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EL SALVADOR
Journalists request forgivenessErrors and omissions made conflicts worse
After celebrating the Jubilee for the journalists at San Salvador’s cathedral, the Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) issued a statement asking Salvadorans for forgiveness for the “mistakes and injustice,” committed by reporters in covering events, especially during the year’s of the country’s bloody civil war. The statement, made public by David Rivas, a well-known Salvadoran journalist and president of APES, said that following the example of Pope John Paul II, “We also want to make our own examination of conscience regarding our duty.” The journalists asked for forgiveness “for omitting information of interest for the people, for damaging the dignity and honor of persons.” “Forgive us for not always taking side with justice, for not fighting enough for the human right to justice,” they added. The journalists also admitted guilt “for promoting negative messages with false promises, for exploiting sex and violence, and demeaning fundamental aspects of the human person.” APES’s letter also announced the commitment of journalists to “improve our effort to overcome our weaknesses, to search for the truth, respect and protect human dignity, and promote the integral development of the human person.”