(IPYS/IFEX) – Eduardo Cenepo Eljarratt, editor of the weekly magazine “El Clarín”, of the Amazonian city of Pucallpa, was officially summoned by Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Martínez Fernández, regional military chief, to “clarify and substantiate” information published in the magazine on 19 August 1999. The official letter Cenepo received from Martínez refers to an interview held […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Eduardo Cenepo Eljarratt, editor of the weekly magazine “El
Clarín”, of the Amazonian city of Pucallpa, was officially summoned by
Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Martínez Fernández, regional military chief, to
“clarify and substantiate” information published in the magazine on 19
August 1999.
The official letter Cenepo received from Martínez refers to an interview
held with the mayor of the district of Yurúa, Fidel Soria Rodríguez, and
with the Yurúa municipal director, Hecer Cárdenas. During the interview, the
two officials accused Peruvian Army Major Luis Muñoz Loarte of having
committed certain irregularities.
According to the 23 August letter, the published article “damages the Army’s
institutional image,” and therefore deserves to be “investigated extensively
as per the Constitution and the pertinent laws.”
In a telephone conversation with IPYS, Martínez denied that he intended to
affront journalism and stated that he simply wished to speak with Cenepo. He
added that he was also planning to speak with the mayor and the municipal
director about their accusations, so that any misunderstandings could be
worked out.
During the interview which was later published by “El Clarín”, Soria stated
that he had been pressured by Major Muñoz to assign to him certain public
works contracts and that Muñoz had tried to discredit him and get him
dismissed from his post. Cárdenas accused Muñoz of exploiting the local
people.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
substantiate statements made by public figures and quoted in his magazine
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535General Carlos Bergamino Cruz
Minister of Defense
Fax: +51 1 433 6906José Villanueva Ruesta
General Commander of the Armed Forces
Fax: +51 1 436 1423 / 435 4623Martha Hildebrandt Pérez
President of the Congress of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 426 8290Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
