Marc Harris seen as freedom fighter
First of all, I wished to congratulate your good English-language Panamanian
newspaper. Best regards on such a bright endeavour!
With reference to Marc Harris, I strongly believe the US government interest
in him has only to do with taxes.
That attitude of the US government denies the independence of Panama from
the United States in economic matters.
It also denies the Panamanian principle of non-taxing foreign earned income,
which applies to Panamanian citizens living abroad as well as to foreign citizens
relocating to Panama.
Furthermore, the off-shore banking businesses are legal even in the United
States and Europe. Why have they gone against Marc Harris is bewildering to
me. Why hasn't the US government gone wild on Switzerland or UK's islands
having off-shore and in-shore tax havens?
Once again, it seems to me that there is a double standard when applying
off-shore policies and morals to Panama as compared to other, white European
countries having the same businesses.
I don't think, Mr. Jackson, that you would wish the US government taxing
all of your income and investments in Panama now that you live here and consider
yourself to be a Panamanian. Would it be fair when you don't have plans to
relocate to the US?
Marc Harris apparently stepped on some big toes when suing Panamanians over
apparent frauds that were made against his enterprises by higher ups in Panamanian
society, including Gilbert Boutin. These people, who have connections with
the "rabiblancos" or ruling class of Panama, had access to the media,
INTERPOL and US Government (who by the way has always kept them in power for
most of the last century), which may be the cause he is under so much trouble.
Hope he waves out the sea and survives, as many people work in his businesses
and would lose their jobs if he goes to jail.
No harsh feelings for the US government. It's just that they are wrong on
this one. Nobody is perfect!
Eduardo Rendon
International Press Institute protests via open letter to Mireya
H.E. Mireya Elisa Moscoso Palacio Presidencial Panama Republic of Panama
Vienna, 5 November 2001
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors,
media executives and leading journalists, is deeply concerned about the charges
of criminal defamation pending against Julio Briceño, an editorial
cartoonist, and his newspaper, La Prensa.
According to the information before IPI, Julio Briceño, whose pen
name is "RAC", faces up to two years in jail if found guilty of
defaming a former vice president. In addition, Briceño's newspaper,
La Prensa, may have to pay US$ 1 million in damages, a sum that could force
the daily into insolvency.
The charges were filed on 3 January 2001 by former vice president Ricardo
Arias Calderon under article 175 of Panama's Penal Code and founded on a cartoon
drawn by Briceño and published in La Prensa in December 2000, which
criticised the apparent political volte-face of Arias Calderon, a former opponent
of General Manuel Antonio Noriega. The cartoon showed the former vice president
standing next to the Grim Reaper, representing the Democratic National Party
(PRD), the party which had once supported General Noriega and with which Arias
Calderon has entered into a political accord. Article 175 provides for prison
sentences of 18 to 24 months for those found guilty of offending, through
any media, "an individual's good reputation".
In Panama, "insult" (desacato) and defamation laws are the favoured
methods of public officials to silence journalists. The country still maintains
these restrictive laws, which were enacted in the 1980s under the dictatorship
of General Noriega, despite Your Excellency's initial promises to bring Panama's
press laws into line with international standards. As a consequence, journalists
in Panama face long-term imprisonment for exposing official misconduct. According
to IPI's sources, at least 70 criminal cases against journalists are currently
pending, the greatest number of such cases in any country in the Western hemisphere.
Although prison sentences are almost always commuted into fines, the fact
that insult and criminal defamation laws remain in effect and are used by
public officials, who should be open to more - not less - scrutiny than ordinary
citizens, has led to a climate of intimidation in which self-censorship among
journalists is increasing.
IPI believes that desacato and criminal defamation laws are restrictions
on freedom of expression that have no place in a democracy. Their existence
prevents the media from criticising government action and contradicts internationally
accepted standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
the American Convention on Human Rights.
We therefore urge Your Excellency to take the necessary steps to ensure
the repeal of these remnants of a past dictatorship, thereby reaffirming your
country's commitment to uphold and protect fundamental human rights, including
freedom of expression and press freedom.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz Director, International Press Institute
