Journalists have not escaped the violence that has dominated life in Colombia over the last several years. According to statistics from the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP in Spanish), 160 reporters were victims of some kind of threat, violence, illegal detention or killing in 2011.
As the targets of drug traffickers, leftist guerrillas and paramilitaries, many journalists have opted for exile or self-censorship to survive. The situation sometimes ends in depression. Many reporters stop their investigations and are forced to take up other jobs to make ends meet.
The organization La Otra Orilla (The Other Shore) is working to help journalists overcome these hurdles. Founded with support from FLIP and the British organization Rory Peck, the organization offers threatened and displaced journalists the opportunity to continue their reporting and get paid for it.
Among the current beneficiaries is Sonia Godoy, who has more than 10 years experience covering the department of Cauca, one of the most violent areas in Colombia where confrontations between police, armed groups and indigenous groups can flare up. Godoy knows what it means to work in the face of threats. She has had to overcome threats, being followed and home invasions.
"I know that the threats and danger won't disappear," Godoy said in an interview with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. "But as a member of La Otra Orilla I feel the support of the website and FLIP. They're aware of your case and they value your security over a deadline. The journalist takes priority over the report," added Godoy, who is one of the few reporters in the group who has not had to flee their home.
Another aspect that comes out of this project is the journalist's ability to continue their reporting in areas where self-censorship is common.
"Working for La Otra Orilla is very gratifying. It's very satisfying to take a journalistic break where you can say, 'yes, it's possible to work here,' and do reporting that reflects what is happening around you. Always with your feet on the ground, because you know it's not going to be easy but you have to overcome these obstacles and continue," Godoy said, whose last investigation was on violence that erupted in Cauca a year after the death of a guerrilla leader known as "Alfonso Cano."
La Otra Orilla also strives to improve mainstream coverage of underreported topics.
"The website was created with the double intention of providing a salary and economic stability for journalists and also investigating topics that, from our point of view, have low visibility and should be covered in these regions," David González, director of La Otra Orilla, told the Knight Center.
So far, La Otra Orilla has tackled topics like forced displacement and returning land to peasants seized by armed groups. Future investigations will focus on illegal mining, said González.
Robert Shaw, spokesman for International Media Support, another organization supporting the project, said La Otra Orilla represents an important step toward supporting threatened journalists and finding ways for them to continue working safely.
"Colombia in terms of security has been a fairly innovative country. La Otra Orilla is dedicated to finding sustainable ways for threatened journalists to continue working. In this sense, we think it's important to support the project with Rory Peck and FLIP," Shaw said.
La Otra Orilla seeks to transform itself into a self-sufficient website through advertisements and a journalistic platform for other reporters.
"So far our start has been very positive. Reporters have contacted us from Ecuador hoping to highlight investigations from the border. However, we need more hands and reports to achieve our goal of sustainability," said González. He invites interested reporters to contact them at info@laotraorilla.co.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
