Colombia
17.01.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: forced displacement and killing by the paramilitary in the region of Catatumbo
Case COL 170102
Killing/ Property destruction and/or theft / Forced displacement
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 the Asociación para la Promoción Social Alternativa (MINGA) of violations committed by the paramilitary in the region of Catatumbo, Departament of Norte de Santander.
According to the information received, on December 22nd, 2001, paramilitary groups entered the region of Catatumbo, causing forced displacement and terror within the rural and urban population of various municipalities, including: El Tarra, Teorama, San Calixto y Convención. These municipalities reportedly requested several days ago, the presence of the armed forces for their protection. Among the most recent violent events in this region, are the following:
· Around 19 peasants have been killed, their names have not yet been published; numerous civilians have been detained; hanging bridges between the towns of Puerto Catatumbo and Buenos Aires have been destroyed; several houses belonging to peasants have been burnt; around 800 cattle and an indeterminate number of beasts of burden have been stolen.
· There are currently continuous movements of paramilitary units along the bank of the river Catatumbo.
· A massacre is feared in the urban area of El Tarra, because of the advance of paramilitary groups currently located in Bella Vista, El Paso, y el Acerrío;
· On January 11th, 2002, the paramilitary established themselves in the rural area of Acerrio, in the municipality of Teorama. The town was abandoned by the community, and the paramilitary proceeded to raid houses and businesses and destroy property. The paramilitary remain in the urban area, and on the road that links the municipality of El Tarra to the municipality of Convención, the only access to the city of Ocaña;
· The community of the rural area of San Pablo in the municipality of Teorama, also completely abandoned the town;
· On the afternoon of January 10th, 2002, Mr. Wilder Torres, who is the mayor of Hacari, a town that borders El Tarra, San Calixto, Teorama and Ocaña, was killed by unidentified people, in the town of Filo Real,
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern with the Asociación para la Promoción Social Alternativa, MINGA, along with various human rights organisations for the security and physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the region of Catatumbo, North of Santander, 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:
· take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants of the Catatumbo region, Department of Norte de Santander;
· 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;
· 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;
· 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 17th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Killing/ Property destruction and/or theft / Forced displacement
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 the Asociación para la Promoción Social Alternativa (MINGA) of violations committed by the paramilitary in the region of Catatumbo, Departament of Norte de Santander.
According to the information received, on December 22nd, 2001, paramilitary groups entered the region of Catatumbo, causing forced displacement and terror within the rural and urban population of various municipalities, including: El Tarra, Teorama, San Calixto y Convención. These municipalities reportedly requested several days ago, the presence of the armed forces for their protection. Among the most recent violent events in this region, are the following:
· Around 19 peasants have been killed, their names have not yet been published; numerous civilians have been detained; hanging bridges between the towns of Puerto Catatumbo and Buenos Aires have been destroyed; several houses belonging to peasants have been burnt; around 800 cattle and an indeterminate number of beasts of burden have been stolen.
· There are currently continuous movements of paramilitary units along the bank of the river Catatumbo.
· A massacre is feared in the urban area of El Tarra, because of the advance of paramilitary groups currently located in Bella Vista, El Paso, y el Acerrío;
· On January 11th, 2002, the paramilitary established themselves in the rural area of Acerrio, in the municipality of Teorama. The town was abandoned by the community, and the paramilitary proceeded to raid houses and businesses and destroy property. The paramilitary remain in the urban area, and on the road that links the municipality of El Tarra to the municipality of Convención, the only access to the city of Ocaña;
· The community of the rural area of San Pablo in the municipality of Teorama, also completely abandoned the town;
· On the afternoon of January 10th, 2002, Mr. Wilder Torres, who is the mayor of Hacari, a town that borders El Tarra, San Calixto, Teorama and Ocaña, was killed by unidentified people, in the town of Filo Real,
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern with the Asociación para la Promoción Social Alternativa, MINGA, along with various human rights organisations for the security and physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the region of Catatumbo, North of Santander, 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:
· take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants of the Catatumbo region, Department of Norte de Santander;
· 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;
· 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;
· 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 17th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.