(IPYS/IFEX) – On the afternoon of 12 November 1998, two assailants entered the office of Romulo Ripa Casafranca, news director of the Radiodifusora Sudamericana in Andahuaylas (Apurimac department), and used rocks to break windows and items in the office. They also smashed the rear windshield of Ripa’s car, which was parked outside his office door. […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On the afternoon of 12 November 1998, two assailants entered
the office of Romulo Ripa Casafranca, news director of the Radiodifusora
Sudamericana in Andahuaylas (Apurimac department), and used rocks to break
windows and items in the office. They also smashed the rear windshield of
Ripa’s car, which was parked outside his office door. According to the
journalist, this incident is the culmination of threats made against Ripa
and his team by Andahuaylas district head Vicente Zegarra Suarez. Zegarra
also reportedly tried to bribe the journalists to stop reporting on the
district administration’s abuse of local farmers and misuse of funds
destined to help the region battle the effects of El Niño.
After broadcasting a story which gave evidence to the effect that Zegarra
had been committing irregularities favouring family and friends, the
station received a first call threatening not only to shut down the
programme but the whole station. Then, Zegarra himself called the station
to complain that what was reported was false. Ripa and another colleague
went to Zegarra’s office and invited him to come back to the station for an
opportunity to air his complaint. Zegarra never came, instead sending
representatives to offer the station money in exchange for ceasing the
reports.
The threats escalated after the journalists refused the bribes. The
journalists began to fear for their lives when threats to “blow up the
station” were made along with warnings that the journalists would each
“take a bullet.” The journalists began to be targeted personally, verbally
abused and directly threatened. This culminated with the attack in Ripa’s
office.
From information collected from institutions in Andahuaylas, IPYS says
Zegarra has a bad reputation.
Recommended Action
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Appeals To
National Police Commander Carlos Alpas Siles
District Chief, National Police, Andahuaylas
Andahuaylas, Apurimac, Peru
Fax (care of the Andahuaylas district administration): +511 084 72 1041Ruben Alarcon Anay
Andahuaylas District Prefect (chief administrator)
Andahuaylas, Apurimac, Peru
Fax: +511 084 72 1041Dr. Luciano Valderrama Solorzano
Apurimac Public Prosecutor
Andahuaylas, Apurimac, Peru
Fax: +511 084 321338Dr. César Munares Echevarría
Representative of the Ombudsman’s Office in Andahuaylas
Andahuaylas, Apurimac, Peru
Fax: +511 084 72 1817Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Lima, Peru
Fax: +511 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
