DATE=1/8/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225004

TITLE=MURDERED JOURNALISTS (L ONLY)

BYLINE=JOE CHAPMAN

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:  OFFICIALS OF INTERNATIONAL PRESS FREEDOM ORGANIZATIONS

SAID (THURSDAY) 26 JOURNALISTS WERE MURDERED IN 14 COUNTRIES

DURING 1997.  CORRESPONDENT JOE CHAPMAN HAS THIS REPORT FROM NEW

YORK.



TEXT:  THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS SAYS SEVEN OF THE 26

JOURNALISTS DIED IN INDIA.  FOUR WERE KILLED IN COLOMBIA, THREE

IN MEXICO, TWO IN CAMBODIA.  INDIVIDUAL JOURNALISTS WERE MURDERED

IN ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, GUATEMALA, INDONESIA, IRAN, PAKISTAN, THE

PHILLIPINES, RWANDA, SIERRA LEONE, AND UKRAINE.



EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JOURNALISTS COMMITTEE, WILLIAM ORME,

SAYS HIS GROUP AND ANOTHER BASED IN PARIS (REPORTERS SANS

FRONTIERES) ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE MURDERS.



                        /// ORME ACT ///



         MOST OF THEM WERE DELIBERATE POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS

         AND THAT IS THE SINGLE MOST STRIKING FACT ABOUT THIS.

         OVER THE PAST DECADE AND PERHAPS FOR LONGER, POLITICAL

         ASSASSINATION HAS BEEN THE LEADING CAUSE OF JOB RELATED

         DEATH FOR JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD.



                         /// END ACT ///



MR. ORME SAYS MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING SOME JOURNALISTS,  BELIEVE

THE VIOLENCE IS AIMED AT GLOBE-TRAVELING JOURNALISTS WHO

REPRESENT LARGE NEWS MEDIA COMPANIES.  BUT MR. ORME SAYS THE REAL

THREAT IS TO LOCAL REPORTERS WORKING IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.



                        /// REST OPT ///



                        /// ORME ACT ///



         MOST JOURNALISTS WHO ARE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ARE

         LOCAL JOURNALISTS.  THEY ARE POLITICAL COLUMNISTS, THEY

         ARE BEAT REPORTERS, COVERING CRIMINAL GANGS, THEY ARE

         OPINION WRITERS CRITICIZING PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE POWER

         STRIKE BACK AGAINST THEM. THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE IN TRENCH

         COATS (FOREIGN CORESPONDENTS).  THEY ARE PEOPLE WORKING

         OUT OF THEIR OWN HOMES AND OFFICES IN THEIR OWN

         COUNTRIES.



                         /// END ACT ///



MR. ORME SAYS EDITORS IN SOME COUNTRIES ARE ASKING REPORTERS TO

RISK THEIR LIVES IN MANY CASES TO DO WHAT IS USUALLY CONSIDERED

ROUTINE WORK FOR A JOURNALIST.  MR. ORME SAYS JOURNALISTS IN A

NUMBER OF COUNTRIES ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO TAKE THESE RISKS.



PERHAPS THE BEST NEWS, MR. ORME SAYS, IS THAT NO JOURNALISTS WERE

KILLED IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA IN THE PAST

YEAR.  HE SAYS THAT IS THE RESULT OF A CHANGED POLITICAL

SITUATION IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA -- BUT HE EMPHASIZES THERE IS

STILL CONSIDERABLE RISK FOR REPORTERS THERE.   (SIGNED)



NEB/NY/JMC/LSF/RAE



08-Jan-98 3:05 PM EST (2005 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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