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Alert

Press under threat in Barrancabermeja

(FLIP/IFEX) - On 9 July 2002, at 2:00 p.m. (local time), Anyela Muñoz, director of the weekly "El Vocero" in the city of Barrancabermeja, was held up by two men. The incident comes on the heels of threats issued by the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC) paramilitaries against the local press in Barrancabermeja. "If the newspaper is distributed tomorrow, someone will pay with their life," Muñoz was told by the men, who did not specify if they were members of an armed group.




The threats are apparently connected with statements made on 8 July by Commander "Alex", of the AUC's Bloque Central de Bolívar, Fidel Castaño Division. The paramilitary leader stated that the AUC does not agree with the way in which the local press reports on legal cases. "Either [the press] stops toying with the community's pain, or we will find ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to execute someone, so that they understand the people's pain," the commander said during an interview.

"El Vocero" has been circulating on Wednesdays in Barrancabermeja for the past two years. The weekly focuses on legal matters and has been condemning cases of corruption involving the municipal administration and crimes committed by the AUC.

In a separate incident, on the night of 8 July, Jeanneth Ojeda Bayter, director of the weekly "La Noticia", was followed by a van as she was heading to her office. She managed to escape her pursuers. "La Noticia", along with "El Vocero" and the weekly" "La Tarde", are local newspapers specialising in reporting on legal cases.

The local press, the diocese and human rights organisations in Barrancabermeja have expressed their support for "El Vocero" and its director in the face of continued violations of press freedom and the right to information.

FLIP condemned the attack on freedom of expression by illegal armed groups and called on media outlets in Colombia and international press freedom organisations to lend their support to Barrancabermeja journalists, who are attempting to inform despite the violent actors' intolerant attitude.

Recommended Action

Send appeals to authorities:
- urging them to provide protection for Barrancabermeja media outlets that are under threat so that they can continue to carry out their work

Appeals To

Andrés Pastrana Arango
President of the Republic
Carrera 8 No. 7-26
Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: +571 336 2109 / 286 7937 / 286 7434
E-mail: pastrana@presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
Attorney General
Diagonal 22-B Nº 5201
Fax: +571 570 2000, ext. 1587
E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co

Dr. Jorge Gomez Lizarazo
Ombudsman
Barrancabermeja, Colombia
Tel: +097 622 2733

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.