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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