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Alert

TV station dynamited

(RSF/IFEX) - Television station Canal 13 of the San Francisco Javier de Sucre state university was dynamited in the early hours of 17 November 2008 for reasons that are still unknown. There were no casualties but the building was damaged in the attack. The station's director, Roger Gonzales, told Reporters Without Borders that windows had been blown out and some film equipment destroyed. He pointed out that Canal 13 suffered an earlier attack a year ago when unknown gunmen fired shots at the front of the building. An investigation into this attack did not produce any results.

"Fortunately the attack only caused minor damage, but it shows a continued determination to attack the country's media which reached its height during the holding of the vote-of-confidence referendum of 10 August 2008. Even if dialogue started by the government and the intervention of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) has since calmed down the unrest, vigilance is still needed to ensure public freedoms are respected", the worldwide press freedom organisation said.