(FLIP/IFEX) – Colombia’s press continues to be affected by the armed conflict plaguing the country. In 2001, 56 journalists were threatened and 10 were forced to flee the country. A series of attacks have resulted in self-censorship and impacted on the quality of information. On the morning of 30 January 2002, a car bomb exploded […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – Colombia’s press continues to be affected by the armed conflict plaguing the country. In 2001, 56 journalists were threatened and 10 were forced to flee the country. A series of attacks have resulted in self-censorship and impacted on the quality of information.
On the morning of 30 January 2002, a car bomb exploded in front of the Canal Caracol television station studios, in Bogotá’s La Soledad neighbourhood, resulting in extensive damage. Although the authorities have not been able to identify those responsible or establish the motives for the attack, they do not discount that the television station was the target.
The incident occurred at 4:15 a.m. (local time), after three men abandoned the vehicle, which was loaded with approximately 30 kilogrammes of dynamite. According to Police Colonel Rubén
Jaramillo, the assailants fired shots at a local police post before carrying out the attack.
Yet another incident has put the country’s media on alert. On the afternoon of 30 January, Orlando Sierra Hernández was shot by hired killers. Sierra Hernández is assistant editor of the daily “La Patria” in Manizales, capital of Caldas department.
The incident occurred at 1:55 p.m., in front of the newspaper’s offices. Although the journalist has previously received threats as the result of statements in his column Punto de encuentro, currently he was not considered to be at risk. Sierra Hernández is one of the most influential journalists in the coffee-growing region. He was seriously injured and is in critical condition.
A few hours after the attack, one of the killers was arrested and confessed that he had targeted the wrong person. Nevertheless, the authorities are carrying out an investigation to determine if this was an attempt to silence the journalist.
FLIP urges the armed actors to leave journalists and the media out of the conflict. The organisation also calls for concrete results in the investigations into assassinations of and threats against journalists.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– condemning the attacks
– calling for concrete results in the investigations into assassinations of and threats against journalists
Appeals To
Dr. Andrés Pastrana Arango
Presidency of the Republic
E-mail: apastra@presidencia.gov.co
Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
Office of the Attorney General
E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
