(CPJ/IFEX, New York) – CPJ is deeply concerned for the safety of seven Colombian journalists and their driver, who were kidnapped by leftist guerrillas on 10 November 1999 while traveling to cover a right-wing paramilitary attack in Atánquez, in the northern department of Cesar. Local sources informed CPJ that the journalists left the Cesar capital […]
(CPJ/IFEX, New York) – CPJ is deeply concerned for the safety of seven
Colombian journalists and their driver, who were kidnapped by leftist
guerrillas on 10 November 1999 while traveling to cover a right-wing
paramilitary attack in Atánquez, in the northern department of Cesar.
Local sources informed CPJ that the journalists left the Cesar capital
Valledupar at around 11:30 a.m. They were headed for the Atánquez district,
a two hour drive, to investigate an attack by right-wing paramilitary forces
earlier that day. Later that afternoon, one of the journalists called from a
mobile phone and left a message for a colleague in Valledupar, saying that
he and his colleagues had been kidnapped. For security reasons, the hostage
did not disclose the location where they are being held.
While the kidnapping was initially attributed to the National Liberation
Army (ELN), CPJ’s sources believe Front 59 of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) is actually responsible. Both rebel armies have a
presence in the region, as do the paramilitary United Self Defense Forces
(AUC). As of 2:30 p.m. EST on 11 November, there was no news of a possible
release.
The kidnapped journalists are:
David Sierra Daza, correspondent for the RCN Television network
José Urbano Céspedes, correspondent of Caracol Television network
Pablo Camargo Alí, correspondent of the television news program 24 Horas and
reporter with the Valledupar daily “El Pilon”
Isbel Ballesteros, cameraman for RCN Television
Aldemar Cárdenas, cameraman for Caracol Television
Libar Gregorio Maestre, cameraman for the CM& television news program
Edgar de la Hoz, photographer with the Bucaramanga daily “Vanguardia
Liberal” and the Valledupar daily “El Pilon”. Less than two months ago, De
la Hoz was a witness to the cold-blooded murder of his “El Pilon” colleague
Guzmán Quintero Torres, who is thought to have been killed in reprisal for
his work as a journalist (see IFEX alerts of 22 September and 17 September
1999).
This outrage follows the 26 October kidnapping of Reuters stringer Henry
Romero by the ELN in Valle del Cauca Department and the FARC’s 29 October
kidnapping of seven journalists in Bolívar Department. All eight journalists
were released in early November (see IFEX alerts of 4 November, 3 November,
2 November and 28 October 1999).
“Yet again, a Colombian faction has abused the country’s proud tradition of
independent journalism to generate publicity for its own political agenda,”
said CPJ Americas program coordinator Marylene Smeets. “We urge the
kidnappers to release the seven journalists at once, and we remind all
parties to the conflict that hostage-taking in internal conflict violates
common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.”
