Freedom of the Press in Colombia: interview with a Colombian journalist

[Judi Lynn]

Freedom of the Press in Colombia: interview with a Colombian journalist
Sunday November 15, 2009 12:08

http://www.indymedia.ie.nyud.net:8090/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/nov2009/300_0___20_0_0_0_0_0_hollmann1_1.jpg

Hollman Morris

http://www.indymedia.ie.nyud.net:8090/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/nov2009/300_0___20_0_0_0_0_0_hollman2_1.jpg
Hollman Morris is a familiar name in Colombia, both for his TV programme Contravía (Counter-current), which he has been directing for many years and represents a unique window to glimpse into the realities of the Colombian conflict, and also for the accusations and harassment which he has suffered from the State intelligence agency (DAS) and by the very president Uribe.

In February, he was denounced in TV by Uribe as an “accomplice to terrorism” because of his coverage of the unilateral liberation of hostages by the FARC-EP <1>, while the then Defence Minister, Juan Manuel Santos, said what he had done was tantamount to “endorsing criminality” <2>. After that, when the DAS phone tapping scandal broke out, it was discovered that the State intelligence was not only tapping phone conversations of the opposition, journalists, social movements, judges and human rights lawyers, etc., but also they had been followed, photographed and their personal lives were being scrutinised. Hollman Morris was among those suffering from this persecution, whose files were labelled “Puerto Asís Case”. “Hollman Morris mail was intercepted, in a confidential report he is labelled ‘a belligerent journalist’ and his activities abroad were closely followed” <3>. Apart from all this, Morris’ work is done under constant threat and pressure from far-right paramilitary gangs that do not forgive him for his research on political violence in Colombia <4>.

The situation of Morris is not an exception, even though his international and national profile makes his drama more visible than most: what is happening within the DAS is symptomatic of this dim environment of persecution and stigma attached to those who are uncomfortable for the will of Uribe Vélez’s government, a situation to which journalists are not immune, even less so when the strategy of the government towards the media has been so strong.

To be a journalist in Colombia is not easy: over the last 30 years, more than 130 journalists have been killed because of their profession, 98 of them being killed in the period of 1992-2006. During that time, many more journalists were forced to flee the country. If there’s anything remarkable of the murder of journalists is the high level of impunity: of this 98 cases, only 3 went punished <5>. Colombia, according to Journalists Without Borders, ranks 126 in a ranking of those countries with the least freedom of information, among a total of 175 countries <6>.

In spite of the grandiose platitudes of the government about the improvement in the delicate situation of the press, claiming that during 2008 no journalist was killed because of his-her profession, we believe that the parameter to measure the freedom of the press in Colombia can’t be only if journalists are killed or not. As it is clearly stated in a report of the the Committee to Protect Journalists:

“Deadly violence in Colombia eased for the second consecutive year as no journalists were killed in direct relation to their work. Colombian authorities cited increased security throughout the country as the cause for the recent decline in news media deaths, but journalists said widespread self-censorship had made the press less of a target. Even so, intimidation and threats remained a serious problem. Repeated death threats against four provincial journalists forced them to flee their homes. Prominent journalists in the capital denounced government harassment that followed their criticism of the administration of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez.” <7>

As another report from the Foundation for the Freedom of the Press (FLIP) states, threats, stigmatisation and economic pressures, are the preferred mechanisms to control journalism in Colombia <8>. However, this year at least 5 journalists have been killed so far <9>, an alarming number as it is the highest number of murdered journalists since 2004, year in which 7 journalists were killed. So the view from the government, that there is a “decreasing” tendency in the murder of journalists <10>, is just not credible, and the number of journalists killed seems to be rather in relation to factors such as self-censorship, coverage of scandals, etc.

More:
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/94677

[Peace Patriot]

1. Things have improved because "no journalist was killed" in 2008, according to Colombia's narco-thug

government.

But there aren't a whole lot of the troublesome sort of journalist left TO kill in Colombia, is the truth. 98 journalists killed over the previous decade and a half. Others have fled the country. And how many have censored themselves, out of fear for their lives and those of their families, and how many people who wanted to be journalists have chosen not to be--because the examples that the violent fascists who are running Colombia have given to them, of what will happen to you if you dare speak the truth?

People need to realize what 98 murders of journalists--approximately ten per year--MEANS. Just as with the murders of thousands of union leaders-- a crime spree that is on-going--it means that you are taking your life in your hands when you speak out against the government, or on behalf of poor workers, or for any leftist or human rights cause.

I have to laugh when the corpo-fascist press and rightwing bloggers claim that Uribe is "popular" in Colombia. Some stranger knocks on a door in Colombia, and asks the residents, 'Do you like Alvaro Uribe?"--what are the chances of their saying "no" if that is their true opinion? The rightwing paramilitary death squads are also notorious for their violence and intimidation of voters during elections. They stand over voters' shoulders, in the polling stations, and point to the name that is to be voted for!

As in Honduras--where President Zelaya has said that at least a hundred people have been murdered for opposing the rightwing Junta--they don't have to kill everybody. They just have to kill in sufficient numbers to SILENCE everybody. And it looks like they're gearing up to do just that, in Honduras, around their Colombia-style 'election' at the end of this week.

And, as with Colombia--to our sorrow, to our disappointment, to our outrage--the US government is once again backing violent fascists in their violent bid to 'elect' themselves as dictators.

And I fear that we will soon be hearing this tripe from the Obama administration--that things are "improving" in Colombia because "no journalist was killed in 2008"--in support of SEVEN new US military bases in Colombia, and $6 BILLION in military booty, and formalized US-run "free trade for the rich."

Get ready for similar tripe from the Obama/Clinton State Department about Honduras next week. "Things are 'improving.'" They held an "election." And only...5, 10, 20 protestors were beaten to death or shot.