The hemisphere free-press organization was reacting to an attack on Wednesday (January 30) on Orlando Sierra Hernández of the newspaper La Patria in Manizales, in the southwestern Colombian province of Caldas. Sierra, 41, was shot twice in the head and critically injured outside the newspaper building. His daughter was with him at the time.
Although the alleged assailant was shortly afterwards arrested by police, the IAPA called for a full and prompt investigation into who was behind the murder attempt. Sierra, La Patrias managing editor for the past 15 years, has been a frequent critic in his newspaper columns against the armed conflict in his country and wrongdoing in local government.
The attack on him occurred just a few hours after a car loaded with 50 pounds of dynamite exploded outside the studios of Caracal television in the Colombian capital, Bogotá.
The chairman of the IAPAs Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Rafael Molina, editor of the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, news magazine Ahora, sent the following note to the Colombian president (full text):
"Mr. President:
"The Inter American Press Association expresses its alarm and concern at the wave of violence being unleashed against the Colombian people in general and the news media in particular. On this occasion we are writing to you to repudiate the attack on Orlando Sierra Hernández, managing editor of the newspaper La Patria in Manizales, and to request an immediate investigation into the case be carried out to identify the instigators of this serious assault.
"Mr. President, we are aware of your interest in providing Colombian society an environment of stability and a free press which, as the Declaration of Chapultepec states, is a fundamental prerequisite for communities to resolve their conflicts, promote their well-being and protect their liberty.
"However, we note with consternation that there are serious breaches in the safety of the Colombian news media and journalists. Several days ago we also publicly protested the attack on the studios of Caracol television.
"Previously, we also voiced concern at the murder of journalist Alvaro Alonso Escobar of the weekly Región on December 23 and of news photographer Marco Antonio Ayala of El Caleño on January 23.
"All these events, regardless of the motives, curtail freedom of the press and free speech and thus deprive the people of their right to seek and receive information in order to be able to hear and express views which in this case underscore democracy.
"We believe that Principle 4 of the Declaration
of Chapultepec encapsulates one of the basic precepts to which our Association
is committed - "Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited
by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment journalists,
the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators.
Such acts must be investigated promptly and punished harshly."
FUENTE: nota.texto7
