also in this section The stakes in this war Thirty-nine predators against freedom of the press In-Depth Report Documents Milosevic Crimes

Another affront to Panamanians of African descent

by the Panamanian Committee Against Racism

The Panamanian Committee Against Racism, while it regrets to do this during a time of patriotic celebrations such as the November 3 and 4 parades, can not leave uncondemned, with all the energy that the case merits, another grave affront to the dignity of Panamanians of African descent, which in this instance was perpetrated with the participation and consent of a former government minister of the Republic of Panama.

This past October 31, during an evening opinion program produced and directed by Mr. Juan Batista Chevalier on a new television channel that is appearing in this country, took up the topic of a recent decision emanating from the Ministry of Education, about the use of national symbols during the civic festivities. The edict provided, in crude fashion, that it is prohibited to use said symbols on objects, automobiles, clothing or otherwise. This measure, which doesn't seem to have the blessing of most of the population, has generated debates in different circles, because every year more and more people have been showing patriotic symbols in diverse ways. One of the practices, which dates back to the middle of the 20th Century, is the use of the national colors on accessories (epaulets, scarfs, straps) to go with student uniforms or form part of the horns, drums or other musical instruments used by the schools that participate in the parades.

During the television broadcast to which we allude, after an animated discussion of the topic, one of the co-hosts, in summing up, said that "Panamanians don't want to seen any more chombos disguised as generals." As is generally known, in Panamanian Spanish the word "chombo" is highly charged and carries a strongly offensive, disrespectful, denigrating, and, above all, racist connotation. This term has historically been used as an epithet of social disqualification against those of African descent, and particularly those of Antillean descent. The expression served to emphasize that, under the recent measures ordered by the Minister of Education, black boys and girls who pay homage to their country during the parades now can't display the colors red, white and blue on their uniforms.

This racist broadcast, which we condemn, adds to a long list of of things that Afro-Panamanians have had to put up with, and against which we continue to struggle in these country. In this instance, it came from the family enterprise of a former Minister of Government and Justice, with his consent. We are confident that the decent people who live on this isthmus will continue to accompany us in the ongoing efforts to uproot racism and racial discrimination in Panama.