Posted on 10/21/2009 9:39:49 AM PDT by AuntB
The report issued by Reporters Without Borders (RWB) is positive for the U.S., however, the issue of national security, seems to be one of the biggest problems for United States reporters seeking information from the government.
But that pales when you compare the problems Mexican reporters have in covering the news, especially in the border areas with the United States.
Reporter Angela Kocherga gave this first hand report: "Mexico is one of the most dangerous places to work as a reporter these days, we see that by the ranking and see that played out in the field. Now the Majority of the murders go unsolved. The investigations go nowhere. That includes the killings of reporters. A year ago a police reporter was killed in his driveway picking up his daughter, taking her to school. That case remains unsolved and the investigator who was looking into it was murdered this Summer," he said.
Kocherga reports more than 1,800 murders this year by the drug cartels in Cuidad Juarez alone. Kocherga said the killings have a chilling effect on news coverage.
Reporter Ali Alnaemi, former New York Times staffer in Baghdad says reporter freedom has improved in Iraq, but still has a long way to go. "The government has to realize that the media is not their enemies, they should cooperate, but with the kind of corruption you have, a kind of competition between political parties, I think it's going to last for some time before we have media in Iraq that is an integrated part of the community," he said.
The Washington Director of Reporters Without Borders, Clothilde Le Coze, reports that European countries are restricting Freedom of the Press, especially on the internet. "France, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Croatia, they all went down in the ranking. Not only because of the physical assaults journalists are victims of and there are more and more victims of physical assaults in those countries. But also because these countries are really adopting and passing laws that are dangerous for freedom of the press and freedom of expression," Le Coze said.
Which countries are the best toward press freedom? RWB says all the Scandinavian countries plus Ireland, but Iran, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea are the worst.
Mexico’s Drug War: 10 headless bodies found in Guerrero[2 with heads found in Acapulco] Fri Oct 16 18:31:11 2009
3 heads found along Mexican highway Thu Sep 24 16:40:44 2009 ·
9 killed in 9 hours in Ciudad Juarez Wed Sep 23
Juarez: Running the Most Dangerous City in the Americas Mexican gang violence kills 21
Mexico Police Chief’s Head Found in Ice Box
12 decapitated bodies found in Mexico
...and on and on....coming soon to your hometown!
I would bet Russia gave Mexico a run for its money...
Mexico one of the world’s most dangerous places.
there I fixed it. nothing more needs to be added. Aren’t we all excited to get the chance to import this ‘vibrant’ culture to the US
“I would bet Russia gave Mexico a run for its money...”
Not according to statics recently. And Russia isn’t on our border importing thousands of them every day, getting ready to give them amnesty. The Mexican drug cartels have control in 230 of our cities.
[snip]MEXICO CITY, Feb. 20 — The latest travel advisory for Mexico from the U.S. State Department will certainly not please the tourist board. Rather than a glossy brochure advertising the country’s many delights, the travel alert issued Friday reads like the plot of a crime thriller.
“Recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades,” the advisory reads. “Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area.
The department uses strong language to describe the situation in Mexico. “U.S. citizens are urged to be alert to safety and security concerns when visiting the border region. . . . While most crime victims are Mexican citizens, the uncertain security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well,” the alert states. “Robberies, homicides, petty thefts, and carjackings have all increased over the last year across Mexico generally, with notable spikes in Tijuana and northern Baja California. Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities which have recently experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/20/AR2009022003463.html
I lived in Los Angeles for 30 years, and never went to Mexico once.
Mexico used to be safe for American tourists, and I’m not talking just about beach resorts. I used to go to Mexico often and take public transporation everywhere and mixed with the people, rather than be isolated in some resort like Cancun. No mas.
MSNBC needs to get Matthews and Olberman down there ASAP. This is an important story, and both of them should cover it live from any streetcorner in Mexico.
Send Jerry Rivers with them.......
¡Peligro ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
My nominee for the "No sh**, Sherlock Award" of the week, especially when they are killing reporters an editors.
Today, translated by NAFBPO
http://www.nafbpo.org
Foreign News Report
Excelsior (Mexico City) 10/20/09
Murder of journalists
“Reporters without Borders” presented a report ranking countries in relation to the danger faced by journalists. In the Western Hemisphere, Cuba fared worst, in the 170th place worldwide. The next most dangerous Latin American country was Mexico, in the 137th position. Fifty-five journalists have been assassinated in Mexico since the year 2000.
Economista (Mexico City) 10/20/09
Juarez breaks homicide record
Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, has now reached a total of 2,000 victims of assassinations for the year. That compares with 1,653 murders for all of last year. August and September both surpassed the 300 figure. There are currently 8,500 military deployed to assist in law enforcement in Juarez.
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El Heraldo (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) 10/20/09
The world’s most violent region
Drug traffic, organized crime and gangs are the principal factors which make Central America the most violent region of the world. This is especially true of the “North Triangle”: Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. According to the 2009-2010 Central American Human Development report of the U.N.’s Development Program, the underlying causes are the “social maladjustments” of family disintegration, a large number of marginalized youths, a lack of a better future, disordered urban areas, an abundance of drugs, firearms and liquor, and a culture of violence.
Last year, Honduras had a rate of 58 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by El Salvador at 52 and Guatemala with 48. The world rate is 9, and that of Latin America is 25.
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