Colombia
28.06.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: harassment and death threats against indigenous leader in Caldas
Case COL 280602
Death threats / Harassment
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 the death threats made to the indigenous governors of the department of Caldas, as well as to many persons related to the Indigenous Regional Counsel of Caldas, CRIDEC.
According to the Organisation for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights, REINICIAR (member of the OMCT), on June 26th 2002, at approximately 4 p.m., members of a paramilitary group made a phone call to the offices of the Association of Indigenous Groups of Riosucio, Caldas (ASICAL), in order to restate the death threats against the indigenous governors of the region. According to the reports, the paramilitaries said: “we demand to all indigenous governors, and their substitutes, including the president of the Indigenous Regional Council (CRIDEC), Arahugo Gañán, Olga Lucía Morales and Oscar Aníbal Largo to present their resignations from their posts by six o’clock, and if they don’t do it, we know where they are”.
The information received affirms that since June 24th 2002, the paramilitary groups that operate in the coffee-growing area have been increasing the number of threats against the indigenous leaders that are members of CRIDEC. The Indigenous Regional Council of Caldas (CRIDEC) was founded in 1984, and conducts projects on technical assistance in agriculture, coffee export, education and indigenous culture.
The critical situation in which the indigenous leaders live has been regularly denounced. It is for this reason that the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (ICHR), that belongs to the Organisation of American States (OAS) issued a decree of special measures in favour of this communities that was to be put in practice from March 15th 2002. Nevertheless, these communities continue to be persecuted and harassed by paramilitary groups, and accused by members of the armed forces, and some civil authorities as collaborators of the guerrillas.
According to the information received, the situation is so serious, that in the last days fake penal charges have been created against the leaders, such as the case No. 3545, which is in the public prosecutor’s office in Riosucio, in which the leaders are accused of being involved in all the acts perpetrated by the guerrillas in the regions of Riosucio and Supía, in Caldas.
Additionally, it is claimed, that on June 26th 2002, more that 300 members of the paramilitary groups, who were using uniforms that belonged to the armed forces, were seen near the community of La Caucana, which belongs to the mission of Nuestra Señora Candelaria de la Montaña.
Background information:
§ On Monday, June 24th 2002, at 1.30 p.m., Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena, governor of the indigenous community of Cañamomo-Lomaprieta, received an anonymous telephone call, which was answered by the secretary of the place. The man who made the phone call said: “We are in position, we know where you are, where you work, and what you do”. He then hanged up.
§ On Tuesday, June 25th 2002, at 8.30 a.m., Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena received a new call to his telephone in Cañamomo-Lomaprieta. This time the man said, “that the life of his colleges in other communities depended on him, and that all of them had until June 26th 2002 to resign to their posts as community leaders”.
In addition, the paramilitary announced by name the leaders that would be assassinated if the order was not attained; those were Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena and his subtitute, Gerzaín Jesús Díaz; José Ramiro Bueno, of the community Escopetera Pirza and his substitute, Diego Armando Tabarquino; Fabio Enrique Morales of the community Nuestra Señora Candelaria de la Montaña and his substitute Benjamín Taba Molina; Darío Edgardo Tapasco, of the community San Lorenzo and his substitute Arbey Gañán.
They told Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena he should also inform Mr. Arahugo Ganán, coordinator of CRIDEC; Mrs. Olga Lucía Morales, ex-governor of Escopetera-Pirza; and Mr. Oscar Aníbal Largo, that they have to abandon their posts. The paramilitaries ended the telephone call saying, “if they continue there is because they are stubborn, their deaths can happen individually, or in groups”.
The OMCT once more condemns such acts of violence, the persecution of civilian population, the apparent impunity of the authors, and the lack of effective protective measures from the regional and national authorities. It also shares the concerns of REINICIAR for the security and physical and psychological integrity of the threatened persons and in general of the inhabitants of the mentioned indigenous communities.
Requested action:
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. Take immediately the necessary actions in order to guarantee the security and physical and psychological integrity of the threatened persons, as well as that of the inhabitants of the mentioned communities;
ii. implement, immediately, the recommendations given by the regional and international human rights organisations, including the office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iii. guarantee the respect for the human rights and the fundamental liberties throughput the country, in conformity with the national law and the international norms on human rights.
Addresses:
· S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71 e-mail : apastra@presidencia.gov.co
· 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 : siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ; mdn@cable.net.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 ; e-mail: mininterior@myrealbox.com ; 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) 342 97 23;(+57 1) 281 75 31 ; e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ; anticorrupcion@presidencia.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 00 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 640 04 91 e-mail : secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
· 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 write also to the Colombian diplomatic representations in your respective countries
Geneva, June 28th 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken in this case, quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Death threats / Harassment
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 the death threats made to the indigenous governors of the department of Caldas, as well as to many persons related to the Indigenous Regional Counsel of Caldas, CRIDEC.
According to the Organisation for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights, REINICIAR (member of the OMCT), on June 26th 2002, at approximately 4 p.m., members of a paramilitary group made a phone call to the offices of the Association of Indigenous Groups of Riosucio, Caldas (ASICAL), in order to restate the death threats against the indigenous governors of the region. According to the reports, the paramilitaries said: “we demand to all indigenous governors, and their substitutes, including the president of the Indigenous Regional Council (CRIDEC), Arahugo Gañán, Olga Lucía Morales and Oscar Aníbal Largo to present their resignations from their posts by six o’clock, and if they don’t do it, we know where they are”.
The information received affirms that since June 24th 2002, the paramilitary groups that operate in the coffee-growing area have been increasing the number of threats against the indigenous leaders that are members of CRIDEC. The Indigenous Regional Council of Caldas (CRIDEC) was founded in 1984, and conducts projects on technical assistance in agriculture, coffee export, education and indigenous culture.
The critical situation in which the indigenous leaders live has been regularly denounced. It is for this reason that the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (ICHR), that belongs to the Organisation of American States (OAS) issued a decree of special measures in favour of this communities that was to be put in practice from March 15th 2002. Nevertheless, these communities continue to be persecuted and harassed by paramilitary groups, and accused by members of the armed forces, and some civil authorities as collaborators of the guerrillas.
According to the information received, the situation is so serious, that in the last days fake penal charges have been created against the leaders, such as the case No. 3545, which is in the public prosecutor’s office in Riosucio, in which the leaders are accused of being involved in all the acts perpetrated by the guerrillas in the regions of Riosucio and Supía, in Caldas.
Additionally, it is claimed, that on June 26th 2002, more that 300 members of the paramilitary groups, who were using uniforms that belonged to the armed forces, were seen near the community of La Caucana, which belongs to the mission of Nuestra Señora Candelaria de la Montaña.
Background information:
§ On Monday, June 24th 2002, at 1.30 p.m., Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena, governor of the indigenous community of Cañamomo-Lomaprieta, received an anonymous telephone call, which was answered by the secretary of the place. The man who made the phone call said: “We are in position, we know where you are, where you work, and what you do”. He then hanged up.
§ On Tuesday, June 25th 2002, at 8.30 a.m., Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena received a new call to his telephone in Cañamomo-Lomaprieta. This time the man said, “that the life of his colleges in other communities depended on him, and that all of them had until June 26th 2002 to resign to their posts as community leaders”.
In addition, the paramilitary announced by name the leaders that would be assassinated if the order was not attained; those were Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena and his subtitute, Gerzaín Jesús Díaz; José Ramiro Bueno, of the community Escopetera Pirza and his substitute, Diego Armando Tabarquino; Fabio Enrique Morales of the community Nuestra Señora Candelaria de la Montaña and his substitute Benjamín Taba Molina; Darío Edgardo Tapasco, of the community San Lorenzo and his substitute Arbey Gañán.
They told Mr. Gabriel Ángel Cartagena he should also inform Mr. Arahugo Ganán, coordinator of CRIDEC; Mrs. Olga Lucía Morales, ex-governor of Escopetera-Pirza; and Mr. Oscar Aníbal Largo, that they have to abandon their posts. The paramilitaries ended the telephone call saying, “if they continue there is because they are stubborn, their deaths can happen individually, or in groups”.
The OMCT once more condemns such acts of violence, the persecution of civilian population, the apparent impunity of the authors, and the lack of effective protective measures from the regional and national authorities. It also shares the concerns of REINICIAR for the security and physical and psychological integrity of the threatened persons and in general of the inhabitants of the mentioned indigenous communities.
Requested action:
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. Take immediately the necessary actions in order to guarantee the security and physical and psychological integrity of the threatened persons, as well as that of the inhabitants of the mentioned communities;
ii. implement, immediately, the recommendations given by the regional and international human rights organisations, including the office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iii. guarantee the respect for the human rights and the fundamental liberties throughput the country, in conformity with the national law and the international norms on human rights.
Addresses:
· S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71 e-mail : apastra@presidencia.gov.co
· 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 : siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ; mdn@cable.net.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 ; e-mail: mininterior@myrealbox.com ; 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) 342 97 23;(+57 1) 281 75 31 ; e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ; anticorrupcion@presidencia.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 00 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 640 04 91 e-mail : secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
· 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 write also to the Colombian diplomatic representations in your respective countries
Geneva, June 28th 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken in this case, quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.