Colombia
12.07.00
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: six peasants executed in village
Colombia: six peasants executed in village
Case COL 120700
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 extrajudicial execution of six peasants, namely: Rigoberto Guzmán, Elodino Rivera, Diofanor Correa, Humberto Sepúlveda, Pedro Zapata and Jaime Zapata and the disappearance of others, whose names are still unknown, in the course of a massacre perpetrated on July 8th 2000 against members of the Comunidad de la Paz, of San José de Apartado, residing in the village of La Union, municipality of San José de Apartado, Antioquia.
According to information received from various sources, including the Intercongregational Commission on Justice and Peace, a member of the OMCT network, on Saturday July 8th 2000 approximately twenty hooded men penetrated "La Union", entered the mission house, destroyed the community telephone and proceeded to enter the houses and bring out the inhabitants into the centre of the place where they were interrogated concerning the identity of the leaders and were told that their community "was not a community of Peace but of guerilleros".
The hooded men ordered the women and children to go to one side because: "otherwise they would kill them." After which they proceeded to shoot at the men causing the death of the six mentioned above. They then threatened the other persons present saying: "you have twenty days to vacate the whole zone because we are going to put an end to this." Finally, before leaving, they set fire to the community house.
According to reports a helicopter of the national army flew over the area during these events which took place a few hours after it was realised that presumed members of the XVII Army Brigade were present in the vicinity.
These facts, which caused the 63 families from "La Union" to begin an exodus give rise to grave concern for the safety of residents living in the villages of "La Esperanza" and "Arenas Altas" which are also part of the community of Paz de San José de Apartado.
Reports add that the same day, July 8th, some peasants were detained by members of the National Army between Apartado and San José. Two of the peasants were told: "We're going together and we'll put an end to the whole business." Apparently a presumed member of a paramilitary group took part in these proceedings.
The community of Paz de San José de Aspartado was constituted in 1997, based on the principle of neutrality towards all the armed actors in the conflict and with the purpose of protecting persons displaced by violence. Nevertheless, the repressive violence directed against the community of Paz has been a constant phenomenon. The facts of July 8th coincide with those committed on 19th February 2000 when five persons were murdered. Concordant reports show that since l997 the number of victims of summary executions (individual or collective), forced disappearance or torture came to 70, the facts enjoying complete impunity.
In view of this situation on March 23rd last, the community of Paz requested an interview with the Vice-President of the Republic and Councillor for Human Rights with the purpose of presenting proposals for protection in accordance with international standards and the declared government policy in matters of human rights and international humanitarian law. However, by July 11th the interview referred to had not been granted.
Action requested
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
apply the recommendations made to them by international and regional human rights bodies in order to prevent and forestall violations of human rights and put an end to the state of impunity of those responsible;
ii. adopt measures to protect effectively the members of the Community of Paz of San José de Apartado and the persons assisting them;
iii. ensure adequate reparation for the families of the victims of the events described above and order a thorough and impartial investigation into such acts, including the presumed complicity of members of the national army in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and impose upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights ands fundamental freedoms throughout the country in conformity with national laws and international standards in human rights.
Addresses:
S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Carrera 8 n°. 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 74 34; (+57 1) 286 68 42; (+57 1) 284 21 86
Doctor Humberto de la Calle Lombana, Ministro del Interior, Ministerio de Gobierno, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 SantaFe de Bogotá, Palacio de Nariño. Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25
Doctor Jaime Bernal Cuellar, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 342 97 23; (+57 1) 2817531
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 22.
Doctor José Fernando Castro Caycedo, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 346 12 25
Doctor Gustavo Bell, Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santa Fe de Bogotá, D. C. Telefax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado, Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Telefax: (+57 1) 222 29 35
The Embassy of Colombia in your respective countries
Geneva, 12 July 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
Case COL 120700
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 extrajudicial execution of six peasants, namely: Rigoberto Guzmán, Elodino Rivera, Diofanor Correa, Humberto Sepúlveda, Pedro Zapata and Jaime Zapata and the disappearance of others, whose names are still unknown, in the course of a massacre perpetrated on July 8th 2000 against members of the Comunidad de la Paz, of San José de Apartado, residing in the village of La Union, municipality of San José de Apartado, Antioquia.
According to information received from various sources, including the Intercongregational Commission on Justice and Peace, a member of the OMCT network, on Saturday July 8th 2000 approximately twenty hooded men penetrated "La Union", entered the mission house, destroyed the community telephone and proceeded to enter the houses and bring out the inhabitants into the centre of the place where they were interrogated concerning the identity of the leaders and were told that their community "was not a community of Peace but of guerilleros".
The hooded men ordered the women and children to go to one side because: "otherwise they would kill them." After which they proceeded to shoot at the men causing the death of the six mentioned above. They then threatened the other persons present saying: "you have twenty days to vacate the whole zone because we are going to put an end to this." Finally, before leaving, they set fire to the community house.
According to reports a helicopter of the national army flew over the area during these events which took place a few hours after it was realised that presumed members of the XVII Army Brigade were present in the vicinity.
These facts, which caused the 63 families from "La Union" to begin an exodus give rise to grave concern for the safety of residents living in the villages of "La Esperanza" and "Arenas Altas" which are also part of the community of Paz de San José de Apartado.
Reports add that the same day, July 8th, some peasants were detained by members of the National Army between Apartado and San José. Two of the peasants were told: "We're going together and we'll put an end to the whole business." Apparently a presumed member of a paramilitary group took part in these proceedings.
The community of Paz de San José de Aspartado was constituted in 1997, based on the principle of neutrality towards all the armed actors in the conflict and with the purpose of protecting persons displaced by violence. Nevertheless, the repressive violence directed against the community of Paz has been a constant phenomenon. The facts of July 8th coincide with those committed on 19th February 2000 when five persons were murdered. Concordant reports show that since l997 the number of victims of summary executions (individual or collective), forced disappearance or torture came to 70, the facts enjoying complete impunity.
In view of this situation on March 23rd last, the community of Paz requested an interview with the Vice-President of the Republic and Councillor for Human Rights with the purpose of presenting proposals for protection in accordance with international standards and the declared government policy in matters of human rights and international humanitarian law. However, by July 11th the interview referred to had not been granted.
Action requested
Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
apply the recommendations made to them by international and regional human rights bodies in order to prevent and forestall violations of human rights and put an end to the state of impunity of those responsible;
ii. adopt measures to protect effectively the members of the Community of Paz of San José de Apartado and the persons assisting them;
iii. ensure adequate reparation for the families of the victims of the events described above and order a thorough and impartial investigation into such acts, including the presumed complicity of members of the national army in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and impose upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights ands fundamental freedoms throughout the country in conformity with national laws and international standards in human rights.
Addresses:
S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Carrera 8 n°. 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 74 34; (+57 1) 286 68 42; (+57 1) 284 21 86
Doctor Humberto de la Calle Lombana, Ministro del Interior, Ministerio de Gobierno, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 SantaFe de Bogotá, Palacio de Nariño. Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25
Doctor Jaime Bernal Cuellar, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 342 97 23; (+57 1) 2817531
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 22.
Doctor José Fernando Castro Caycedo, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 346 12 25
Doctor Gustavo Bell, Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santa Fe de Bogotá, D. C. Telefax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado, Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Telefax: (+57 1) 222 29 35
The Embassy of Colombia in your respective countries
Geneva, 12 July 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.