By Ela Stapley, photography, Javier Lomeli Ponce
Mexican president, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, is blaming organised crime for attacks on the media, instead of recognising the part his government plays in restricting free speech, says a report by anti-censorship group, Article 19, and the National Centre for Social Communication, Censos, a Mexican NGO.
Their report found that 244 threats were made against journalists in 2009 with over 65 per cent of threats being made by government officials. Organised crime accounted for only 6 per cent, it said.
Despite this, the Mexican government has insisted, both to the Mexican public and to international audiences that, the biggest problem facing free speech in Mexico is organised crime, the report stated.
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Speaking at the National Commission for Human Rights in Mexico, in December last year, Calderon said, "The main threat to freedom of speech is organised crime. Those that threaten, kidnap and, unfortunately, murder journalists are criminals without scruples who inflict harm on society and do not tolerate any type of criticism."
While attacks against journalists by criminal organisations were more violent and caught public attention more easily, said the report, "the statistics show that the biggest offenders were both government and security officials".
One of the reasons for the increase is the swelling numbers of government state security.
Since 2006, tens of thousands of police and more than 45,000 troops have been deployed to tackle Mexico's drug cartels. This has led to an increase in attacks on human rights by government security, says the report, especially against those reporting on the fight against organised crime. The report describes as "worrying" that government armed forces are unprepared and do not have clear guidelines about citizens' human rights when carrying out public duties.
The report also criticises the government's handling of bringing perpetrators to justice. "The inept way in which investigations and punishments are carried out continues to be an open invitation for future aggressions against journalists," it said.
"Journalists not only have to face perpetrators but also an inefficient and bureaucratic justice system that puts them at greater risk," it added.
Local media is especially vulnerable says Reporters without Boarders, an NGO that advocates freedom of the press. Government corruption and collusion with drug traffickers by the police or armed forces creates a very precarious situation for journalists. Reporters without Boarders, considers Mexico to be one of the most dangerous countries for people working in the media.
Under former Mexican president, Vicente Fox Quesada's, government, 2000 to 2006, twenty-five journalists were murdered. In just three years Calderon's government registered twenty-two unlawful killings of journalists and the bloodshed shows no sign of stopping.
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