(FLIP/IFEX) – On 9 September 2004, Luis Alberto Castaño Martínez, news director for the Café 93.5 FM community radio station in Líbano, Tolima department, central Colombia, was forced to leave the municipality where he lives after discovering that illegal armed groups were planning an attack against him. Castaño Martínez directs the municipality’s only radio news […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – On 9 September 2004, Luis Alberto Castaño Martínez, news director for the Café 93.5 FM community radio station in Líbano, Tolima department, central Colombia, was forced to leave the municipality where he lives after discovering that illegal armed groups were planning an attack against him. Castaño Martínez directs the municipality’s only radio news programme.
On 26 August, Castaño Martínez was interviewing a city councillor when two armed men, dressed in civilian clothing, began to follow them in Líbano’s central park. The following day, Castaño Martínez spoke to the head of the Technical Investigations Unit (Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, CTI), a division of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. He was informed that there were rumours that paramilitaries may have been planning to attack him. The CTI head confirmed this information in communications with FLIP. Castaño Martínez immediately contacted a journalistic source, who also warned him that paramilitaries were searching for him and wanted to kill him.
Castaño Martínez reported his situation to both the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman’s Office.
According to the journalist, the threats against him are related to reports on the Café 93.5 FM news programme about assassinations in the city that have been taking place since 4 April. He added that, on 11, 12 and 13 August, the programme reported on the capture of an alleged suspect in the assassinations. This information has been confirmed by FLIP.
Tolima Ombudsman Francisco Taborda told FLIP that there is a strong paramilitary presence in Líbano and that there have been a number of assassinations.
Since Castaño Martínez’s departure from the region, Líbano has been without a radio news programme. Café 93.5 FM Director Miguel Marín told FLIP, however, that he is working to get the news programme back on the air.
