Colombia
19.02.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: harassment and fear of massacre
Case COL 190202
Harassment / Fear of massacre
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 reliable sources, that a possible massacre is feared in the communities inhabiting the North of the Department of Cauca, Alto, Medio and Bajo Naya and the banks of the rivers Yurumangui, Naya, Anchicayá, and the municipality of Buenaventura in the Department of Valle del Cauca.
According to the information received, members of the paramilitary organisation Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) were preparing an incursion into the areas mentioned above. Approximately 1,500 men have reportedly been hired in the urban area of Buenaventura to carry out this incursion. Furthermore the colours and identification of a motor boat (called « Samurai » or « Samuray ») that had been recognised by the inhabitants in previous paramilitary incursions, has allegedly been changed. According to the report, since Friday 9th, February 2002, paramilitary groups have intensified their checkpoints in the paths or towns of Zabaletas, Llano Bajo, and San Marcos on the river Achicaya, and allegedly control from Buenaventura all the accesses to the rural area of that municipality.
According to the information received, on February 12th, around 400 members of the paramilitary, came by land from the area of Calima-Darién, passing by Los Tubos-San Cipriano-Aguaclara and by the hydroelectric in the river Anchicayá. The paramilitary operating in the urban area of Buenaventura, are reportedly being concentrated and prepared to be sent to the rivers Nava and Yurumangui. Furthermore, on February 16th, 2002, from 2 p.m. on a grey light aeroplane flew over the high area of the river Yurumangui.
According to the report, there are threats of a violent incursion by the paramilitary in the region, during the week that started on Monday 18th February, with the argument of “forcing the guerrilla out using any means, and cleaning-up the area from supporters”; for this reason, black, indigenous, and peasant communities in this region fear that they will become victims once again, as they were during the events of 2001 (see appeal COL 250401), when crimes against humanity, such as mass killings and forced displacements were committed.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with various human rights organisations, for the security and physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the communities of the North of Cauca, Alto, Medio and Bajo Naya and the banks of the rivers Yurumangui, Naya, Anchicaya and the municipality of Buenaventura, in the Valle del Cauca, as it is well known that in other regions of the country, this type of situations have led to massacres, forced dissapearances, executions, and displacements. Furthermore, OMCT is deeply concerned by 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 the inhabitants of the communities mentioned above, and in general of all the inhabitants of the department of Cauca and the Valley of Cauca, and take all the necessary measures to prevent a massacre from happening in the region;
· 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) 286 74 34; (+57 1) 286 68 42; (+57 1) 284 21 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 : 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 ; 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)342 97 23;(+57 1)281 75 31 ; 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 22 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@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, February 19th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Harassment / Fear of massacre
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 reliable sources, that a possible massacre is feared in the communities inhabiting the North of the Department of Cauca, Alto, Medio and Bajo Naya and the banks of the rivers Yurumangui, Naya, Anchicayá, and the municipality of Buenaventura in the Department of Valle del Cauca.
According to the information received, members of the paramilitary organisation Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) were preparing an incursion into the areas mentioned above. Approximately 1,500 men have reportedly been hired in the urban area of Buenaventura to carry out this incursion. Furthermore the colours and identification of a motor boat (called « Samurai » or « Samuray ») that had been recognised by the inhabitants in previous paramilitary incursions, has allegedly been changed. According to the report, since Friday 9th, February 2002, paramilitary groups have intensified their checkpoints in the paths or towns of Zabaletas, Llano Bajo, and San Marcos on the river Achicaya, and allegedly control from Buenaventura all the accesses to the rural area of that municipality.
According to the information received, on February 12th, around 400 members of the paramilitary, came by land from the area of Calima-Darién, passing by Los Tubos-San Cipriano-Aguaclara and by the hydroelectric in the river Anchicayá. The paramilitary operating in the urban area of Buenaventura, are reportedly being concentrated and prepared to be sent to the rivers Nava and Yurumangui. Furthermore, on February 16th, 2002, from 2 p.m. on a grey light aeroplane flew over the high area of the river Yurumangui.
According to the report, there are threats of a violent incursion by the paramilitary in the region, during the week that started on Monday 18th February, with the argument of “forcing the guerrilla out using any means, and cleaning-up the area from supporters”; for this reason, black, indigenous, and peasant communities in this region fear that they will become victims once again, as they were during the events of 2001 (see appeal COL 250401), when crimes against humanity, such as mass killings and forced displacements were committed.
The International Secretariat of OMCT shares its concern, along with various human rights organisations, for the security and physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the communities of the North of Cauca, Alto, Medio and Bajo Naya and the banks of the rivers Yurumangui, Naya, Anchicaya and the municipality of Buenaventura, in the Valle del Cauca, as it is well known that in other regions of the country, this type of situations have led to massacres, forced dissapearances, executions, and displacements. Furthermore, OMCT is deeply concerned by 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 the inhabitants of the communities mentioned above, and in general of all the inhabitants of the department of Cauca and the Valley of Cauca, and take all the necessary measures to prevent a massacre from happening in the region;
· 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) 286 74 34; (+57 1) 286 68 42; (+57 1) 284 21 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 : 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 ; 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)342 97 23;(+57 1)281 75 31 ; 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 22 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@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, February 19th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.