Colombia
13.02.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: forced entry and illegal inspection of the residences of Nelson Delgado Susa and Heriberto Herrera
Case COL 130202
Illegal forced entry/ Harassment
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 of the forced entry and illegal inspection of the residences of Nelson Delgado Susa and Heriberto Herrera by armed members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Administrative Department of Security (DAS) in the city of Bogota, Colombia.
According to the information received from the Colectivo de Abogados « José Alvear Restrepo », on February 4th, 2002, at around 14h30, members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, DAS, and even members of the Bomb Squad Group arrived in several vehicles at the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, located in a humble neighbourhood of Zone 20, in Bogota. Many of the men were armed, and subsequently pointed their guns at the residents, claiming that they came to inspect the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, but did not show any identification documents or any search warrants.
According to the reports, the inspection of the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, a peasant leader from the area of Cabrera (Cundimarca) and former member of the Permanent Committee of Human Rights, was carried out violently, throwing and disarranging his property. After finding diverse copies of legal Colombian newspapers, among them «Voz» (edited by the Colombian Communist Party), and one official newspaper that compiled public hearings from the Zona de Despeje in San Vicente del Caguán, Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa was interrogated on his alleged participation in the Communist Party, which he denied.
The reports emphasize as a worrying fact, that Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa was displaced from the plain of Sumapaz, which was bombarded about a year ago by the National Army during a counter-guerrilla operation. The operation reportedly gravely affected civil society in the area. Among those affected is one of the granddaughters of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, who is 3-years old and who has not spoken since the event; this incident forced Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa and his family to move to Bogota, to the house that was inspected, so the girl could received medical attention.
In addition, according to the reports, that same day, hours later, various members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and DAS, applied the same procedure to break into the house of Mr. Heriberto Herrera, who is a friend of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with Colectivo de Abogados « José Alvear Restrepo », for the security and physical and psychological integrity of Heriberto Herrera and in particular of Nelson Delgado Susa, whose condition as displaced has been aggravated.
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 Nelson Delgado Susa, and Heriberto Herrera, and their families;
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. 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 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 ; 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 ; 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
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 13th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Illegal forced entry/ Harassment
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 of the forced entry and illegal inspection of the residences of Nelson Delgado Susa and Heriberto Herrera by armed members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Administrative Department of Security (DAS) in the city of Bogota, Colombia.
According to the information received from the Colectivo de Abogados « José Alvear Restrepo », on February 4th, 2002, at around 14h30, members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, DAS, and even members of the Bomb Squad Group arrived in several vehicles at the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, located in a humble neighbourhood of Zone 20, in Bogota. Many of the men were armed, and subsequently pointed their guns at the residents, claiming that they came to inspect the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, but did not show any identification documents or any search warrants.
According to the reports, the inspection of the residence of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, a peasant leader from the area of Cabrera (Cundimarca) and former member of the Permanent Committee of Human Rights, was carried out violently, throwing and disarranging his property. After finding diverse copies of legal Colombian newspapers, among them «Voz» (edited by the Colombian Communist Party), and one official newspaper that compiled public hearings from the Zona de Despeje in San Vicente del Caguán, Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa was interrogated on his alleged participation in the Communist Party, which he denied.
The reports emphasize as a worrying fact, that Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa was displaced from the plain of Sumapaz, which was bombarded about a year ago by the National Army during a counter-guerrilla operation. The operation reportedly gravely affected civil society in the area. Among those affected is one of the granddaughters of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa, who is 3-years old and who has not spoken since the event; this incident forced Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa and his family to move to Bogota, to the house that was inspected, so the girl could received medical attention.
In addition, according to the reports, that same day, hours later, various members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and DAS, applied the same procedure to break into the house of Mr. Heriberto Herrera, who is a friend of Mr. Nelson Delgado Susa.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with Colectivo de Abogados « José Alvear Restrepo », for the security and physical and psychological integrity of Heriberto Herrera and in particular of Nelson Delgado Susa, whose condition as displaced has been aggravated.
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 Nelson Delgado Susa, and Heriberto Herrera, and their families;
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. 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 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 ; 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 ; 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
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 13th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.