More Info About Rosie Simms And Anti Mining Articles (Reader Feedback)

I hope we get a chance to catch up soon and perhaps we can provide a briefing on our project status. all the best, MM."

Editor's Comment: Yeah, I saw the video and read the articles. As far as I'm concerned there's no mystery here. Simms is obviously an environmental activist who also dabbles in the rights of indigenous peoples, posing as a journalist. She co-wrote a couple of articles about these issues when she was here in Panama in early 2011 during the anti mining protests against Law 8. To me it's blazingly obvious the government of Panama simply decided to prevent her from entering Panama this time around. And you're right, how can Simms say she was not at any of the anti mining protests, but this statement is contradicted by the content of her own articles which clearly indicate she was there, and the publication of photos she took at those protests.

What I Think About All Of This: First of all on the issue of censorship, banning or deporting journalists, or trying to control the media. I think it's wrong. It never works. It never has worked. And, as in the case of Rosie Simms, now everyone is talking about how ham-fisted the government of Ricardo Martinelli is in dealing with the press and journalists who are not in his favor, and it makes their administration look like they are inept, unsure, insecure, bumbling amateurs. Any effort to open a new and massive open pit copper mine is guaranteed to meet with resistance from the environmentalists and other indigenous rights activists. Anyone in the government should know it's going to happen, and they should have developed a plan and method for dealing with that. But banning journalists is not going to work. Now every backpack toting "Occupy Panama" tree hugging extremist within flying distance will be coming down, "under cover", with a mission of trying to become more famous than Rosie Simms. So, her case will be cited forever by organizations such as Reporters Without Boarders as an example of how the current government of Panama is violating the basic tenants of freedom of the press. Because, they are. And what's worse, that will turn Simms into a sort of international journalistic freedom of speech martyr, with the government of Panama on the wrong side of the equation. So, tossing Simms was dumb on several fronts and for several reasons. If the copper mine is a good thing for Panama, then explain that. If the indigenous peoples have a legitimate gripe or beef, then address those issues (and buy them out.) There's nothing environmentally friendly or pretty about an open pit copper mine. But if the long term benefits outweigh the potential downside, and the executive decision has been made to proceed, then deal with the fallout of that decision, in a sane, logical, coherent, and responsible manner.

Dealing With International Rabble Rousers: Martinelli has demonstrated time and time again he simply does not care about the potential for negative fallout, and he would simply eject international journalists who disagree with him and his policies. But wait a minute, I'm still sitting right here, and I disagree with Martinelli all the time. So, what's the difference? I don't go out and participate in anti government protests. I do my best to present both sides of any controversial issue. I separate my own personal thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and bias from the content of the articles I write, and present those ideas as my own. I don't try to make anyone else (readers) share my own personal thoughts and beliefs. I write to inform, not to convince. And, I believe my readers are intelligent adults who are capable of making their own decisions about any issue. I trust them. In regards to this mining issue, there's big money involved - billions and billions of dollars for the government of Panama over the 30 some year lifespan of the production of the mine. The government of Panama could easily say "we will give the Indigenous peoples one billion dollars to shut up and go away. If you take the money then no more protests. If you have any more protests or block the road, then we cut off the money. Deal?" But they might not do that, or decide to do something else, or nothing at all. And there's the point. The government is going to do whatever it decides. The indigenous people and environmental activists will do whatever they are going to do. And I'm going to simply report on the story. I don't even have a vote in this country, and neither do the vast majority of the people who read this website. I follow, I report, and you can decide. But I'm no threat whatsoever to the government of Panama. I just watch what they do and report. Because that's my job. The news is not supposed to be about the journalist - and when that happens then something is wrong. And in my personal experience, when it happens - as in this Rosie Simms case - then normally it's because the journalist wasn't doing a proper job, as a journalist. If Rosie Simms had gone out of her way to get a quote from a couple of government sources, or if she had clearly presented a fair and balanced report, then she probably would not have gotten bounced. But, she's highly biased. And therefore, she got PNG'd. Simple as that.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.