Colombia
12.09.03
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: Follow Up: Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Found by Police
Case COL 290703.1 VAW
Re-appearance of Colombian Women Human Rights Activist
Follow-Up to Case Case COL 290703.VAW
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
New information:
OMCT has recently received new information from a reliable source concerning the whereabouts of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes, who has been found after having disappeared on July 21, 2003.
According to the information received, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes was found by the police on July 22, 2003 in a small town called Puerto Salgar. The police in that town took her to Bogota and brought her to the Institute for Legal Medicine in order for her to be examined. The examination revealed that she had been beaten and that she had been tied up.
After being examined, Mrs. Velasquez made a declaration to the police claiming that she was taken by two armed men, one dressed in military clothes and the other in plain clothes, and made to appear before a group of persons. The group interrogated her about the work of her organization (ANMUCIC) and accused her of providing aid to the wives of guerrilla fighters. Mrs. Velasquez was not able to determine the identity of the persons in this group.
It is further reported that Mrs. Velasquez continues to be harassed and continues to receive threats for the work that she does.
Brief reminder of the situation
Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes left the Naranjos property in the rural zone of Sasaima (Cundinamarca) on July 21st 2003, at about 2:00 in the afternoon. She had an appointment at 3:00 in the afternoon of the same day with her daughter and Mr. Juan Segundo Cabrero with whom she was going to talk about the possible realisation of a training course for the National Learning Service (SENA). Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes never arrived at the meeting. Her family reportedly waited for her late into the night, but she did not return.
According to the information received, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes has been a member of ANMUCIC for 14 years working for women in towns and villages in the region of Rionegro, such as Utica, Villa Gomez, Paime, La Pena, Yacopi and Topaipi, among others. Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes has offered support to women who have become displaced from the municipality of Viota (Department of Cundinamarca) because of the violence generated by the conflict.
In 2002, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes and her family, started to receive threats from the armed groups of the region and they have been harassed. On one occasion in 2002, Mrs. Velasquez taken by a group of armed men belonging to a paramilitary group because of her alleged aid to guerrilla groups.
According to the information received, in all the regions where ANMUCIC has expanded its work (Gualiva, Tequendama, Magdalena Centro y el Guavio), it has become the object of frequent and direct harassment by the paramilitary groups, and occasionally its leaders have had to negotiate with these paramilitary groups in order to go forward with their projects. OMCT recalls that in March 2001, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights asked the Colombian State to protect the physical and psychological integrity of the members of ANMUCIC.
OMCT sincerely thanks all those organizations and individuals who have taken action on Mrs. Velasquez’s behalf. OMCT continues to be concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Velasquez as she continues to receive threats and to be harassed for the work that she engages in. OMCT calls on the Colombian government to ensure protection to Mrs. Velasquez and her family from future attacks and insists that the Colombian government observe the international legal prohibition against torture and ill-treatment.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia asking them to:
i. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes;
ii. initiate a prompt, impartial and full investigation into the detention of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes and hold the responsible persons accountable;
iii. guarantee adequate reparation to Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez and her family;
iv. take all necessary measures to prevent such violence in the future, in particular against women human rights activists;
v. ensure that internally displaced women, such as those that Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes assists in her work, are protected from violence;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Republic, Senor Presidente Alvaro Uribe Velez, Presidente de la Republica, Palacio de Narino, Carrera 8 No.7-26, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 342 05 02/342 05 92/337 58 90
· Minister of the Interior and Justice, Sr. Fernando Londono Hoyos, Palacio Echeverry, Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o., Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 566 4573
· Attorney General, Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Diagonal 22B 52-01 , Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 570 2022 /2017
· Procurator General, Dr. Edgardo Maya Villazon, Procuraduria General de la Nacion, Carrera 5, No. 15-80, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 342 9723
· Minister of Foreign Affairs in Colombia, Sra. Maria Carolina Barco Isakson, Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Calle 10 #5-51, Palacio San Carlos, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 562 7822
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective countries.
Geneva, September 12, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Re-appearance of Colombian Women Human Rights Activist
Follow-Up to Case Case COL 290703.VAW
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
New information:
OMCT has recently received new information from a reliable source concerning the whereabouts of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes, who has been found after having disappeared on July 21, 2003.
According to the information received, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes was found by the police on July 22, 2003 in a small town called Puerto Salgar. The police in that town took her to Bogota and brought her to the Institute for Legal Medicine in order for her to be examined. The examination revealed that she had been beaten and that she had been tied up.
After being examined, Mrs. Velasquez made a declaration to the police claiming that she was taken by two armed men, one dressed in military clothes and the other in plain clothes, and made to appear before a group of persons. The group interrogated her about the work of her organization (ANMUCIC) and accused her of providing aid to the wives of guerrilla fighters. Mrs. Velasquez was not able to determine the identity of the persons in this group.
It is further reported that Mrs. Velasquez continues to be harassed and continues to receive threats for the work that she does.
Brief reminder of the situation
Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes left the Naranjos property in the rural zone of Sasaima (Cundinamarca) on July 21st 2003, at about 2:00 in the afternoon. She had an appointment at 3:00 in the afternoon of the same day with her daughter and Mr. Juan Segundo Cabrero with whom she was going to talk about the possible realisation of a training course for the National Learning Service (SENA). Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes never arrived at the meeting. Her family reportedly waited for her late into the night, but she did not return.
According to the information received, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes has been a member of ANMUCIC for 14 years working for women in towns and villages in the region of Rionegro, such as Utica, Villa Gomez, Paime, La Pena, Yacopi and Topaipi, among others. Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes has offered support to women who have become displaced from the municipality of Viota (Department of Cundinamarca) because of the violence generated by the conflict.
In 2002, Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes and her family, started to receive threats from the armed groups of the region and they have been harassed. On one occasion in 2002, Mrs. Velasquez taken by a group of armed men belonging to a paramilitary group because of her alleged aid to guerrilla groups.
According to the information received, in all the regions where ANMUCIC has expanded its work (Gualiva, Tequendama, Magdalena Centro y el Guavio), it has become the object of frequent and direct harassment by the paramilitary groups, and occasionally its leaders have had to negotiate with these paramilitary groups in order to go forward with their projects. OMCT recalls that in March 2001, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights asked the Colombian State to protect the physical and psychological integrity of the members of ANMUCIC.
OMCT sincerely thanks all those organizations and individuals who have taken action on Mrs. Velasquez’s behalf. OMCT continues to be concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Velasquez as she continues to receive threats and to be harassed for the work that she engages in. OMCT calls on the Colombian government to ensure protection to Mrs. Velasquez and her family from future attacks and insists that the Colombian government observe the international legal prohibition against torture and ill-treatment.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia asking them to:
i. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes;
ii. initiate a prompt, impartial and full investigation into the detention of Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes and hold the responsible persons accountable;
iii. guarantee adequate reparation to Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez and her family;
iv. take all necessary measures to prevent such violence in the future, in particular against women human rights activists;
v. ensure that internally displaced women, such as those that Mrs. Nhora Cecilia Velasquez Cortes assists in her work, are protected from violence;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Republic, Senor Presidente Alvaro Uribe Velez, Presidente de la Republica, Palacio de Narino, Carrera 8 No.7-26, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 342 05 02/342 05 92/337 58 90
· Minister of the Interior and Justice, Sr. Fernando Londono Hoyos, Palacio Echeverry, Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o., Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 566 4573
· Attorney General, Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Diagonal 22B 52-01 , Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 570 2022 /2017
· Procurator General, Dr. Edgardo Maya Villazon, Procuraduria General de la Nacion, Carrera 5, No. 15-80, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 342 9723
· Minister of Foreign Affairs in Colombia, Sra. Maria Carolina Barco Isakson, Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Calle 10 #5-51, Palacio San Carlos, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Fax: +57 1 562 7822
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective countries.
Geneva, September 12, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.