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BOLIVIA: RADIO STATION CENSURED OVER FIGHT AGAINST TOXIC WASTE

The Bolivian highlands station "Radio Pio XII" has come under
attack for speaking out against toxic mineral waste dumping in
the mining villages of Patacamaya and Siglo XX, reports the
October issue of "La Lettre", the monthly journal of Reporters
sans frontieres (RSF). The conflict over toxic waste came to a
head when residents of Patacamaya and nearby Siglo XX blocked
traffic on the Panamericana highway in August in protest of the
open dump sites near their homes. "Radio Pio XII" and other
members of the Bolivian media spoke out against the latest accord
to treat foreign mineral waste. With the drop in mineral prices
on the export market, Bolivia has turned to mineral waste
treatment. The government is pinning hopes on its recent contract
with Germany to keep the mining industry alive and to prevent
mine workers from turning to coca farming.

The August protest, which was countered by the government, left
one demonstrator dead. Since then, "Radio Pio XII" has faced
abuse and harassment by officials in a barrage of letters, phone
calls and denunciations in the media. The Ministry of Mines
accused the station of "hating mining, foreign investment and
modern technology," and of disseminating false and incomplete
information which it perceived as being anti-government and
purposely in the interest of the mining workers movement, unhappy
with a 1993 agreement to restructure the public mining sector.
Authorities also accused "Radio Pio XII" of fomenting "subversive
activity." "Radio Pio XII" has enlisted the assistance of the
International Radio Broadcasting Association of Bolivia (AIR) to
appeal on its behalf to the President of Bolivia.

On a positive note, RSF also reports that the five Bolivian
journalists who were brutalized by police while covering the
workers' demonstration have succeeded in pressing charges.

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The above is from the IFEX Communique of October 17, 1994.

The IFEX Communique is published weekly by the IFEX Clearing
House, Toronto. The facility is operated by the Canadian
Committee to Protect Journalists in partnership with the member
organizations of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange
(IFEX). Material may be submitted to the Communique at E-mail:
ifex@web.apc.org; Fax: (1-416) 867-1034; or Tel: (1-416)
867-1638. Editors this week: Kristina Stockwood and Isabelle
Patenaude. Subscriptions are available by e-mail and surface
mail.