El fotógrafo Hernando Marné Sánchez Roldán, de 64 años, colaborador de varios medios de comunicación entre ellos el periódico El País de Cali, tenía más de 40 años de experiencia, antes de que fuera asesinado el 19 de febrero pasado en la ciudad de Tuluá, departamento del Valle del Cauca, donde existe presencia de grupos guerrilleros, paramilitares y carteles del narcotráfico.
En otro acto de violencia en esa zona del país, un carro bomba abandonado explotó el 20 de febrero frente a las instalaciones de RCN radio y televisión en Cali, capital departamental del Valle del Cauca. Dos personas resultaron heridas y el 70% de la edificación sufrió daños materiales, según información de la Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP).
Marroquín, director del diario guatemalteco Prensa Libre, adelantó que la violencia, la intolerancia y sus consecuencias en el hemisferio occidental, tales como la autocensura, serán temas principales que abordarán los asistentes a la próxima reunión de la SIP a celebrarse en Panamá del 11 al 14 de marzo.
En enero también fue asesinado el periodista Julio Palacios, en Cúcuta, departamento del Norte de Santander. De acuerdo a información de la SIP, recabada de sus informes anuales desde noviembre de 1987 hasta la fecha, 116 periodistas han sido asesinados en Colombia, la mayoría de los crímenes permanecen impunes.
IAPA petitions Colombia to solve murder of journalist and an attack against media outlet Miami (February 22, 2005).- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) condemned and requested the immediate solving of the murder of a photographer this weekend, as well as an attack using explosives against a local radio station, both incidents occurring in southwestern Colombia.
Photographer Hernando Marné Sánchez Roldán, 64 years old, who worked for several media outlets, including El País newspaper in Cali, and with more than 40 years of experience before being killed on February 19 in the city of Tuluá, in Valle del Cauca Department, where guerrilla, paramilitary and drug traffickers are situated.
Chairman of the IAPA Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Gonzalo Marroquín, said that we mourn the murder of Sánchez Roldán and this loss for his family, but we also regret once again that Colombia returns attract our attention for its violence against journalists and the media. We urge authorities to immediately solve these attacks against press freedom. Two hit men fired two shots to his head causing his death shortly after being transported to the hospital. According to statements from the victims brother, Diego Sánchez, to the IAPAs Rapid Response Unit (RRU) in Colombia, the photographer had never expressed fear nor received death threats, so the motive behind the murder remains unknown. The managing editor of El País, Luis Alfonso Mena, told the RRU that Sánchez Roldán was a contributor to the newspaper for special events. The social page editor, María Teresa Castro, commented that the photographer was a decent man, incapable of getting involved in trouble, dedicated to his job and added that some photo of someone, that he took, must have led to a desire for revenge."In another incident of violence in this part of the country, a bomb left in an abandoned vehicle exploded on February 20 in front of the headquarters of RCN Radio and Television in Cali, capital of the Department of Valle del Cauca. Two people were injured and 70% of the building suffered damages, according to information from the Press Freedom Foundation (FLIP).
Marroquín, editor of the Guatemalan newspaper Prensa Libre, stated that, violence, intolerance and its consequences in the Western Hemisphere, such as self-censorship, will be the main issues of discussion by participants of the next IAPA meeting to be held in Panama on March 11-14.
Last January, reporter Julio Palacios was also killed, in Cúcuta, North Santander Department. According to information obtained by the IAPA, collected from its annual reports from November 1987 to date, 116 journalists has been murdered in Colombia, the majority of these crimes remain unpunished.
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