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The Mandhandling of Marisol
posted (September 7, 2017)
And while the Minister of State apologized, it wasn't enough for KREMANDALA, whose news editor Marisol Amaya was lifted and thrown to the pavement, and then hauled off the road.

Today several organizations came to Amaya's defense including the Prime Minister's wife, Kim Barrow - who is the special envoy for women and children. Her statement says, quote, "frightening images were seen on national television of the unacceptable treatment of a female journalist by law enforcement officers...Sadly, this is not the first time that Ms. Amaya, in her capacity as a journalist, has been disrespected in plain view on national television."

It continues, quoting Simplis-Barrow directly, "Journalists should not be subjected to inhumane treatment by anyone, least of all, law enforcement officers! Ms. Amaya is a woman, mother, sister, a daughter and a journalist. I join the wider society in condemning the assault made upon her person by police officers. This reduces the image of our country and contravenes all efforts being made by many agencies to end violence against our women."

Amaya's employer, KREM Radio and Television issued its own statement saying quote, "the KREMANDALA family is sure and satisfied that the violence against our Editor was totally unwarranted and is indicative of the violence experienced by women on a daily basis in Belize. This time however, the violence was against a member of the media while she was on her lawful duty. The images clearly show that Ms. Amaya was the only female congregated around a political leader being interviewed, along with other male media members and party supporters, when she was specifically grabbed from behind by no other than the officer commanding the Special Patrol Unit, Inspector Aaron Gamboa, who dragged her off and indecently grappled her in the process. He never approached her and informed her of his wishes for her to move, nor alerted her and thus targeted only her as she did live broadcast of the events unfolding at the scene." Unquote.

Today, KREM TV's Manager opened the press conference after Aragon's statement making comments to this effect. Here's that back and forth:..

Nuri Muhammad, KREM
"You apologized for the media in effect, but I can tell you Minister Aragon that if you look at the videos, several; videos were running yesterday, you will see that our editor Marisol Amaya was in fact rudely moved from using that instead of saying attacked - rudely moved by officer Gamboa, thrown to the ground and in that process there was also an assault, additional assault on her with a club of which her colleague block that club. My statement is to say that we are extremely displeased, upset, in fact angry at the fact that our news editor would be targeted in the way that she was. Thank you sir."

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs
"In regards to your comments, that it was an attack on the media, I would like the general public and the media to know that the police department has a job to do and in that situation we have always asked the media to stay a distance away from the situation. In this regard the media was up and front of the situation and in that regard we ended up having to move everybody including the media. In no time did the police department has any intention or purpose to target the media. That has never been a part of policing. We understand the role the media has to play, but the media in turn must understand the role of the police department."

Micah Goodin, Amandala Newspaper
"Sir, are you saying it was justifiable for officer Gamboa to lift a defenseless woman, toss her to the ground, lift her up and drag her across the road? Are you saying that that was justifiable sir?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs
"Listen when you are in these situations, the police have asked you to move and you need to obey the law. The police are there to enforce the law and to ask you to move, then you should move."

Micah Goodin, Amandala Newspaper
"So it's justifiable?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs
"Listen to me, every action has to be look at on its own. My thing here is that people have gathered illegally which is wrong in the first instance and then they refused to listen to the police giving them a lawful command to move and clear the road. The police has a job to do. We are not out here, no way are we attacking the media. That has never been a part of policing for us. We understand the role of the media, but the media has to understand that the police has a job to do."

Nuri Muhammad, KREM
"Now there are videotapes that show you in your attempt to do your job and we in our attempt to do our job coming in conflict and that is one of your officers rudely and in my opinion in a brutal way grabbing a journalist and throwing her to the ground and will also say that underneath of Ms. Amaya's arm from where she was grabbed by the officer is chaffed. On her legs and I have seen all the cuts that she showed me on her legs as a result of being thrown down. I am saying Mr. Minister, as I understand you carefully trying to explain what has happened and the role of the police. We feel that what happened to Marisol Amaya was extraordinary. She was not a part of a process of a protest. She does not deserve to have been treated that way. But the video shows Mr. Gamboa grabbing her and flinging her. The video shows that and all you have to do is review it and we think that the police department owes Ms. Amaya an apology."

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs
"Like I said here, if you look at the statement we've made. The statement basically is to the members of the public. I will requote this piece that I mentioned here "The police apologizes to those members of the public, including the members of the press who were out there about their lawful business and were affected by the measures use by the police to restore law and order.""

KREMANDALA's statement says that Amaya has retained Audrey Matura as her attorney and has made an official complaint at the Professional Standards Branch. It adds, quote, "she has sought medical attention for the harm done to her and the trauma that it has created."

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