(FLIP/IPYS/IFEX) – FLIP and IPYS are concerned about recent actions against the press in Barrancabermeja and demand that the local and national authorities take the necessary measures to ensure that journalists can freely exercise their profession in the city. The situation for media outlets in the port city of Barrancabermeja, in northeastern Colombia, has become […]
(FLIP/IPYS/IFEX) – FLIP and IPYS are concerned about recent actions against the press in Barrancabermeja and demand that the local and national authorities take the necessary measures to ensure that journalists can freely exercise their profession in the city.
The situation for media outlets in the port city of Barrancabermeja, in northeastern Colombia, has become increasingly tense following threats against journalists Diego Waldrón Guerrero and Garibaldy López, who host the radio programme “Noticias en Caliente”, and the disappearance of Fabián Eduardo Morales, a sports announcer for Tele Petróleo television station.
The threats were reported in a Barrancabermeja Journalists’ Association (Asociación de Periodistas de Barrancabermeja, APB) press release and were confirmed by Waldrón, who said he had received several anonymous threatening telephone calls. He also said that individuals whom he had criticised had looked for him and told him in an aggressive manner to stop covering the topic of corruption in the region. The journalist went on to say that on one occasion they tried to hit him with a bar. According to Waldrón, the authorities failed to accept his complaint about the incident because he was not injured in the attack.
The most recent threat took place on 14 February 2004, when, according to Waldrón, he was told, “First there will be an attack and afterward we will see what we do next.” On 16 February, Waldrón mentioned the assault and threats on his programme and also informed the relevant authorities.
“Noticias en Caliente” is broadcast Monday to Friday from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. (local time) on Calor Estéreo radio station. Journalist José Emeterio Rivas, who was assassinated in April 2003, also worked for Calor Estéreo on a programme with a similar content and format to that of “Noticias en Caliente” (see IFEX alerts of 10 and 9 April 2003). Waldrón is also a reporter for the local “Siete Días” newspaper.
Added to these threats is the disappearance of Fabián Eduardo Morales, a 21-year-old sports announcer for the recently created news programme “Noticias en Primer Plano”, broadcast between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Tele Petróleo. The programme began airing on 9 February 2004. According to his father, Luis Eduardo Morales, several people have said they saw Morales for the last time on 11 February at about midday.
In addition to his work as a television announcer, Morales is also an actor with a local theatre group that has conducted social campaigns on topics such as health and workplace safety.
According to Morales’ colleague Sonia González, the news programme had not broadcast any information which she thought would have put Morales at risk.
Barrancabermeja’s police commander, Jorge William Gil, told FLIP that the police have initiated an investigation into the whereabouts of the journalist and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. He also said that the police have not found a motive or identified who might be behind the journalist’s disappearance.
These latest incidents follow a series of violent acts against the press in Barrancabermeja. On 28 January, Inés Peña, a 22-year-old youth leader in the Popular Women’s Organisation (Organización Femenina Popular, OFP) and host of the “Cultura por la Vida” segment of the “La Mohana” television programme, was kidnapped, tortured and told to abandon her journalist work by individuals who identified themselves as paramilitary group members (see alert of 3 February 2004). On 22 October 2003, Yaneth Montoya, a “Vanguardia Liberal” newspaper correspondent, was threatened and had to leave the region. Two days later, Pedro Javier Galvis, editor of “La Noticia” newspaper, was also forced to leave the city after being threatened (see alert of 30 October 2003).
The citizens of Barrancabermeja have persistently complained about the control that illegal paramilitary groups, who are in peace negotiations with the government, have in the region.
