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MEDIA
SEINFORMA CANADA PRESENT AT THE 74 PEN CONGRESS IN BOGOTA
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Let Colombian censors be judged: International PEN
One of the PEN Congress conclusions is that there should be inclusive communicative processes in Colombia and other countries that allow not only the plurality of voices and messages, but also the inclusion of traditionally excluded groups.
By Miguel Gonzalez/Seinforma Canada Special Correspondent
Bogota.- Many states have not understood that real democracy is only possible when the citizens have free access to the public information. Likewise, journalism should not be part of a government dominated project.[i]
These are some of the conclusions that can be extracted from the 74th World Congress of the International PEN Organization. The congress took place in Bogota between September 16 and 22, 2008. 120 delegates from 70 countries voiced their opinions about freedom of expression in Colombia and in the World, hence the slogan “The Role of the Word”.
The delegates developed workshops and assisted to readings and literary conferences; one of these being a round table in the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation in Colombia. The subject was the role of words in the Colombian armed conflict, the justice, the truth and the construction of peace.
“The role of the word in journalism. The social construction based on the discourse of media in Colombia” conversation forum has also taken place. Its main subject was “The Word as a fundamental tool of journalism and communication media” [ii]
The participants agreed on the fact that journalism should not depend on the government dominated projects.[iii] In Latin America there is improvement in the freedom of expression, although serious problems persist. In many countries, journalists are threatened or killed for doing their research tasks, especially those related to drug traffic, corruption and Human Rights violation. There are also (many times successful) attempts of censorship. These occur with the assignation of radio frequencies, television channels and official advertisement of complacent media, and punishment of the independent one.
Alarming numbers in host country
The congress took place in Colombia despite the threats to some Colombian journalists [iv]. The 72 Congress was held in Mexico in 2005, a country where several journalists, especially those who had investigated the drug traffic or adopted a critical position towards the government have become victims of harassment and aggression. ”[v].
When it comes to freedom of expression, the assembly of delegates approved ten resolutions, one of which is a request for protection of journalists in Colombia and Mexico. A campaign that defends freedom of expression and right to writing in South and North Americas will be a key priority for PEN International in 2009[vi]. It is a truly worrisome matter, since 157 journalists were murdered between 1995 and 2005 for causes related to their profession. The statistics are from 19 regional countries [vii], with the largest proportion concentrated in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
75 cases were presented in Colombia (only 47% of the murders) and only 7 ended in a sentence [viii]. The rest are still unpunished. In Brazil, the sentence was passed in only 9 out of 23 murders of journalists and in Mexico only 4 out of 20 were resolved.
In this constant threat to freedom of expression do the PEN delegates appeal to the government of Colombia to [ix]:
·Provide protection against the attacks to threatened journalists (an unseazing situation)
·Start legal actions against those who threat journalists and this way, guarantee justice
·Take measures to guarantee the threatened journalists to not be exposed to further dangers of government employees´ comments that lead to violence
Here we can mention the case of Daniel Coronel who, in several occasions, was insulted by the president Uribe for revealing a recording of Congressman Yidis Medina, in which he confesses to bribery that lead to a constitutional reform that approved presidential re election[x].
We can also mention the case of the trial of journalist Carlos Lozano, director of a weekly newspaper Voz, which belongs to the Colombian Communist Party, for its declarations against the current government, mentioning its links to the FARC and supporting the group on a political level [xi].
Finally, PEN appeals to the Colombian institutions to help the pending investigations and start taking legal actions against those who committed crimes against journalists, refuting the suggestions that these felonies will remain unpunished.
Urge the Colombian government to promote a culture of dialogue and recognition of the role of words in the creation of world peace.
i “The Role of Words in Peace”[Online] <http://www.mediosparalapaz.org/?idcategoria=3059>
ii Idem
iii Welcome PEN pens!. espectador.com, September 16, 2008, 8:26pm [On Line] <http://www.elespectador.com/opinion/editorial/articulo-bienvenidas-plumas-del-pen>
iv Human Rights in Mexico. Human Rights Watch 2007
v Press release on closure of PEN Congress, September 23, 2008
vi Internacional Human Rights Committee, OEA, Press release on the special study of journalist murders. Washington, D.C. March 27, 2008 [on line] <http://www.cidh.org/Relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=724&lID=2>
vii ídem
viii PEN International press release to the Colombian Government
ix Illustration of the subject. Video of Yidis Medina confronting the journalist Daniel Coronel <http://www.caracol.com.co/nota.aspx?id=581732> ; Request of investigation of Daniel Coronel, by Uribe in the “recording” case <http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/2008-08-22/solicitud-de-investigacion-a-daniel-coronell-hecha-por-uribe-en-caso-de-yidispolitica-abre-polemica_4460365-1> and Uribe assures that Daniel Coronel hasn´t got a license to hide the felony <http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/politica/articulo-uribe-asegura-daniel-coronell-no-tiene-licencia-ocultar-un-delito>
x More information on Carlos Lozano assures there are no proves against him <http://www.lafm.com.co/noticia.php3?nt=40363> ; Journalist Carlos Lozano is the forth person investigated in the case of FARC politics. <http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/2008-08-13/periodista-carlos-lozano-es-el-cuarto-vinculado-en-la-investigacion-de-la-farcpolitica_4442797-1> ; Carlos Lozano and the people investigated in FARC politics case members.<http://www.cambio.com.co/paiscambio/789/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR_CAMBIO-4445381.html>
Bogota.- Many states have not understood that real democracy is only possible when the citizens have free access to the public information. Likewise, journalism should not be part of a government dominated project.[i]
These are some of the conclusions that can be extracted from the 74th World Congress of the International PEN Organization. The congress took place in Bogota between September 16 and 22, 2008. 120 delegates from 70 countries voiced their opinions about freedom of expression in Colombia and in the World, hence the slogan “The Role of the Word”.
The delegates developed workshops and assisted to readings and literary conferences; one of these being a round table in the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation in Colombia. The subject was the role of words in the Colombian armed conflict, the justice, the truth and the construction of peace.
“The role of the word in journalism. The social construction based on the discourse of media in Colombia” conversation forum has also taken place. Its main subject was “The Word as a fundamental tool of journalism and communication media” [ii]
The participants agreed on the fact that journalism should not depend on the government dominated projects.[iii] In Latin America there is improvement in the freedom of expression, although serious problems persist. In many countries, journalists are threatened or killed for doing their research tasks, especially those related to drug traffic, corruption and Human Rights violation. There are also (many times successful) attempts of censorship. These occur with the assignation of radio frequencies, television channels and official advertisement of complacent media, and punishment of the independent one.
Alarming numbers in host country
The congress took place in Colombia despite the threats to some Colombian journalists [iv]. The 72 Congress was held in Mexico in 2005, a country where several journalists, especially those who had investigated the drug traffic or adopted a critical position towards the government have become victims of harassment and aggression. ”[v].
When it comes to freedom of expression, the assembly of delegates approved ten resolutions, one of which is a request for protection of journalists in Colombia and Mexico. A campaign that defends freedom of expression and right to writing in South and North Americas will be a key priority for PEN International in 2009[vi]. It is a truly worrisome matter, since 157 journalists were murdered between 1995 and 2005 for causes related to their profession. The statistics are from 19 regional countries [vii], with the largest proportion concentrated in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
75 cases were presented in Colombia (only 47% of the murders) and only 7 ended in a sentence [viii]. The rest are still unpunished. In Brazil, the sentence was passed in only 9 out of 23 murders of journalists and in Mexico only 4 out of 20 were resolved.
In this constant threat to freedom of expression do the PEN delegates appeal to the government of Colombia to [ix]:
·Provide protection against the attacks to threatened journalists (an unseazing situation)
·Start legal actions against those who threat journalists and this way, guarantee justice
·Take measures to guarantee the threatened journalists to not be exposed to further dangers of government employees´ comments that lead to violence
Here we can mention the case of Daniel Coronel who, in several occasions, was insulted by the president Uribe for revealing a recording of Congressman Yidis Medina, in which he confesses to bribery that lead to a constitutional reform that approved presidential re election[x].
We can also mention the case of the trial of journalist Carlos Lozano, director of a weekly newspaper Voz, which belongs to the Colombian Communist Party, for its declarations against the current government, mentioning its links to the FARC and supporting the group on a political level [xi].
Finally, PEN appeals to the Colombian institutions to help the pending investigations and start taking legal actions against those who committed crimes against journalists, refuting the suggestions that these felonies will remain unpunished.
Urge the Colombian government to promote a culture of dialogue and recognition of the role of words in the creation of world peace.
i “The Role of Words in Peace”[Online] <http://www.mediosparalapaz.org/?idcategoria=3059>
ii Idem
iii Welcome PEN pens!. espectador.com, September 16, 2008, 8:26pm [On Line] <http://www.elespectador.com/opinion/editorial/articulo-bienvenidas-plumas-del-pen>
iv Human Rights in Mexico. Human Rights Watch 2007
v Press release on closure of PEN Congress, September 23, 2008
vi Internacional Human Rights Committee, OEA, Press release on the special study of journalist murders. Washington, D.C. March 27, 2008 [on line] <http://www.cidh.org/Relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=724&lID=2>
vii ídem
viii PEN International press release to the Colombian Government
ix Illustration of the subject. Video of Yidis Medina confronting the journalist Daniel Coronel <http://www.caracol.com.co/nota.aspx?id=581732> ; Request of investigation of Daniel Coronel, by Uribe in the “recording” case <http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/2008-08-22/solicitud-de-investigacion-a-daniel-coronell-hecha-por-uribe-en-caso-de-yidispolitica-abre-polemica_4460365-1> and Uribe assures that Daniel Coronel hasn´t got a license to hide the felony <http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/politica/articulo-uribe-asegura-daniel-coronell-no-tiene-licencia-ocultar-un-delito>
x More information on Carlos Lozano assures there are no proves against him <http://www.lafm.com.co/noticia.php3?nt=40363> ; Journalist Carlos Lozano is the forth person investigated in the case of FARC politics. <http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/2008-08-13/periodista-carlos-lozano-es-el-cuarto-vinculado-en-la-investigacion-de-la-farcpolitica_4442797-1> ; Carlos Lozano and the people investigated in FARC politics case members.<http://www.cambio.com.co/paiscambio/789/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR_CAMBIO-4445381.html>
***
Do not let threaten journalists be exposed to greater danger because of Colombian government employees´ comments: InternationalPEN. This is Anabel Torres, Colombian poet in exile, while addressing some words at the congress. (Photo Miguel Gonzalez/ Seinforma Special Correspondent)
The Latin-Canadian Organization of Human Rights and Freedom of Expression/Organización Latino-Canadiense de Derechos Humanos y Libertad de Expresión