Colombia
09.01.01
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: killing of 2 indigenous politicians in Juradó, Department of Chocó
Case COL 090101
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 is seriously concerned about the constant violations of human rights in Colombia, in this case by the killings of Mr. Jairo Navarro in Villavicencio, Department of Meta and of the Embera indigenous politician Mr. Armando Achito Lubiaza, in Juradó, Department of Chocó.
According to the information from several organizations, among them the National Association of Solidarity Aid (ANDAS) and the Human Rights Committee of the Department of Meta (Comité de Derechos Humanos del Departamento del Meta), in Villavicencio, Mr. Jairo Navarro was killed on Saturday, December 16, 2000, by an armed stranger who, accompanied by another unidentified man, entered his residency at about 6:20 p.m., came into the living room affectionately calling him “Jairito” and hugging him before shooting him four times in the neck and running away.
Mr. Jairo Navarro, a Patriotic Union (Unión Patriótica-UP) militant, had received death threats, and because of that he had left the country on December 1996 and returned two years later. As a UP representative he held several public office posts in his department and at the time he worked as professor and Head of Department in the Los Llanos University.
In a separate incident, according to information from several organizations, among them the Embera Wounaan Indigenous Organization (Organización Indígena Embera Wounaan), OREWA, of el Chocó, on December 25, 2000, in el Chocó, the Embera leader Mr. Armando Achito Lubiaza was killed by armed strangers who entered his home and shot him a number of times. According to the reports, Mr. Achito Lubiaza, who had been City Councillor of the Municipio of Juradó, had received a number of death threats from alleged members of paramilitary groups.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT, condemns again this kind of persecution against the civilian population, against members of indigenous and peasant communities, as well as diverse political parties; OMCT also condemns the apparent impunity of the perpetrators and the lack of effective protective measures by the governmental authorities.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and to bring an end to such killings;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· 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
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, January 9, 2001
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 is seriously concerned about the constant violations of human rights in Colombia, in this case by the killings of Mr. Jairo Navarro in Villavicencio, Department of Meta and of the Embera indigenous politician Mr. Armando Achito Lubiaza, in Juradó, Department of Chocó.
According to the information from several organizations, among them the National Association of Solidarity Aid (ANDAS) and the Human Rights Committee of the Department of Meta (Comité de Derechos Humanos del Departamento del Meta), in Villavicencio, Mr. Jairo Navarro was killed on Saturday, December 16, 2000, by an armed stranger who, accompanied by another unidentified man, entered his residency at about 6:20 p.m., came into the living room affectionately calling him “Jairito” and hugging him before shooting him four times in the neck and running away.
Mr. Jairo Navarro, a Patriotic Union (Unión Patriótica-UP) militant, had received death threats, and because of that he had left the country on December 1996 and returned two years later. As a UP representative he held several public office posts in his department and at the time he worked as professor and Head of Department in the Los Llanos University.
In a separate incident, according to information from several organizations, among them the Embera Wounaan Indigenous Organization (Organización Indígena Embera Wounaan), OREWA, of el Chocó, on December 25, 2000, in el Chocó, the Embera leader Mr. Armando Achito Lubiaza was killed by armed strangers who entered his home and shot him a number of times. According to the reports, Mr. Achito Lubiaza, who had been City Councillor of the Municipio of Juradó, had received a number of death threats from alleged members of paramilitary groups.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT, condemns again this kind of persecution against the civilian population, against members of indigenous and peasant communities, as well as diverse political parties; OMCT also condemns the apparent impunity of the perpetrators and the lack of effective protective measures by the governmental authorities.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and to bring an end to such killings;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· 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
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, January 9, 2001