Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS As the 53rd General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association opened in Guadalajara, Mexico, Presdent Luis Gabriel Cano characterized freedom of expression in the Americas as existing in "a difficult moment." That freedom of expression is enduring such a time is made clear in our host country. ln the six months since our Midyear Meeting in Panama, three journalists in Mexico have been killed. Since 1988, 21 journalists have been killed in Mexico, one has disappeared and 289 have been the victims of assault. ln a time when positive social, politicaI and economic changes are occurring, not only in Mexico but in so many other parts of the Americas, the practice of journalism remains dangerous and, all too often, deadly. In addition to the three deaths in Mexico in the last six months, there have been four more journalists slain in Colombia, two in Guatemala and one in El Salvador. The year began, of course, with the horrible murder of photographer José Luis Cabezas in Argentina. ln all, there have been 11 journalists killed in the Americas in 1997. As of this time, all remain unsolved. These murders bring the total number of journalists killed in the last nine years to 179. The vast majority of these crimes are unsolved. With the historie hemispheric conference last July in Guatemala, the lAPA has drawn international focus to the issue of unpunished crimes against journallsts. It will continue to be a major focus of the lAPA and, despite resistance at many leveIs of government in various countries, the emphasis on unpunished crimes has been eminently successful. Murder, kidnapping and harassment are only the most direct, if brutal, threats perpetrated by the opponents of freedom of expression. There exist in many parts of the Americas less deadly but serious threats to freedom of expression. We see in several countries a new and ominous trend that involves a variety of legal maneuvers and economic pressures. We see the existence of colegios as well as other forums that encourage self-censorship and selfregulation. We see moves toward enforceable codes of ethics. It is one thing to attempt to improve professlonalism; it is quite another to ask journalists to voluntarily engage in conduct that, in the end, inhibits the robust exchange of ideas and opinions that is so central to the continuance of democracy and freedom. Perhaps the most immediate threat to freedom of the press we see now is the movement toward the demand for "truthful information" espoused by Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera. The socalled "Right to Truthful Information" will be considered before the VII Ibero-American Summit of heads of state November 8 and 9 on Margarita lsland. It is a particularly seductive and pernicious argument put forward by President Caldera and his allies. When we oppose such a measure, it may seem easy for our opponents to cast us in the light of favoring information that is not true. But the basis of the argument for the "Right to Truthful Information" is an assumption that there is "a" truth and that a government will determine it. ln powerful words at the opening of the proceedings of the Committee on Freedom of the Press at this Assembly, Chairman Danilo Arbilla said, "The essence of democracy is to assume that no one has the whole truth, but that there are many different roads to truth. Only through debate and the free exchange of ideas and access to more information can we progress on the path toward the truth." An assumption of offieial truth is a frontal assault on the foundation of democracy. The resolutions from the 53,d Assembly expressed the strongest opposition possible to the notion of truthful information. Further, IAPA will engage in a vigorous campaign in the coming weeks to oppose the measure, induding sending a mission to Margarita Island. Arbilla noted that the Caldera proposal no doubt would be received well by Fidel Castro. We dose by noting that the Castro regime continues the brutal repression of freedom of the press and, in every way possible, freedom of expression. It is no aceident that in the only country in the Americas without democracy, there is no freedom of expression ar of the press. The concepts of democracy and freedom of expression are inextricably linked. There is not one without the other and never will be. The work of the IAPA continues with historie significance and powerful impacto We leave Guadalajara firm in the commitment to those freedoms.