(FLIP/IFEX) – Several municipalities in Valle, Cauca and Nariño departments have been without public television service since 23 September 2003, following the destruction of the National Radio and Television Institute’s (Instituto Nacional de Radio y Televisión, Inravisión) relay tower. National and regional newspapers have reported that the tower was blown up by members of the […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – Several municipalities in Valle, Cauca and Nariño departments have been without public television service since 23 September 2003, following the destruction of the National Radio and Television Institute’s (Instituto Nacional de Radio y Televisión, Inravisión) relay tower. National and regional newspapers have reported that the tower was blown up by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC).
The tower sends a signal to national and regional television stations (Canal Uno, Canal A, Señal Colombia, Telepacífico) in the south-western part of the country.
Telepacífico manager Germán Patiño told FLIP that the guerrillas forced two workers to leave the building and then proceeded to burn the equipment and dynamite the facility.
“This action puts press freedom at risk since it impedes the broadcasting of regional news and opinion and educational programmes. It also violates international humanitarian law as it was an attack against a public service facility,” said Patiño.
He further added that, based on provisional plans being put in place by station management, the regional signal will only be re-established to 80 percent of its previous strength. The damages are estimated to be in the range of US$5 million. Reconstruction is expected to take between four and six months.
FLIP noted that attacks on media outlets’ infrastructure represent a press freedom violation and urged the actors in the armed conflict to respect citizens’ rights to access information.
