(WAN/IFEX) – The following is a 14 June 2000 WAN press release: Paris, 14 June 2000 For immediate release WAN Condemns Colombian Killings The World Association of Newspapers and World Editors Forum have condemned attacks against journalists in Colombia and have called on all partners in peace negotiations including those governments which are facilitating […]
(WAN/IFEX) – The following is a 14 June 2000 WAN press release:
Paris, 14 June 2000
For immediate release
WAN Condemns Colombian Killings
The World Association of Newspapers and World Editors Forum have condemned attacks against journalists in Colombia and have called on all partners in peace negotiations including those governments which are facilitating the process — “to ensure that freedom of the press and an end to violence against the media are preconditions for the continuation of peace discussions.”
“Journalists are not combatants in war and civil conflict. They must be allowed to do their work free of fear and threats, as they see fit. This is the price of democracy,” said a resolution approved by the Annual General Meeting of WAN, meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The resolution said:
“Violence against journalists in Colombia is increasing at an alarming rate. Eight journalists have been killed in the past nine months: Humberto Good Garces, Maria Elena Salinas Gallego, Antonio Gomez Gomez, John Restrepo Abello, Pablo Emilio Medina Motta, Luis Alberto Rincon, Alberto Sanchez Tova and Rodolfo Julio Torres. As many as one hundred media representatives have been murdered in the past ten years, making
Colombia the most dangerous country in the world in which to be a journalist.
“At the same time, there has been an intensive series of kidnappings of journalists, and bombings or attempted bombings of news enterprises. Death threats and extortion are common. In this terrible climate of violence and fear, many of Colombia’s best journalists have been forced to flee the country: some 60 have done so in the past year. The
intensification of violence has been linked to attempts to de-rail the peace process.
“The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, ELN) and the Colombian United Self Defence groups or paramilitaries have all threatened journalists and must be held responsible for much of the violence.
“The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) reiterates its recent call, Manuel Marulanda Velez, to condemn and renounce violence and intimidation against the media. WAN welcomes a statement by FARC spokesman Raul Reyes earlier this month that the FARC does not have a policy of threatening, kidnapping or killing of journalists.
“At the same time, WAN calls upon the President of Colombia, Andres Pastrana and the Attorney General, Alfonso Gomez Mendez, to guarantee a full investigation of all crimes against journalists, including all those cases where security forces have been accused of involvement, and to provide protection for the media.
“WAN condemns and expresses its outrage at the attacks upon journalists, and calls upon all partners in the peace negotiations, including those governments (particularly in Europe) which are facilitating the process, to ensure that freedom of the press and an end to violence against the media are preconditions for the continuation of peace discussions.
“Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are fundamental and absolute pre-conditions in any modern society. They imply that journalists, or indeed any citizens, must be completely free to criticise, interpret and condemn. Journalists are not combatants in war and civil conflict. They must be allowed to do their work free of fear
and threats, as they see fit. This is the price of democracy.”
The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 17,000 newspapers; its membership includes 65 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 93 countries, 17 news agencies and seven regional and world-wide press groups.
The WEF is the branch of WAN that represents senior newsroom personnel.
More than 1,400 publishers, editors and other newspaper executives from 72 countries attended the WAN World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Brazil.
