EQUIPO NIZKOR |
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10Apr11
Duque tells of rights abuses
Colombian journalist Claudia Julieta Duque was given two standing ovations after a powerful speech at the NUJ national conference on Saturday.
Many delegates were moved to tears as Ms Duque revealed that she had been subject to rape and death threats from Colombia's notorious state-sponsored right-wing paramilitaries for speaking out against human rights abuses.
Ms Duque described a "mafia regime" where 57 journalists were threatened last year on top of the continuing murder and persecution of trade unionists.
"There is a systematic campaign against journalists, trade unionists and opposition leaders," she told delegates.
"It presents a significant challenge to be governed by criminals who are closely linked to paramilitary groups and drugs barons."
But the soft-spoken journalist said she refused to be "put in a corner" and would continue to lift the lid on human rights violations in the country.
"Eight years ago the government began a campaign against the truth and against investigation of human rights abuses," she said.
"There have been 1,004 attacks on journalists in eight years.
"The challenge is to fight against impunity of what the government has done."
Ms Duque, who works for human rights information channel Radio Nizkor, slammed the international community for their lack of support for human rights defenders in Colombia.
But she added: "I have survived only because of international support from the NUJ and others."
"My message is not only that being a journalist in Colombia is an adventure.
"What is happening is a crime against humanity."
Ms Duque is being sued for libel and slander in Colombia, a tactic that outgoing NUJ leader Jeremy Dear had earlier described as "standard practice" in Colombia to try to prevent the truth emerging.
Mr Dear added that court papers being used in Ms Duque's case suggested that Britain has funded Colombian security force DAS, which former Colombian deputy director of counter-intelligence Jorge Alberto Lagos admitted this month had been "infiltrated" by paramilitaries.
"If it is found that they funded this organisation, the UK government is complicit in the killing of trade unionists and journalists," said Mr Dear.
[Source: By John Millington in Soutport, Morning Star, 10Apr11]
 | This document has been published on 19Apr11 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. |