Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jul 2001
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company
Section: International
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Juan Forero

A FATAL BATTLE WORSENS IN COLOMBIA: THE WAR ON JOURNALISTS

BOGOTA, Colombia, July 11 -- Oscar Vasquez had warned his brother, the news 
director of a radio station in a violent town, Florencia, to tone down his 
reporting. But the newscaster, Jose Dubiel Vasquez, continued disseminating 
news about local corruption and the conflict between rebels and 
paramilitary groups.

On Friday, Mr. Vasquez paid the price, colleagues and relatives said. As he 
drove home with a fellow reporter after the morning broadcast, a gunman 
stepped up to Mr. Vasquez's car and shot three bullets into his head. He 
died immediately, becoming the second news director from Caracol Radio to 
be gunned down since December.

Mr. Vasquez was the sixth Colombian journalist slain this year. One was 
shot to death two days later, the fourth in 12 days, according to the 
Committee to Protect Journalists in New York. In all of last year, seven 
journalists were killed, at least three as reprisals for their work, the 
committee said.

"I would say, 'Man, do not denounce so many things,' " Oscar Vasquez said. 
"This place does not place any value on life. But he would say: 'This is 
journalism. You have to criticize. You have to denounce the criminals and 
the crisis.' "

Colombia has long been one of the most dangerous countries in the world for 
journalists. In the drug kingpins' reign of terror in the late 1980's, 
journalists were frequently killed; a major newspaper was bombed, shocking 
even this country.

Nowadays, journalists' killings receive little attention. But the 
journalists' committee said that with 34 slayings in the last decade, 
Colombia is by far the most dangerous country in Latin America for 
journalists. Worldwide, Russia and Algeria have recorded more killings.

Press freedoms are being attacked as Colombia suffers a wave of political 
violence. Armed groups -- mostly right-wing death squads, rights groups say 
- -- focus on labor advocates, professors, student leaders and human rights 
workers.

"The parties in the conflict care a great deal about how they are portrayed 
in the media," said Marylene Smeets, who overseas the committee's research 
in Latin America. "So the parties in the conflict are willing to force 
journalists to spread their word. They are also punishing those journalists 
who don't give out the message they would like to give out."

Many of those killed here in distant provincial towns, where the state 
presence is weak and criminal networks rule. Florencia lies outside a 
rebel-held zone in the south and is the base for right-wing paramilitary 
gunmen.

"We can't expect to be far from the conflict when we're in a hot zone like 
Florencia," said Freddy Diaz, who worked with Mr. Vasquez. "Because this is 
a small city, everyone knows who the journalists are, where they live, 
where they work."

Although rights groups say paramilitary groups are most responsible for the 
journalists' deaths, the rebels have also killed reporters. Yet in most of 
the killings, as in Mr. Vasquez's case it remains unclear exactly who is 
responsible.

A decade ago, Ms. Smeets noted, drug cartels were most responsible for 
killing reporters. Now, she said, "it's much harder to point a finger."

Jose Vasquez had reported on municipal bribery and irregularities in the 
provincial government. "He was a person who was born for journalism," his 
brother said. Jose Vasquez, 47, is survived by his wife and three children.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager