29 April 2002
Assistant Secretary Reich Warns of Terrorist Activity in Americas
(Says terrorist groups operating in Colombia and Peru) (3340)
Terrorism and political violence are continued afflictions in the
Americas, with terrorist groups operating in Colombia, Peru, and the
tri-border region of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, says Otto Reich,
assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Speaking at the Latin American and Caribbean Center's Journalists and
Editors Workshop in Miami April 26, Reich said the Bush administration
is concerned about international terrorists "abusing the region's
financial system to raise funds or launder money." Reich said the
administration has encouraged all nations in the Western Hemisphere to
ratify the 12 international counter-terrorism treaties in order to
"identify and seize the financial assets of terrorism, to punish
terrorism in all its forms, and to strengthen border controls."
Reich said the issue of border security is of particular relevance in
U.S. relations with Canada and Mexico, "where we need to balance our
requirement for heightened security with our need to expand the free
flow of legitimate travel and commerce."
On Colombia, Reich said the United States has long supported that
country's government in its fight against drug traffickers who support
left-wing and right-wing terrorist groups in the Andean nation.
President Bush, said Reich, agrees with Colombian President Andres
Pastrana that establishing security in Colombia is "the first
priority." No meaningful progress can be made, Reich said, "when
murderers prey on bishops, senators, judges, journalists, and ordinary
citizens with impunity."
The Bush administration, at the request of the Colombian government,
Reich said, "is discussing with the U.S. Congress how we can make the
aid we give to Colombia more effective as that government fights
terror."
Reich told the workshop that a free and vibrant press is the best
guarantor of public accountability and confidence and that any
government that suppresses freedom of the press compromises its own
legitimacy.
"Unfortunately," he said, "that is a lesson that not every government
in this hemisphere has learned yet." Reich said that in Venezuela,
"diatribes" against the press from the highest level of the government
have created an "environment of fear." Meanwhile, in Cuba, Reich said
that country's government uses an "assortment of repressive techniques
in its efforts to silence independent journalists." The Cuban
government, he added, is engaged in an effort to "control all
information received by the Cuban people."
Reich also said that journalists in Colombia work in a "pervasive
atmosphere of fear," some of whom are intimidated by among others,
paramilitary groups, drug traffickers, and government officials. He
praised those journalists in Colombia "who continue to fulfill their
responsibilities to report fairly and accurately."
The following is the text of Reich's remarks:
(begin text)
(Note: In the text, "billion" = $1,000 million)
Remarks by
Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Ambassador Otto J. Reich
Latin American and Caribbean Center's Journalists and Editors Workshop
Luncheon Keynote
April 26, 2002
Noon
Miami, Florida
Thank you for that kind introduction, Eduardo. I am very glad to be
here with you today. I want to thank Eduardo and his staff for
organizing this conference and all the good work that they do. The
Latin American and Caribbean Center is a first-class academic
institution and a prolific source of scholarship on the history and
culture of the Americas. It does great credit to Florida International
University. Thank you, President Maidique, for your support of the
Center. I have known Mitch Maidique for many years, even before I was
"honorable."
Thanks also to the Miami Herald for sponsoring these important
workshops. A free press is vital to a healthy democracy. These
workshops are an opportunity for us to promote the positive role of
the press in a free society and to exchange perspectives on the issues
we face in the Americas. The workshops contribute to the democratic
process, and I thank all of you for participating today. I look
forward to taking your questions and hearing your perspectives this
afternoon. First, I would like to share with you vision that President
Bush has for the Americas and the steps we are taking to fulfill it.
As you know, President Bush is committed to building a prosperous,
free, and democratic hemisphere. He has demonstrated a remarkable
enthusiasm for this part of the world and its people. I think it is
fair to say that his interest in the Americas was shaped by his life
and work in Texas. He knows that the people of the Americas are
neighbors and partners. And he strongly believes that the destinies of
the people of the Western Hemisphere are inextricably tied together.
Early in his campaign for the Presidency, he noted that many
historians have called the 20th century "The American Century,"
referring to the rise of United States in that time. And he declared
his belief that the 21st century would be known as "The Century of the
Americas." He recognizes the enormous potential of the people in our
hemisphere.
President Bush believes that freedom is the key to unlocking this
potential. Freedom allows the creativity that is the essence of human
nature to express itself and be realized. Freedom is the path of
political, social, and economic progress.
We know that throughout the Americas, men and women share this belief.
Freedom is the cause that American heroes from George Washington to
Simon Bolivar have championed. Belief in freedom is a part of the
culture of the Americas.
This is one reason for President Bush's optimism. He knows there are
many leaders and millions ordinary men and women in the Americas who
share his vision of a free, prosperous and democratic hemisphere.
Working together as partners, I am confident that we will achieve this
goal.
We are optimistic, but we are not naïve. We have made great progress
in the Western Hemisphere, but one only has to pick the paper to read
about the latest crisis or reversal. Many of you are writing those
stories, so you know this already. I assure you... we know it too.
President Bush is idealistic in his vision, but his policies are
pragmatic and comprehensive.
When I say comprehensive, I mean that we know that real freedom does
not exist in a vacuum. There is a dynamic relationship between
personal freedom and national security, prosperity, integrity, and
democracy.
The extent to which a nation is secure and prosperous... and its
government is democratic and has integrity... is the extent of a
person's freedom in that nation.
In turn, what each person does with their freedom... the choices each
person makes... collectively determine national security, prosperity,
integrity, and democracy.
Freedom advances and retreats in step with security, prosperity,
integrity, and democracy. Our policies must encourage this advance
throughout the Western Hemisphere. And we must address the real
problems we face.
Since September 11, no issue has captured the attention of the United
States as firmly as security. We are rightly concerned with
Afghanistan and the Middle East, but our renewed security
consciousness also extends to this hemisphere. If our neighborhood is
not secure, then none of us are safe.
Terrorism and political violence persist in this hemisphere. Terrorist
organizations are operating in Colombia, Peru, and the tri-border
region of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. We are concerned about
international terrorists abusing the region's financial system to
raise funds or launder money. We have encouraged all nations in the
hemisphere to ratify the twelve international counter-terrorism
treaties... to identify and seize the financial assets of terrorism...
to punish terrorism in all its forms... and to strengthen border
controls.
The issue of border security is of particular relevance in our
relations with Canada and Mexico, where we need to balance our
requirement for heightened security with our need to expand the free
flow of legitimate travel and commerce.
September 11th was a grim reminder in this country that our freedom
must be defended. But even in our grief, we know that some of our
friends in this hemisphere have suffered political violence for far
longer than we have. Terrorism plagues Colombia, a nation in its
fourth decade of civil war.
We have long supported the Colombia in its fight against the drug
traffickers who support FARC and the paramilitaries. We supported
President Pastrana when he sought to bring peace to his fractured
country. President Bush agrees with President Pastrana that
establishing security in Colombia is the first priority. No meaningful
progress can be made when murderers prey on bishops, senators, judges,
journalists, and ordinary citizens with impunity. The Bush
Administration, at the request of the Colombian government, is
discussing with the Congress how we can make the aid we give to
Colombia more effective as that government fights terror.
Security is the necessary condition for progress, but it is only the
first step. Prosperity is essential to the growth of freedom also.
Economic opportunity... the opportunity to build a business... or
simply to find work and escape poverty is essential to freedom.
President Bush believes that free trade is an engine for economic
growth and opportunity. Scholarly research supports that belief.
Studies have documented that developing countries that trade freely
grow economically and reduce poverty faster than developing countries
that do not ... faster even than the developed countries, such as the
United States.
The cornerstone of the President's program for regional prosperity is
the Free Trade Area of the Americas. FTAA would create the largest
free market in the world... stretching from Canada to Chile ...
including every one of the 800 million people in the Western
Hemisphere. We intend to complete negotiations by January 2005 and
fully implement the agreement by the end of that year.
President Bush has called free trade "a moral imperative." He believes
that trade is how we can build a better future together. His
commitment to promoting prosperity in the Americas was demonstrated
again in his recent visits to Mexico, El Salvador, and Peru. He has
called on the Senate to approve Trade Promotion Authority. He knows
that our neighbors regard TPA as the measure of our commitment to free
trade. We hope to have a vote in the Senate soon.
President Bush has also called for renewal of the Andean Trade
Preferences Act. We are at critical juncture in history of the Andean
region. We believe that trade is the fastest route to economic growth
... and that free markets are the best way to ensure that economic
opportunity is evenly distributed. We must move forward with our
friends in that region now ... not take a step backwards.
All the people of the Americas aspire to a better world for their
children and grandchildren. It is our duty as leaders, businessmen,
journalists and citizens to contribute to that end. I have mentioned
the importance of national security and prosperity to fulfilling this
aspiration. But if I stopped there, I would have excluded the most
critical element. Democracy is the only guarantor of freedom and the
best hope for future generations.
Democracy is always a work in progress. It is always contingent on the
free choices of its citizens. That is its great strength and weakness.
There is no perfect democracy, as there are no perfect people. But
democracy is endlessly perfectible. There is always room for
improvement ... always the opportunity for progress.
Recognizing these facts, President Bush announced the Millennium
Challenge Account in March. The Millennium Challenge Account is a
venture capital fund for free market democracy. This money, an
additional $5 billion, will be directed only to those countries that
govern justly and honestly, invest in their people, and encourage
economic freedom.
We are developing the criteria for the fund now, so I cannot tell you
who will benefit from it yet. But I am confident that the nations of
the Americas are well positioned to be beneficiaries of the new
Account.
The Millennium Challenge Account reflects President Bush's strongly
held conviction that good governance is indispensable to democracy. I
have a colleague who worked for Mr. Bush when he was Governor of
Texas, and he tells me that there was no way to provoke the anger of
then-Governor Bush faster than for a state employee to say the words
"good enough for government work" within his hearing. To President
Bush, government work is a special trust.
Democratic government is only supported by the confidence of the
people. Those who do the work of democracy must be accountable to the
highest standards in order to maintain the public confidence. Without
that accountability, democracies fail. If the people believe that the
government is not doing the people's will and serving the people's
best interests ... or, worse, they believe government officials are
serving their own interests, then that government is not a democracy.
The corruption of government officials is poison to democracy. We must
not allow impunity, exclusive privileges, or immunities for the
wealthy or the powerful. Power must be exercised in accordance with
the rule of law. Justice must be impartial. Public resources must only
be used for the public good. But simply avoiding malfeasance is not
enough.
Good governance requires restraint on the part of government. Even
with best intentions, government officials can do harm. For example,
governments are not very good at making economic decisions. President
Bush often says that "governments do not create wealth, people do."
Our role in government is to create the right environment for citizens
to create wealth. That means withdrawing government intervention ...
allowing individuals and markets to make economic decisions freely ...
and encouraging individual entrepreneurship - critical elements of all
the expanding and thriving economies in the world today.
Good governance and the integrity of public officials are absolutely
vital to democratic government. Without these, the will of the people
is thwarted and freedom is caged. There can be no meaningful integrity
without accountability. Holding government to account is one of the
important roles the press plays in a healthy democracy.
President Thomas Jefferson spoke very eloquently about the role of the
press in a free society. As an innovator and unconventional thinker,
he had a terrible time with the press during his term of office. He
was constantly under stinging criticism, which moved him to say,
"Advertisements ... contain the only truth to be relied on in a
newspaper." But he also said that given the choice between a
government without a press and a press without a government, he would
take the latter.
In many nations, the government is the primary regulator of the media.
In the United States, our solution has been to rely on market forces,
competition, and a highly evolved form of peer review -- journalism
ethics. In many countries, the credibility of the press is low. The
press needs to be trustworthy, if it is to fulfill its role. Too
often, the press undermines itself.
Corruption is an issue for journalists just as it is for governments.
Journalists who accept bribes, quash exposés, or pay sources for
information do a great disservice to their profession and their
country. Accuracy and fairness must be the paramount values in
reporting.
Journalism ethics provide a process by which individual mistakes and
excesses are corrected without jeopardizing the ultimate objective of
a free media - to provide a healthy check on centers of power and
maintain a free and informed society. A free and vibrant press is the
best guarantor of public accountability and confidence. Any government
that suppresses freedom of the press compromises its own legitimacy.
Unfortunately, that is a lesson that not every government in this
hemisphere has learned yet.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has expressed its alarm at the
harassment and intimidation of the Venezuelan media. Diatribes against
the press from the highest level of the government have created an
environment of fear. Harsh statements by those in positions of
political leadership may lead their followers to target the press.
While the local press can still report the news freely, inflammatory
rhetoric and a series of disturbing legal actions promised are
limiting freedom of expression in Venezuela.
The Government of Cuba uses an assortment of repressive techniques in
its efforts to silence independent journalists. These techniques range
from harassment and intimidation to imprisonment. The Cuban regime has
long made use of "Rapid Reaction Brigades" - goons equipped with iron
bars to beat and intimidate those identified as opponents of the
regime, including independent journalists. Because the government
controls all mass media and restricts Internet access, independent
journalists must struggle to acquire information and transmit news
reports abroad. Operators from the state telephone monopoly frequently
refuse to connect or cut off international calls. The government
disconnects journalists' phone service and taps their phones.
Independent journalists are branded as "tools of the U.S. government"
and of Miami-based right-wing exiles. These efforts are a deliberate
attempt to control all information received by the Cuban people.
In a survey of Colombian journalists conducted by students at the
University of La Sabana, almost four out of every ten Colombian
journalists said that they received warnings because of their work in
the last year. According to the survey, the intimidators include
paramilitary groups, drug traffickers, advertisers, government
officials, businesses and owners. Colombian journalists work in a
pervasive atmosphere of fear. Thirty-one journalists were killed in
Colombia over the last two years. Ninety percent of110 crimes against
journalists go unpunished. They are afraid to speak or to publish the
full extent of their investigations. Many journalists compromise. They
practice self-censorship and tell only part of the truth. Fortunately,
there are journalists who continue to fulfill their responsibilities
to report fairly and accurately.
But Colombian journalism also suffers from its own mistakes. 82% of
the journalists in a recent University of La Sabana survey report that
they publish information without verifying it, in part because of
demands from their own media organizations to get the story first and
win the ratings wars.
All this said, however, the hemisphere's overall press freedom is
indeed improving. In Freedom House's 2000-2001 survey of press
freedom, nine countries were considered freer than during the previous
evaluation period, most notably Mexico, which was upgraded from
"partly free" to "free." Only three nations, Ecuador, Haiti, and
Trinidad and Tobago, declined; Haiti falling into the "not free"
category. Troubled as we are by these setbacks, we are encouraged by
this positive trend. I hope that we can work with you to support the
essential role the press plays in our societies.
Before I conclude, I would like to touch on the current crisis in
Venezuela. We continue to watch events unfold with great concern. The
OAS, guided by the Inter-American Democratic Charter, will play a
vital role in support of democracy in Venezuela. We urge all
Venezuelans to take advantage of President Chavéz's call for national
reflection and reconciliation. We hope for genuine democratic
dialogue. We urge Venezuelans to refrain from retribution and hope
those responsible for violence will be brought to justice.
It is our responsibility as citizens of the Americas to build a better
future for ourselves and our children. President Bush has a vision for
that future. I know that we have many millions of partners in our
efforts to make this hemisphere free, prosperous, and democratic. The
Bush Administration has a comprehensive policy to achieve that goal.
It is an ambitious goal, and I am well aware of the challenges we
face. But I pursue it with confidence. The eight hundred million
people of the Americas strive for the dream of a better life. As
President Bush said, it is "a dream of free markets and free people,
in a hemisphere free from war and tyranny. That dream has sometimes
been frustrated - but it must never be abandoned."
Thank you for your attention. Thanks again to the Latin American
Caribbean Center for hosting this event. I will be happy to answer any
questions that you might have.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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