“If the Singer is silent, the common-or-garden will likely be left alone, the employees will cross themselves, for who should struggle for his or her salaries…”
By José Dueñas, cultural journalist, author and historian.
Email: [email protected]
After the demise of journalist Silvio Sierra Sierra, with the deepest admiration and respect, to the colleague and buddy, we honor his reminiscence and his legacy, to dignify his skilled life that was a dwelling instance of his ardour for journalism, a dwelling demonstration of his ethics and the tireless seek for the reality in a rustic the place telling the reality is even a criminal offense!
Without forgetting that Silvio Sierra was the voice of those that haven’t any voice, the voice of the helpless, the common-or-garden, the voice of the defenseless. Yes, ‘Cantor’, as immortalized by the very best consultant of Argentine folklore, Horacio Guarany, popularized by the masterful Mercedes Sosa, within the tune: “Si se calla el Cantor”.
“…If the Singer is silent, life is silent. Because life itself is only a tune. If the Singer is silent, he dies of terror. Hope, gentle, and pleasure. If the Singer is silent, they’re left alone. The humble sparrows of the newspapers. The port employees cross themselves. Who will struggle for his or her salaries…?
The Singer is silent and the strolling of the everlasting and tireless ‘Walker’, Silvio Sierra Sierra, additionally ceases! Supported by his individuals expertise, by his nice moral ideas and ethical values, his in depth skilled profession, his social journalism, his unwavering braveness in public denunciation, leaving an excellent mark and an immense void; and on the identical time transmitting a useful legacy for nationwide journalism!
The nice human high quality of the journalist Silvio Sierra Sierra was acknowledged by the Polish author, journalist and essayist, Ryszard Kapuscinski, in his phrase: “To apply good journalism, above all it’s a must to be good human beings! “Bad individuals can’t be good journalists!”
Silvio Sierra Sierra, a lifetime devoted to Journalism
Silvio Sierra Sierra was born within the “City of Light” of Salamina, Caldas, birthplace of poets, musicians, writers and actors. When he was very younger, his household moved to the Municipality of Trujillo, Valle del Cauca, perched on the slopes of the Western mountain vary, the place he lived his childhood and a part of his youth.
We pleasantly keep in mind his time on the Cristo Sacerdote seminary in Yarumal, Antioquia, which cast the spirituality of Silvio Sierra Sierra, fashioned his the Aristocracy, transparency and the wonderful reward and high quality of individual that characterised him endlessly; along with his huge information. And on the most important second of his life, journalism stole his coronary heart, he exchanged the priesthood for microphones, the pen and letters.
The seminar assured him his new journalistic occupation, to which he would dedicate himself for the remainder of his life, along with his drive for studying and the ‘University of Life’, as he used to say, led him to be a part of the media. most essential in Valle del Cauca. At 19 years outdated he went to work at
first liberal newspaper in Valle del Cauca, known as El Crisol; During that interval he studied journalism by correspondence, on the Journalism Schools of Buenos Aires, Argentina, ending with success in three years. He labored at Radio Quito, Ecuador, Radio Nariño in Pasto; He was appointed correspondent for El Tiempo in Pasto, on Radio Súper Bogotá, Radio Occidente in Cali, Radio Sucesos RCN, through the time of Alberto Acosta Penagos’ route. His huge expertise led him to the newspaper El País, the place he labored for greater than 40 years.
Due to his dedication and charisma, he managed to grow to be the voice of probably the most needy communities in every area the place he labored. And that is how journalism turns into Silvio Sierra Sierra’s nice ardour.
As acknowledged by Silvio Sierra himself, fortunately married to Ana Sierra, and on account of this union his daughter Luisa Sierra- “Lulu”. This Salamin native by start, however Caucano by coronary heart and by adoption, arrived within the metropolis of Popayán when he was working with the El País newspaper, incomes his retirement pension.
Silvio Sierra, the ‘War Correspondent’
The journalist Silvio Sierra Sierra arrived within the division of Cauca, within the worst interval of the escalation of the armed battle, as he acknowledged on many events: “…I used to be in entrance of the cannon.” Due to the continual guerrilla assaults carried out by the FARC, in an interview with journalist Carlos Quilindo, Don Silvio Sierra stated that warfare was his each day bread. “There have been instances when he had breakfast with a guerrilla take, had lunch with one other guerrilla take, and had dinner with one other guerrilla take.” His life was completely in danger whereas he lined these subversion assaults. The God he invoked at all times protected him.
Another of Silvio Sierra’s journalistic flags was his denunciation of corruption and politicking, on this nation the place the corrupt steal greater than $52 billion annually, the ‘bandits’, as he used to name them. The journalist Silvio Sierra at all times stored a prudent distance between himself and the politicians and politicians of the area and the nation, as a result of his banner was the struggle in opposition to the second greatest scourge of Colombia, “corruption.”
Likewise, he denounced that ‘regional journalism’ is just not effectively valued. We can not neglect the impeccable group for greater than 21 years, of “The Journalists’ Mass”, each February 9, within the temple of La Ermita de Jesús de Nazareno, within the firm of additionally veteran journalist Luis Arévalo Cerón. Mass that permits the journalistic union of Popayán and Cauca to be in tune with the doctrines of Christ and the Pope, which remind us of the values of ethics, sensitivity and transparency in data. In the identical manner, Don Silvio Sierra by no means forgot his priestly vocation, on ‘Good Friday’, on the Three Crosses hill in Popayán, he carried out “The Sermon of the Seven Words”, making us mirror on the phrases of Jesus on the cross, to the handfuls of parishioners who attended this annual occasion.
Don Silvio Sierra Sierra, at 81 years outdated, by no means envisioned the opportunity of retiring from the noble and passionate occupation of journalism. In an interview with colleague Carlos Quilindo, he launched certainly one of his laconic phrases: “… You by no means cease being a journalist, Silvio Sierra will die with the letters on.”
The tragic and sudden visitors accident!
On Thursday, May 2 of this 12 months, the famend journalist Silvio Sierra Sierra suffered a critical visitors accident, when he was run over by a motorcyclist, on Panamericana Norte Avenue, within the Tablazo sector. According to witnesses, a motorcyclist ran over him, inflicting a extreme impression to his head as he fell in opposition to the pavement. The veteran journalist was taken by ambulance to the San José de Popayán University Hospital. The first medical report was that he was within the ‘Intensive Care Unit’, present process analysis and restoration, beneath medical indications.
His daughter Luisa Sierra – ‘Lulu’ states: “Despite having known as the Municipal Transit Secretariat of Popayán, on the identical day of the accident, to do their respective work on the scene of the accident, they by no means confirmed up. What’s extra, the subsequent day she known as the individuals who have been on obligation on the Transit Secretariat once more, telling them all the things that had occurred, however they did not pay any consideration to her both. Likewise, the Transit Secretary by no means went to the clinic. Only now, upon studying that the accident brought on the lack of the essential journalist’s life, did they name the Traffic Secretariat to request details about what occurred, the license plate variety of the bike concerned and, as well as, the investigation of the accident, in order that the municipal company could make the official report back to cross on to Forensic Medicine.”
Colophon: In Popayán the extreme phenomenon of the rise and hell of greater than 40,000 bikes is offered, added to the uncontrollable prowess of the ‘bike employees’, with none management and surveillance of the ‘Traffic Police’.
They trigger accidents each day, the place motorcyclists are on the identical time the principle perpetrators and the victims, as well as, research point out that they’re the highway actor that exceeds the pace limits probably the most, changing into irresponsible individuals and a excessive public risk.
Caucano and nationwide journalism suffers an excellent loss!
On Saturday, May 11, 2024, within the afternoon, the great human being, the outstanding journalist Silvio Sierra Sierra, member of the National College of Journalists of Colombia, died on the age of 81. His struggles and his voice will stay within the reminiscence and hearts of all his listeners. And he died, simply as he predicted in an interview with journalist Carlos Quilindo: “You by no means cease being a journalist, I’ll die with the letters on.”
The residents of Popayán really feel ache and dismay over the tragic and delicate demise of the famend communicator. The union of journalists from Cauca and the southwest of the nation regrets his demise and expresses condolences to his daughter Luisa Sierra-‘Lulu’, brothers, nephews and relations. Our expression of solidarity with your complete household of Radio 1040AM, of the Red Sonora Radio of Popayán and Colombia, my needs for help and power on this troublesome time. May God consolation his hearts!
A lifetime devoted to clear and sincere journalism, to essential and opinion journalism, to his braveness. In him, the seek for the reality at all times prevailed, his life was the testimony of ethics, that’s the nice legacy that he leaves to us journalists from Popayán, Cauca and Colombia.
And like demise is a thief, it at all times comes unexpectedly and steals our most family members. As the distinguished French journalist and author, winner of the ‘Nobel Prize for Literature in 1952’, François Mauriac, acknowledged: “Death doesn’t steal our family members. On the opposite, it retains them for us and immortalizes them in our reminiscence.” He Departed from earthly life, to be immortalized in our reminiscence, who at one time was ‘Disciple of the Lord’, and departed to fulfill his Heavenly Father!
Silvio Sierra Sierra’s ethics and keenness will encourage future generations of journalists to observe the trail, dedication and keenness for probably the most noble occupation on the planet, simply as Gabo acknowledged! And could his legacy final endlessly, like indelible ink within the coronary heart of the guild.