were raised.
The persons Panos will help include Jocelyn Justin of Chandèl Info, whose lower jaw was torn off in the attack and who remains in critical condition. The equivalent of US$300 will go toward his care.
There’s also Vélondy Miracle of Nouvel 509, who was shot in the neck. Panos says the equivalent of US$185 will be donated toward her care.
If you’d like to contribute to help these or other journalists there, the GoFundMe page 18º North set up for the organization is still active and can be found here:
Thanks to all readers of 18º North who contributed to this campaign.
Our thoughts are also with the families of journalists being killed in places like Palestine, Mexico, Syria, Somalia and South Sudan.
We must not let these dastardly acts deter our efforts. Please do what you can to help.
In solidarity with journalists and the families who support them.
Zahra Burton
18⁰ North Founder and Chief Reporter