Colombia
12.05.00
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: grave threats
URGENT APPEAL -THE OBSERVATORY
COL 004 / 0005 / OBS 040
Grave threats
COLOMBIA
12th May 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by the José Alvéar Restrepo Lawyers' Association, a member organization of the OMCT and the FIDH, of new death threats uttered against Sr. Alirio Uribe Muñoz, a lawyer defending human rights, a member of the Lawyers' Association and vice-president of the FIDH.
The Lawyers' Association is aware of the recent publication of a pamphlet, which warned of a coming paramilitary offensive in the capital, Bogotà, and in which the name of the lawyer, Uribe Muñoz, was mentioned.
Previously Uribe Muñoz had been the target of grave harassment and threats. This situation became aggravated towards the end of 1999 with repeated visits and telephone calls at his place of residence, or his office or the residence of his family in Bucaramanga, on the part of unknown persons asking for information about him.
On one such occasion the family was told that he was being sought in order to "give him a present" and fictitious telephone numbers and addresses were left. On several occasions unknown individuals followed him on motorbikes without number plates.
Moreover various threatening pamphlets appeared in the classes where he taught, mentioning various professors and the Lawyers' Association. In addition, towards the end of 1999, a document appeared in the offices of the CUT (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores) which threatened various persons, including Uribe Muñoz. The Observatory also recalls that in August 1999 the name of Alirio Uribe Muñoz appeared in a list of persons threatened with death , the list being made public
by a group calling itself the “Colombian Rebel Army” (See COL 009/9908/OBS 054).
The Observatory stresses its grave concern at the persistent harassment and attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia.
Action requested
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances the safety of lawyer Alirio Uribe Munoz and of his family, and their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. carry out a thorough and effective investigation into the facts mentioned above in order to establish who is responsible, including the alleged participation through action or failure to act of the military, police or other authorities , and bring such persons to justice imposing upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure “the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
iv. guarantee effectively the exercise of legitimate activity in the defence of human rights in accordance with the Presidential Directive of September 9th 1999.
v. act in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Pacts and Conventions ratified by Colombia.
Addressses
S.E. Doctor Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República de Colombia, Palacio de Nariño, carrera 8 No. 7-26, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax : 571 2867434 or 284 2186 or 289 3377 E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.co
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación,
Diagonal 22B 5201,Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax: (571) 320 37 83 or 570 2022 E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Luis Fernando Ramírez Acuña, Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, Avenida El Dorado con Carrera 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá, CAN, Colombia . Fax: (571) 222 18 74 E-mail: infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (571) 222 29 35 E-mail: pilaque@cgm.mil.co
Dra. Gina Magnolia Riaño Barón, Ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, Fax (+57 1) 285 70 91
Geneva - Paris, 12th May 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
El Observatorio, programa conjunto de la FIDH y la OMCT, está destinado a la protección de los defensores de los derechos humanos víctimas de violaciones y a proporcionarles una ayuda cotidiana tan concreta como sea posible.
Premio de Derechos Humanos de la República Francesa, 1998
****************
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line
New coordinates :
Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41
22 809 49 39 E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
COL 004 / 0005 / OBS 040
Grave threats
COLOMBIA
12th May 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by the José Alvéar Restrepo Lawyers' Association, a member organization of the OMCT and the FIDH, of new death threats uttered against Sr. Alirio Uribe Muñoz, a lawyer defending human rights, a member of the Lawyers' Association and vice-president of the FIDH.
The Lawyers' Association is aware of the recent publication of a pamphlet, which warned of a coming paramilitary offensive in the capital, Bogotà, and in which the name of the lawyer, Uribe Muñoz, was mentioned.
Previously Uribe Muñoz had been the target of grave harassment and threats. This situation became aggravated towards the end of 1999 with repeated visits and telephone calls at his place of residence, or his office or the residence of his family in Bucaramanga, on the part of unknown persons asking for information about him.
On one such occasion the family was told that he was being sought in order to "give him a present" and fictitious telephone numbers and addresses were left. On several occasions unknown individuals followed him on motorbikes without number plates.
Moreover various threatening pamphlets appeared in the classes where he taught, mentioning various professors and the Lawyers' Association. In addition, towards the end of 1999, a document appeared in the offices of the CUT (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores) which threatened various persons, including Uribe Muñoz. The Observatory also recalls that in August 1999 the name of Alirio Uribe Muñoz appeared in a list of persons threatened with death , the list being made public
by a group calling itself the “Colombian Rebel Army” (See COL 009/9908/OBS 054).
The Observatory stresses its grave concern at the persistent harassment and attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia.
Action requested
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances the safety of lawyer Alirio Uribe Munoz and of his family, and their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. carry out a thorough and effective investigation into the facts mentioned above in order to establish who is responsible, including the alleged participation through action or failure to act of the military, police or other authorities , and bring such persons to justice imposing upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure “the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
iv. guarantee effectively the exercise of legitimate activity in the defence of human rights in accordance with the Presidential Directive of September 9th 1999.
v. act in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Pacts and Conventions ratified by Colombia.
Addressses
S.E. Doctor Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República de Colombia, Palacio de Nariño, carrera 8 No. 7-26, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax : 571 2867434 or 284 2186 or 289 3377 E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.co
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación,
Diagonal 22B 5201,Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax: (571) 320 37 83 or 570 2022 E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Luis Fernando Ramírez Acuña, Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, Avenida El Dorado con Carrera 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá, CAN, Colombia . Fax: (571) 222 18 74 E-mail: infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (571) 222 29 35 E-mail: pilaque@cgm.mil.co
Dra. Gina Magnolia Riaño Barón, Ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, Fax (+57 1) 285 70 91
Geneva - Paris, 12th May 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
El Observatorio, programa conjunto de la FIDH y la OMCT, está destinado a la protección de los defensores de los derechos humanos víctimas de violaciones y a proporcionarles una ayuda cotidiana tan concreta como sea posible.
Premio de Derechos Humanos de la República Francesa, 1998
****************
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line
New coordinates :
Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41
22 809 49 39 E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch