H.E. Jose Maria Aznar
Prime Minister
Madrid
Spain
Vienna, 16 May 2001
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns a bomb attack against a journalist in Spain’s Basque region.
On 15 May, journalist Gorka Landaburu suffered injuries to his hands and face when he opened a parcel bomb delivered to his house in the town of Zarautz. It is widely believed the attack on Landaburu – a political journalist with magazine Cambio 16, radio station Cope and TV station Canal Sur – was carried out by the Basque separatist group ETA.
Prior to the attack, Landaburu received several threats from ETA, and pro-ETA statements were painted on the walls of his house. The parcel bomb was made to look like publications that Landaburu usually received every month. These types of bombs have been used frequently against journalists in the Basque region who have been critical of ETA’s violent methods and political agenda.
Carlos Herrera, a radio reporter, escaped an assassination attempt on 27 March 2000, when he failed to open a cigar box packed with a half pound of dynamite. On 25 April 2000, police detected a bomb addressed to Jesus Maria Zuloaga, a journalist with the daily La Razon. On 10 November 2000, journalists Aurora Intxausti and Juan Palomo, together with their baby son, narrowly escaped death when a bomb planted next to their front door only partly exploded. ETA was also blamed for the murder of Jose Luis Lopez de la Calle, a political columnist with El Mundo, who was shot dead outside his home in the Basque town of Andoain on 7 May 2000.
These are only a few examples of aggression against journalists who cover political developments in the Basque region; in addition there have been several bomb attacks directed at newspapers and other forms of harassment and intimidation of the media. These violent and deplorable tactics have created a climate of fear in which many journalists and their families are forced to live under police protection, and as a result have placed great limitations on journalists trying to carry out their work.
IPI wishes to extend its support for the media community working in the Basque region and urges Your Excellency to ensure that there is a thorough investigation into the attack on Landaburu and other attacks against journalists until those responsible for these appalling crimes are brought to justice. In doing so, the authorities will send a clear signal that individuals behind such attacks will not escape with impunity. IPI also calls on ETA and other perpetrators of crimes against journalists to immediately cease carrying out attacks and other forms of intimidation against the media. Attacks like these are an unacceptable means to reach any political end.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director
