Colombia
21.11.01
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: forced disappearances of persons travelling between Bogotá and San Juan de Rioseco and San Nicolás
Case COL 211101
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed of several forced disappearances of persons travelling between Bogotá and the municipalities of San Juan de Rioseco and san Nicolás, and a further incident in Fusagasugá, in the Department of Cundinamrca.
According to the information from the Association of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees in Colombia (Asociación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos de Colombia-ASFADDES), during the last days the following forced disappearance cases in Colombia have been reported to them:
- Messrs. Julio Armando Arroyo, 36 years old and Wilmer Ariza Mateus, 37 years old, have been missing since September 5, 2001, when they left Bogotá in a private car, going towards San Juan de Rioseco in order to carry out their work as merchandise salespersons (sheets, blankets, crockery, etc.), accompanied by Messrs. Alexander Velázquez and Eucardo López.
According to Mr. Eucardo López’s declarations, he was left in San Juan de Rioseco and Mr. Alexander Velázquez was left in the Municipality of Viani, while Messrs. Julio Armando Arroyo and Wilmer Ariza Mateus were taken towards the Municipality of San Nicolás. Since that day, there has been no word about their whereabouts. According to the information received, Mr. Julio Armando Arroyo was detained in 1980, accused of homicide, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. However, at the time of his disappearance, he worked as an independent trader.
r. Juan Carlos Mateus Cruz, driver, has been missing since December 16 2002 at about 4.00pm, when he left his home in Bogotá, to meet a friend named Carolina Vargas Bermúdez,. They had apparantly been acquainted for about eight days. Both left in the direction of Fusagasugá in a private car and, to this moment there has been no word of the whereabouts of Mr. Juan Carlos Mateus Cruz.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT recalls that la forced disappearance is considered a crime against humanity, and expresses its condemnation of these acts of violence, of the persecution against the civil population and also condemns the apparent impunity enjoyed by their perpetrators and the failure on the part of the of municipal, governmental and national authorities to implement effective protective measures in order to prevent these acts.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons, to locate those who are missing and to bring an end to such violent events;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· 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
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, 21 November, 2001
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed of several forced disappearances of persons travelling between Bogotá and the municipalities of San Juan de Rioseco and san Nicolás, and a further incident in Fusagasugá, in the Department of Cundinamrca.
According to the information from the Association of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees in Colombia (Asociación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos de Colombia-ASFADDES), during the last days the following forced disappearance cases in Colombia have been reported to them:
- Messrs. Julio Armando Arroyo, 36 years old and Wilmer Ariza Mateus, 37 years old, have been missing since September 5, 2001, when they left Bogotá in a private car, going towards San Juan de Rioseco in order to carry out their work as merchandise salespersons (sheets, blankets, crockery, etc.), accompanied by Messrs. Alexander Velázquez and Eucardo López.
According to Mr. Eucardo López’s declarations, he was left in San Juan de Rioseco and Mr. Alexander Velázquez was left in the Municipality of Viani, while Messrs. Julio Armando Arroyo and Wilmer Ariza Mateus were taken towards the Municipality of San Nicolás. Since that day, there has been no word about their whereabouts. According to the information received, Mr. Julio Armando Arroyo was detained in 1980, accused of homicide, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. However, at the time of his disappearance, he worked as an independent trader.
r. Juan Carlos Mateus Cruz, driver, has been missing since December 16 2002 at about 4.00pm, when he left his home in Bogotá, to meet a friend named Carolina Vargas Bermúdez,. They had apparantly been acquainted for about eight days. Both left in the direction of Fusagasugá in a private car and, to this moment there has been no word of the whereabouts of Mr. Juan Carlos Mateus Cruz.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT recalls that la forced disappearance is considered a crime against humanity, and expresses its condemnation of these acts of violence, of the persecution against the civil population and also condemns the apparent impunity enjoyed by their perpetrators and the failure on the part of the of municipal, governmental and national authorities to implement effective protective measures in order to prevent these acts.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons, to locate those who are missing and to bring an end to such violent events;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· 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
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, 21 November, 2001