(FLIP/IFEX) – On 15 October 2002, an “El Colombiano” news crew was detained by men who identified themselves as members of the Cacique Nutibara Block, from the paramilitary Cordoba and Urabá Rural Self-Defense Forces (Autodefensas Campesinas de Cordoba y Urabá, ACCU). “El Colombiano” is the newspaper with the highest circulation in Medellín. The incident occurred […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – On 15 October 2002, an “El Colombiano” news crew was detained by men who identified themselves as members of the Cacique Nutibara Block, from the paramilitary Cordoba and Urabá Rural Self-Defense Forces (Autodefensas Campesinas de Cordoba y Urabá, ACCU). “El Colombiano” is the newspaper with the highest circulation in Medellín.
The incident occurred in San Cristobal, a semi-rural region west of Medellín. Journalist Leon Jairo Saldarriaga Lopez, photojournalist Donaldo Zuluaga Vellilla and their driver, Sergio Tabares, had travelled to La Asomadera to interview an individual in the community, as part of a series on the work of community leaders.
At 10:00 a.m. (local time), a group of paramilitaries approached the journalists, reprimanded them for being in the community, and forced them to hand over the keys to their vehicle, their cellular phones and identification papers. The journalists were then taken to a remote area.
The journalists repeatedly stated that they were there on assignment, but could not convince their abductors, who believed that they were representatives of the Public Prosecutor’s Office disguised as journalists.
After one hour, the news crew was taken to an even more isolated place, where they waited for two more hours. After hearing their kidnappers talking on hand-held radios and still referring to them as employees of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Zuluaga told the paramilitaries, “you better make sure you find out who we are, so you do not act in error.”
After four hours in captivity, the news crew was told that the kidnappers had checked past issues of “El Colombiano” and ascertained that they were indeed journalists for the newspaper.
“The last thing the group’s leader said to us was that we had saved our lives because they had orders to kill us simply on suspicion that we worked for the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” the journalists told FLIP.
The journalists’ vehicle, equipment and documents were returned to them and they were allowed to leave, but not before being warned that “the next time [you] enter the region, [you] have to ask for permission.”
The incident occurred one day after shots were fired at journalists in the Comuna 13 neighbourhood, west of Medellín (see IFEX alert of 16 October 2002). As such, in less than two days, eight Medellín journalists were targeted while exercising their profession.
FLIP expressed the need for the authorities to adopt measures to protect journalists from a conflict that is increasing being played out in urban areas.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Antioquia Police commander in chief:
– urging the police to ensure that journalists in Medellín and surrounding areas can safely carry out their profession
Appeals To
Colonel Pedro Antonio Molano
Antioquia Police Commander-in-Chief
Tel: +574 257 6686
Fax: +574 257 8102
E-mail: coman.deant@policia.gov.co
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
