Colombia
10.01.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: Extra-judicial killings and torture by the paramilitary in El Diamante Sur del Bolivar
Case COL 100102
Extrajudicial executions/ Destruction of property/ Torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Corporación Servicios Profesionales « Sembrar », about new violations of human rights perpetrated by the paramilitary in Monterrey and San Blas, against the inhabitants of the rural areas (corregimientos) El Diamante and Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti, and El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, in the Department of Sur del Bolivar.
According to the information received, on December 9th, 2001, in the rural area, El Diamante, municipality of Simiti, during the early hours of the morning, Mr. Jorge Eliécer Gómez, a 34-year old peasant, was tortured and murdered in front of his wife and young child. That same day, 20-year old Mr. Luis Alberto Pardo, and a peasant, a minor whose identity is currently unknown, were killed. The bodies of the victims and their homes were reportedly incinerated.
According to the report, on that same area, the paramilitary later killed a 70-year old man known as don Marcos, and referred to as « el abuelo », and 24-year old Mr. Medardo Herrera, who was the son of Mr. Parmencio Herrera, a peasant leader in the rural area of El Paraiso who has reportedly disappeared. Furthermore, the paramilitary stole cattle, mules, and other goods.
According to the information received, on December 23rd, 2001, in the rural area of El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, 52-year old Ms. Victoria Delgado was murdered. Ms. Victoria Delgado was the mother of Mr. Gildardo Fuentes who disappeared on November 28th, 1999 together with the agrarian leader of the south of Bolivar, Edgar Quiroga (see Appeals: Observatorio COL 014 / 9911 / OBS 076, and OMCT Case COL 150600).
According to the report, that same day in the rural area Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti, a man known as Vicente, nicknamed “Chester”, and a raspachín youth (worker of coke leaves) whose identity is not yet known, were killed. Their bodies reportedly showed signed of torture.
The OMCT reminds that Ms. Victoria Delgado had already been arbitrarily detained by the paramilitary during a violent incursion that occurred on May 16th, 2001. During this event, the paramilitary burnt 26 houses, leaving the town in ruins, and threatening the inhabitants with burning them down again if they rebuilt them. The paramilitary allegedly also threatened to burn down the towns of Agua Sucia, La Unión, Cañabraval Alto y La Fría (see appeal OMCT, Case COL 250501).
According to the report, the population together with human rights organisations is concerned that these abuses are perpetrated by paramilitary groups that have had permanent bases in the region for over 30 months, located in public areas and near military bases in Santa Rosa Simiti and San Pablo. This area is covered by the V brigade of the National Army, who has not responded to these violations of human rights in the region, although these abuses were denounced to the General Martín Orlando Carreño, Commander of II Division of the Army, on October 29th, 2001.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with numerous human rights organisations, for the continuous and serious aggressions to which the inhabitants of the South of Bolivar have been subjected, and condemns the general persecution experienced by the civilian population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of these frequent human rights violations, as well as the absence of effective protective measures by municipal and national authorities to prevent such acts.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the rural communities El Diamante and Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti and El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, and in general of all inhabitants in the region Sur de Bolivar;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. carry out immediately the given recommendations by international and regional human rights organisations , including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· S. E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1) 2867434; (+57 1) 2866842; (+57 1) 28421 86
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51.
· Doctor Gustavo Bell Lemus, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 18 74 ; e-mail : (dirección electrónica): siden@mindefensa.gov.co
· Doctor Armando Estrada Villa, Ministro del Interior, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 Santa Fe de Bogotá, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25 ; (+57 1) 286 84 05 ; (+57 1) 281 58 84 ; e-mail: minisint@col1.telecom.com.co
· Doctor Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80, Santa Fe de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1) 284 0472; (+57 1) 342 97 23 ; (+57 1) 282 76 14 e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co
· Doctor Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 08 ; (+57 1) 570 20 00; e-mail : contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co ; webmaster@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 346 12 25
· General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 29 35 ; e-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co; pilaque@cgm.mil.co
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, January 10th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Extrajudicial executions/ Destruction of property/ Torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Corporación Servicios Profesionales « Sembrar », about new violations of human rights perpetrated by the paramilitary in Monterrey and San Blas, against the inhabitants of the rural areas (corregimientos) El Diamante and Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti, and El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, in the Department of Sur del Bolivar.
According to the information received, on December 9th, 2001, in the rural area, El Diamante, municipality of Simiti, during the early hours of the morning, Mr. Jorge Eliécer Gómez, a 34-year old peasant, was tortured and murdered in front of his wife and young child. That same day, 20-year old Mr. Luis Alberto Pardo, and a peasant, a minor whose identity is currently unknown, were killed. The bodies of the victims and their homes were reportedly incinerated.
According to the report, on that same area, the paramilitary later killed a 70-year old man known as don Marcos, and referred to as « el abuelo », and 24-year old Mr. Medardo Herrera, who was the son of Mr. Parmencio Herrera, a peasant leader in the rural area of El Paraiso who has reportedly disappeared. Furthermore, the paramilitary stole cattle, mules, and other goods.
According to the information received, on December 23rd, 2001, in the rural area of El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, 52-year old Ms. Victoria Delgado was murdered. Ms. Victoria Delgado was the mother of Mr. Gildardo Fuentes who disappeared on November 28th, 1999 together with the agrarian leader of the south of Bolivar, Edgar Quiroga (see Appeals: Observatorio COL 014 / 9911 / OBS 076, and OMCT Case COL 150600).
According to the report, that same day in the rural area Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti, a man known as Vicente, nicknamed “Chester”, and a raspachín youth (worker of coke leaves) whose identity is not yet known, were killed. Their bodies reportedly showed signed of torture.
The OMCT reminds that Ms. Victoria Delgado had already been arbitrarily detained by the paramilitary during a violent incursion that occurred on May 16th, 2001. During this event, the paramilitary burnt 26 houses, leaving the town in ruins, and threatening the inhabitants with burning them down again if they rebuilt them. The paramilitary allegedly also threatened to burn down the towns of Agua Sucia, La Unión, Cañabraval Alto y La Fría (see appeal OMCT, Case COL 250501).
According to the report, the population together with human rights organisations is concerned that these abuses are perpetrated by paramilitary groups that have had permanent bases in the region for over 30 months, located in public areas and near military bases in Santa Rosa Simiti and San Pablo. This area is covered by the V brigade of the National Army, who has not responded to these violations of human rights in the region, although these abuses were denounced to the General Martín Orlando Carreño, Commander of II Division of the Army, on October 29th, 2001.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with numerous human rights organisations, for the continuous and serious aggressions to which the inhabitants of the South of Bolivar have been subjected, and condemns the general persecution experienced by the civilian population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of these frequent human rights violations, as well as the absence of effective protective measures by municipal and national authorities to prevent such acts.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the rural communities El Diamante and Aguas Lindas, municipality of Simiti and El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo, and in general of all inhabitants in the region Sur de Bolivar;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. carry out immediately the given recommendations by international and regional human rights organisations , including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· S. E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1) 2867434; (+57 1) 2866842; (+57 1) 28421 86
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51.
· Doctor Gustavo Bell Lemus, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 18 74 ; e-mail : (dirección electrónica): siden@mindefensa.gov.co
· Doctor Armando Estrada Villa, Ministro del Interior, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 Santa Fe de Bogotá, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25 ; (+57 1) 286 84 05 ; (+57 1) 281 58 84 ; e-mail: minisint@col1.telecom.com.co
· Doctor Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80, Santa Fe de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1) 284 0472; (+57 1) 342 97 23 ; (+57 1) 282 76 14 e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co
· Doctor Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 08 ; (+57 1) 570 20 00; e-mail : contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co ; webmaster@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 346 12 25
· General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 29 35 ; e-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co; pilaque@cgm.mil.co
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, January 10th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.