PBH / colombia (active forums more▼ | travelguide | pictures) / post

Colombia says journalist has FARC ties

By PHIL GUNSON
Telesur is again mired in controversy over its alleged links to Colombia's leftist FARC guerrillas.

The Caracas-based TV channel, most of whose funding comes from the government of Hugo Chávez, was accused in May of faking the origin of a FARC video. Now a Colombian journalist who works for the channel is accused of being a FARC collaborator.

William Parra, a freelance contributor who Telesur says is employed on ''special projects,'' has been summoned for questioning by anti-terrorism prosecutors in Colombia.

They say Parra's name was found on the computers that belonged to the FARC's number two, Raúl Reyes, who was killed in March in a cross-border raid on his camp in Ecuador.

This is the second time a Telesur journalist has been accused of links to the FARC. In November 2006, the channel's Bogotá correspondent, Fredy Muñoz, was held for over a month on similar charges before being released. Authorities later said fresh evidence had emerged, showing he was a guerrilla explosives expert, but were unable to rearrest him because he had disappeared.

Like Muñoz, Parra denies the charges. In a statement issued late last month, he said that there were serious doubts whether ''due process can be guaranteed'' because the case was being handled by the anti-terrorism unit of the prosecutor's office.

It is unclear whether the journalist will show up for questioning on the appointed day, next Wednesday . He is thought to be outside Colombia, probably in Venezuela, but did not respond to messages left on his Caracas cellphone.

At Telesur, no one could be found to comment. The only person said to be authorized to speak about the case, information director Patricia Villegas, was away from the office. No one else admitted to having seen Parra recently, and Telesur has issued no statement on the Colombian summons.

Press-freedom organizations, however, are following the case closely, concerned that Parra may be right when he accuses the authorities of persecuting him for his journalism.

''The fact that Parra's name has supposedly been found on a FARC computer is not proof of any wrongdoing,'' said Carlos Lauría, senior program coordinator at the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

However, Alfredo Rangel, director of the Security and Democracy Foundation in Bogotá, argues that the threat to press freedom in Colombia comes from guerrilla and paramilitary groups, not from the government.

By tasco66 on Aug 15, 2008, 06:11 in Politics & the war.

tasco66 says on Aug 15, 2008, 06:12:

Now we know why the Farc appeared so friendly with the soldiers disguised as telesur journalists during the hostage rescue…

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

1 funny, 0 helpful.

pobrecito says on Aug 15, 2008, 14:34:

Was the name of Uribe found in the computers of Reyes ?

De que vale la vida si cuando la tenemos parece muerta. La vida es para sentirla, para vibrar, para luchar, para combatir. Eso justifica nuestro paso por la tierra........Jaime Pardo Leal

1 funny, 1 helpful.

pobrecito says on Aug 15, 2008, 14:35:

And in my computer there is the name of tasco66.

De que vale la vida si cuando la tenemos parece muerta. La vida es para sentirla, para vibrar, para luchar, para combatir. Eso justifica nuestro paso por la tierra........Jaime Pardo Leal

2 funny, 1 helpful.

pobrecito says on Aug 15, 2008, 14:36:

I hope that Reyes did not copy the Colombia phone directory in his computer ...

De que vale la vida si cuando la tenemos parece muerta. La vida es para sentirla, para vibrar, para luchar, para combatir. Eso justifica nuestro paso por la tierra........Jaime Pardo Leal

2 funny, 1 helpful.

tasco66 says on Aug 15, 2008, 14:42:

Ooops, is that a friend of yours?

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Aug 15, 2008, 17:57:

That journo can live the rest of his sad life supporting and living in the socialist paradise of Don Hugo El Mongo.

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pobrecito says on Aug 16, 2008, 01:38:

I have not in my avatar Reyes while some show a fascist military and a fascist minister in their.

De que vale la vida si cuando la tenemos parece muerta. La vida es para sentirla, para vibrar, para luchar, para combatir. Eso justifica nuestro paso por la tierra........Jaime Pardo Leal

0 funny, 0 helpful.

billyb says on Aug 16, 2008, 01:51:

buggy, I can accept that you disagree, but please post something semi intelligent, I know you are capable of it. back up your commnets and people will respect you, even if we won't agree.

1 funny, 0 helpful.

pobrecito says on Aug 16, 2008, 04:32:

You are right, billyb, I am not obliged to answer the provocation by another provocation, but from time to time it makes good ...

De que vale la vida si cuando la tenemos parece muerta. La vida es para sentirla, para vibrar, para luchar, para combatir. Eso justifica nuestro paso por la tierra........Jaime Pardo Leal

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jorgegdiaz (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 16, 2008, 07:24:

You know what bothers me abot you Cassini ? You always come to this forum with an agenda (provocation and trashing ). Don't you learn garçon? I thought of you as more intelligent person.

Democratic party or Republican party is fine......as long as theres a party!!!!!!!

1 funny, 0 helpful.

tasco66 says on Aug 18, 2008, 11:04:

Cassini, I am glad you like my avatar, I put it up especially for you…

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

1 funny, 0 helpful.