Letters to the Editor

Denis Arce Morales
President
Communication and Transportation Commission
Legislative Assembly
Panama City, Panama

Dear Mr. Arce,

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to express concern about the press bill currently under consideration in the Communication and Transportation Commission of Panama's Legislative Assembly.

We are disturbed that the proposal violates the standards established by the American Convention on Human Rights, which Panama ratified in 1978.

The draft law currently contains a provision that would require all journalists in the country to hold a license in order to practice journalism. According to the San José, Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court of Human Rights, this statute violates Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights.

CPJ is also concerned that the proposal does not repeal Panama's criminal defamation provisions.

In its 1994 yearly report, the Washington, D.C.-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights wrote that "contempt laws" (leyes de desacato) violate inter-American law. The commission urged all countries to work toward their elimination, but Panama has failed to comply.

Furthermore, in its Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, issued in 2000, the commission contends that public officials, as well as private individuals who have "voluntarily become involved in matters of public interest," should seek legal redress for defamation or libel through civil courts.

CPJ thanks you for your consideration of these important matters. We hope the bill that the commission presents to the Legislative Assembly will fully comply with international standards.

We would be happy to provide you with further information should you wish to receive it.

I have been reading the Panama news since the mid-nineties and I must say you have increased your anti-American and anti-white sentiment immensely over the years. Anything that happens in the world is the United States fault and all of the whites in Panama and the U.S. are bigots. In you article you stated the U.S. was responsible for ousting the Pres. Chavez. If we wanted that he would be out for good. As far as letting American and European gangsters (white people) into Panama instead of Asian Doctors goes; how many Panamians are allowed to immigrate to China or Japan? How many scholarships do the Asians give you. How often does the military build you schools, roads, and wells? The answer is zero! Did the Asians build and give you the canal-No! Do the Asians give or take from Panama? When is the last time you purchased from a store that was not owned by an Asian? How many Panamanians do you see working in those stores. Why did your family go to Panama? I am sure the answer is the American dollar, not the Yen or Won. I will say you have learned well from the American blacks. You never pass up the chance to scream racism. I am very happy my country has left Panama because of Panama's constant finger pointing and never excepting blame for it's own short comings. By the way, how many Asians read your paper?

Editor´s note: The leading donor of foreign aid to Panama is Taiwan, and this has been the case for several years. On Avenida Balboa, Panama City has a modern new seafood market that was built with Japanese aid.

The Panama Canal was built by people of many races and nationalities --- including Chinese and Hindu workers --- but most of the construction workers were black people from the West Indies.

We know that some members of Panama´s Asian community --- both Panamanian citizens of Asian descent and foreign residents here --- do read The Panama News, but we have no firm statistics on how many.

Please keep us here in the United States informed about racial discrimination at Bennigan's and the Rock Cafe in Panama City. That way we can boycott these establishments while visiting Panama, until they clean up their act and stop discriminating, not only against African Americans, but against all black people, including Panamanians. I love your newspaper. keep up the good work. Thanks

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