[asia-apec 1233] Re: Peruvian military chiefs evaluate the press.

[tpl at cheerful.com]

>>>Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 22:00:23 +0200
>>>From: Nizkor Spain <nzkspain at teleline.es>
>>>
>>>Nizkor International Human Rights Team
>>>Derechos Human Rights
>>>Serpaj Europe
>>>Information
>>>26Jul99
>>>
>>>MILITARY CHIEFS EVALUATE POLITICAL TENDENCIES AND DOCILITY OF THE PRESS.
>>>
>>>(IPYS/IFEX) - "La Republica" newspaper reported on the existence of a
>>>fax sent by the President of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces and
>>>Commander General of the Peruvian army, César Saucedo Sánchez. The fax
>>>was sent to the regional military chiefs in the country, inviting them
>>>to a meeting to evaluate the various media under their jurisdiction.
>>>
>>>According to the document, which is marked "strictly confidential", some
>>>of the topics on the agenda were the political tendencies of the radio,
>>>press and television enterprises and the "affinity of the owners."
>>>
>>>According to military sources consulted by "La Republica", the meeting
>>>was held in the military headquarters on 7 June 1999, and was focused on
>>>facilitating coordination with the most influential media and on
>>>discussing strategies of how to neutralise the opposition press in the
>>>interior of Peru.
>>>
>>>During the meeting, it was suggested that the Ministry of Transport and
>>>Communication "re-examine" the national operating licenses held by radio
>>>and television stations, putting particular emphasis on those radio
>>>stations whose journalistic stance is deemed inconvenient by the regime.
>>>
>>>The military chiefs expressed their concern over the work of journalists
>>>who are critical of the  government, such as James Beuzevielle, director
>>>of Radio Arpegio, in the Amazonian town of Iquitos. An attempt was made
>>>to accuse Beuzevielle of the disturbances that took place in Iquitos in
>>>August 1998, because of his stance against free trade with Ecuador.
>>>
>>>According to "La República"'s sources, Radio Maranhon, in the province
>>>of Jaen, was mentioned as an example of how damaging it can be to
>>>"permit a medium to hurt the image of the government and the army."
>>>Radio Maranhon journalists have been receiving telephone threats and
>>>have been subject to unusual assaults, thus far attributed to common
>>>crime.
>>>
>>>During the meeting, the chief of the Sixth Army Division, Juan Yanqui
>>>Cervantes, showed a number of private documents, which "La Republica"
>>>was able to get access to. According to these documents, Radio Maranhon
>>>and its director, priest Luis Tavara Martin, are allegedly linked to
>>>extreme leftist groups, including the "Frente de Defensa de los Bosques
>>>de San Ignacio" (Front for the Defense of the San Ignacio forests) and
>>>the "Federacion Unificada de Campesinos y Rondas" (Unified Federation of
>>>Peasants and Patrol Guards, FUCARSI).
>>>
>>>One of the intelligence reports states that "through these
>>>organisations, Jose Maria Izuzquiza, the bishop of Jaen; Luis Tavara
>>>Martin, a priest and radio Maranhon announcer; and the eleven terrorists
>>>(referring to peasants falsely accused of being terrorists) (...) would
>>>meet and disseminate statements against the forces of law and order and
>>>the government."
>>>
>>>Apparently, this secret document coincides with a 15 September 1997
>>>letter marked /B-2/DEINT-SxRM and published by "Caretas" magazine on 15
>>>July. The letter refers to bishop Izuzquiza, priest Tavara and Eulert
>>>Jabe, radio correspondent in San Jacinto, and their alleged "subversive
>>>inclinations" and "attempts to discredit the armed forces and the
>>>intelligence services." These statements were primarily based on their
>>>actions in defense of the San Ignacio forests and on their reporting on
the meetings between Peru and Ecuador.
>
>>>20 July 1999
>
>>>-------------------------------------------------
>>>SOURCE: Institute for Press and Society (IPYS), Lima
>>>Tel: +511 2 473308, Fax: +511 2 473194. Mailto: postmaster at ipyspe.org.pe
>>>
>