Live News - A Survival Guide - International Federation of Journalists

CHAPTER 4Abductions, hostage taking and targeting journalists64Héctor Sandoval, RCN Televisión cameraman, and Wálter López,who was driving the TV crew, both died after an army helicopterattacked their marked vehicle on April 12 2002, outside Cali. Theteam was covering an army pursuit of fighters from the FARC, whohad kidnapped provincial politicians. The letters ‘RCN’ weremarked in large, bright colours on the roof and both sides of thevehicle. The crew had just decided to leave when the army helicopterhovering above them opened fire. López was fatally wounded.His colleagues were trying to apply a tourniquet when the armyhelicopter resumed fire. They took cover in a nearby ravine, andwaved white T-shirts at the helicopter. However, it fired again andhit Sandoval in the leg. It was two hours before other journalistscould take them to hospital where Sandoval died from loss ofblood. The army has opened an investigation.In June 2002, Efraín Varela Noriega, the owner of RadioMeridiano-70, was shot and killed in northeastern Colombia. Hehosted two polemical news and opinion programmes whichcriticised all sides in Colombia's conflict, but had lately been highlightingthe presence of fighters from the paramilitary United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), who were patrolling the streetsof Arauca, on the border with Venezuela. Noriega was drivinghome when gunmen pulled him from his car and shot him in theface and chest.In July 2002, two technicians and two drivers employed by RadioRCN and Radio Caracol stations were adbucted by kidnappers wearingarmy fatigues. Four days later, after a series of long nightmarches, they were released, without their vehicles and transmissionequipment. The following month a news crew from El Tiemponewspaper was kidnapped by FARC guerrillas and held overnightbefore being released the next morning.PhilippinesIn some countries kidnappings have become common as a sourceof revenue raising through ransom payments. In the year 2000, theIFJ called for more action by the Government of the Philippines toprotect journalists after a spate of kidnappings on the island ofJolo in the southern Philippines. “These kidnappings are strikingat the heart of democratic rights and they are making thePhilippines a no-go area for news media,” said Aidan White,General Secretary of the IFJ.Rebels campaigning for an independent Muslim state adopted a