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IAPA
Midyear Meeting
Casa de Campo
Dominican Republic
March 18, 2002
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Country-by-Country
Reports
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EL SALVADOR
In recent months journalists' dealings with government
sources have not been normal. Many officials of the national and local governments
continue systematically to refuse to meet with journalists and supply information
of public interest.
The most obvious case of denial of information of public interest is that of
the mayor of Antiguo Cuscatlán, Milagro Navas, who refuses to meet with
journalists or to answer questions about her work.
For a year, journalists have been asking for explanations of the granting of
a license-in perpetuity-for two casinos in that town. A member of the council
asked that the request be made in writing, and a journalist from El Diario de
Hoy did so, but the issue has not yet been resolved. The questions concern the
legality of the operating licenses of the casinos, which most of the residents
oppose.
Another worrisome issue is the continuous attacks by the FMLN, the main opposition
party, against journalists of the two largest newspapers, because of their articles
describing the party's anniversary march during which support was expressed
for Osama bin Laden and U.S. flags were burned.
The current general coordinator of the FMLN, Salvador Sánchez Ceren,
who participated in the march, publicly accused the managing editor of El Diario
de Hoy of working for the State Information Office. The charge is absolutely
false, and the journalist demanded that the leaders of the FMLN either deny
it or prove it.
A few days later, a photographer of La Prensa Gráfica was accused to
going to the Legislative Assembly to take pictures for the State Information
Office. Just like the earlier accusation, this one was false.
The charges represent a dangerous act by the FMLN of reacting to accurate, objective
and responsible journalistic reports as well as a clear deterioration of the
relationship between this Salvadorean party and free journalism.
 questions
or comments? e-mail us
Copyright © 2003 Inter American Press Association.
All rights reserved.
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