Public Perception and News Coverage

The Conflict in the News and the Streets


The MPT Team has found that the issue of indigenous land rights and the conflict between the government and the Ngobe-Bugle people is in the news daily in Panama.  In fact, while we have been here, we have seen coverage on television more than any other programming, and at all hours of the day.  Concerns regarding media coverage (and bias, or political manipulation of the media) has come up many times during our meetings with the Ngobe who had invited us to witness the situation here.


In every hotel lobby, train station, and cafe that has a television, we seem to see news coverage of the conflict.  While it´s often impossible to hear the actual reporting in public places, and it makes translation a challenge (i.e. if there´s no audio on the TV in a restaurant for example, or if it´s just too loud), we have seen interviews of representatives of the Ngobe-Bugle, as well as political leaders in Panama, and even tweets from ¨common folks¨to weigh in on the matter.  We also see many similar video clips of nonviolent demonstrations, roadblocks, and vigils along the roads by Ngobe.  

Some MPT Teamers were surprised by how effective the roadblocks and vigils have been in gaining national (and international) attention for the Ngobe cause.  Other similar movements around the world have not always met with such success in terms of awareness of the conflict as to be the main daily news story for weeks (if not longer).  Of course, concerns about the content of the coverage remain.  We have been told by one of our team partners from South America that independent radio is considered a less biased source of information than the main news agencies in Panama.  So far, we have not had the opportunity to explore those news outlets further, but we encourage interested parties to look for coverage from independent Panamanian radio on the web or international radio.


Not everyone on the emergency response Peace Team speaks Spanish, but we´re lucky to partner with two South American activists from Collective Voices for Peace, who have been talking to local folks like taxi drivers to find out what the latino Panamians think of this conflict.  So far, we have heard mixed responses (and admittedly, our limited conversations make a very small sample, but still interesting).  Due to requests for discretion from our hosts, and our own security concerns, we have been careful about discussing the conflict in public or with people not on the team.


We have heard the opinion that the Ngobe are oppressed and being poorly treated by an exploitative government.  We have also heard from Panamaians who think the Ngobe are standing in the way of economic development for Panama, to the detriment of all.   Especially if you speak Spanish, twitter is one place to read what folks have to say on this issue.  For example, TVN invites their audience to ¨tweet in¨about the topic view more at: https://twitter.com/#!/tvnnoticias.  Of course, we encourage everyone to consider the source of any publish information or tweets.

News Coverage
The website for TVN, the mainstream television news organization we see daily on everyone´s televisions, in Panama is http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/.  A story on the conflict has been on the front page of the TVN website every day that MPT Teamers have checked the site.  Also, stories about the conflict are featured on the special ¨Web Edicion¨of their news, which can be found at: http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/noticiero/.


In an article ont he front page of their website this morning, TVN News related the following perspective from the opposition party leader Milton Henriquez (a political rival to Martinelli´s government):


Henriquez noted that [during] the first stage of the indigenous movement, despite the closure of the Pan-American Highway, [latinos in Panama] supported the Indians, due to the strong displeasure with the government for a number of offenses committed against the people.  The PP leader suggested that the prestige gained by the General Cacica Silvia Carrera, allows [for the possibility of] a successful negotiation.  


The report goes on to say,


Henríquez felt that the incident in the Assembly (in which four Indians and wounded a parliamentary official) gave a good reason to move the dialogue to a neutral place like the United Nations headquarters in the City of Knowledge and not so pressure of public opinion. (http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/noticias_detalle.asp?id=70430, full clip of interview at http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/noticiasam/default.asp?id=4161).


They further report on an incident during a protest in the park outside the national assembly building, where Ngobe-Bugle people are "occupying" the city.  Notice the report describes the incident as ¨four Indians wounded an official" rather than as a site of police violence.  As MPT Teamers were not present at the park that day (we were there shortly following), we do not have our own eyewitness account.  However, Ngobe leaders have told us many times that a main concern is being misrepresented in the media as violent. 




Most Recent News Updates from Other News Sources Panama:


[The parties have ] agreed to suspend temporarily the Barro Blanco hydroelectric Project, in Chiriquí, while performing an independent evaluation.

Similarly, in the third day of dialogue in the City of Knowledge is passed between the parties that all applications for hydroelectric development projects located partially or totally within and adjoining areas of the Ngobe Bugle Region must be approved by thefull Congress General, Regional or Local Shire.

David Bishop Jose Luis Lacunza, read a joint statement this afternoon explaining thatprior approval depends on the category of space required for installation of the work.

In addition, the work must be submitted to a referendum after the respective localdistrict.

The next session of the dialogue will be on Monday March 12 at 10:00 am, then went torecess. (http://laestrella.com.pa/online/noticias/2012/03/05/acuerdan-suspender-proyecto-barro-blanco-dialogo-regresa-el-12-de-marzo.asp, follow the link for more news from smaller news organization Estrella.)






Venezuala
"The 250 000 Bugle Indians who live in Panama, are among the poorest and most forgotten of that country, and suffer the consequences of intense internal colonialism, [which seeks] to expel them from their ancestral territory."  (http://www.rnv.gov.ve/noticias/?act=ST&f=36&t=176611)




Check back soon for perspective on how this conflict is percieved in Brazil and Costa Rica.