ABSTRACT
Given the start of new peace talks between the FARC guerrillas and the Colombian government, it is crucial to understand the role of Colombian journalists in reporting peace and war. This article presents an analysis on the National Press coverage of the demobilizations of a paramilitary group (Bloque Cacique Nutibara) and a section of the FARC guerrillas (Bloque Cacica Gaitana) within a frame that reflects over the ethical practice of journalism in the context of war. The results are consistent with literature arguing that ethical codes are not documents dictating how journalists should do their job, but rather they represent political acts of communication which allow journalists to reclaim their proffessional independence from sources and defend themselves from threats. The paper also discusses the apparent tension between journalism ethics, and the barriers imposed by the media's informational needs and the strategic military aims of armed groups.
En un momento en el que nuevos diálogos de paz entre la guerrilla de las FARC y el gobierno colombiano se están llevando a cabo es crucial entender el rol que juegan los periodistas cuando informan respecto a la paz y al conflicto armado. Este artículo presenta un análisis del cubrimiento de la prensa nacional a la desmovilización de un grupo paramilitar (Bloque Cacique Nutibara) y de un bloque de la guerrilla de las FARC (Bloque Cacica Gaitana) en el marco de una reflexión sobre el ejercicio de la ética periodística en un contexto de guerra. Los resultados son consistentes con la literatura según la cual los códigos éticos no son documentos cuya función sea dictaminar lo que un periodista debe hacer sino que se trata de acciones de comunicación de carácter político cuyo objetivo es reivindicar la independencia profesional de los periodistas frente a las fuentes y defenderse de las amenazas que reciben. El artículo también discute la aparente tensión que existe entre la ética periodística y las limitaciones impuestas por los medios de comunicación y los objetivos estratégicos de los grupos armados.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Paramilitary operations along the Indo-Bangladesh border are adversely affected by malaria induced morbidity and mortality. Villages surrounding the paramilitary installations often serve as disease reservoirs. Malaria incidence in Tripura State Rifles (TSR) units in Dhalai District of Tripura was studied and the role of the village population in disease transmission was also assessed. Methods: Mass blood surveys were carried out among TSR personnel and villagers during 2007 to 2009. Malaria diagnosis through blood smear examination and rapid detection kits was done, and percentage parasitaemia was determined. Activity of malaria vectors was monitored using CDC light traps. Results: Slide positivity rates (SPR) in the neighbouring villages (51.4%) was significantly higher than that in TSR (27.7%) (P<0.0001). Malaria incidence in villages did not show seasonal variability while it was lowest during post-monsoon season in TSR (P<0.325; OR = 0.74). Per cent Pf parasitaemia was high in TSR (0.29) as compared to villagers (0.20) (P<0.0001). Anopheles minimus and An. dirus were the major malaria vectors observed. Interpretation & conclusions: Paramilitary and public health authorities should adopt targeted measures to reduce the malaria incidence in the villages surrounding the paramilitary installations as the village populations play a major role in disease transmission.
Subject(s)
Animals , Bangladesh/epidemiology , Disease Reservoirs , Humans , India/epidemiology , Insect Vectors/microbiology , Malaria/blood , Malaria/diagnosis , Malaria/epidemiology , Malaria/transmission , Male , Mass Screening , Military Personnel , Parasitemia , Rural Population , SeasonsABSTRACT
Este trabajo realiza una comparación entre las explicaciones que los investigadores del fenómeno de los niños soldado en Colombia dan de los motivos por los cuales los menores ingresaron a los grupos armados ilegales, con los testimonios de las 21 niñas desmovilizadas en Antioquia durante 2004. Se hizo un análisis de contenido de las investigaciones empíricas y de las sucesivas entrevistas en profundidad en las que participaron las niñas. Existe coincidencia entre niñas e investigadores en la relativa importancia atribuida al maltrato familiar y a la casi nula motivación ideológica, pero se dan diferencias significativas en el mayor peso atribuido por los investigadores a determinismos objetivos como la pobreza, y en la gran importancia atribuida por las menores a elementos lúdicos como el afán de aventura, la diversión y los criterios estéticos.
This study seeks to compare the explanations that the researchers of the phenomenon of child soldiers in Colombia give about the motives for which the minors entered the illegal armed groups with the testimonies of 21 demobilized young girls in Antioquia during 2004. An analysis of content was performed of the empiric research and the successive in-depth interviews in which these girls participated. Testimonies between the girls and researchers coincide in the relative importance atributed to family abuse and the almost null ideological motivation, but there are significant differences with respect to the greater weight attributed by the researchers to poverty, and at the same time the desire of minors to have access to leisure activities like the rush for adventure, entertainment, and aesthetic criteria.