Colombia
29.01.01
Urgent Interventions
Colombia:20 lives lost, 3 missing persons and many more victims of forced displacement
Case COL 290301
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 various violations of human rights in Colombia, in the municipalities of San Carlos, Department of Antioquia; Barrancabermeja, Department of Santander; Pueblo Viejo, Department of Magdalena; San Diego, Department of Cesar and Achí, Department of Bolívar. 20 persons lost their lives in these events, 3 persons are missing and many more are victims of forced displacement.
According to various reliable sources, including the Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos (FCSPP), on Saturday 17 March 2001, some 100 paramilitaries entered the urban periphery of San Carlos and killed the following persons :
Roger Abad Gil Naranjo; Lino de Jesús Quintana Guzmán (municipal worker, head of works); Jesús María Quiceno López; Javier de Jesús López Giraldo; Sandra Patricia Giraldo Cardona; Nancy Margarita Giraldo Tobón; Alberto Ramírez; Alduber de Jesús Arias Montoya; Orlando de Jesús Quintero Quintero; Jaime Alberto Guarín (municipal worker); Luis Alberto Agudelo (President of Junta de Acción Comunal of Samaná ) and his children, Berto Alberto Agudelo Usuga and José Ermilson Agudelo Usuga.
In another incident, on Friday 16 March 2001, in the municipality of San Diego, armed men who identified themselves as paramilitaries entered the ranch « Cotopris » and killed Mr. Angel Gaviria Dávila and Mr. Carlos Andrés Manjarrés. On the same day, armed men entered the village Petre in the municipality of Achi and killed two persons who have not been identified.
Again on the 16 March, armed men who identified themselves as members of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia came to the Plaza El Salitre in Barrancabermeja and proceeded to force Carlos Armando Plata Jaimes and Israel Guerrero Gómez out of their homes where they were with their families. The bodies of these two men were found some hours later on the outskirts of the town.
In addition, on 18 March 2001 Mr. Rafael Atencia Miranda was killed in Barrancabermeja. The victim had been a temporary worker with ECOPETROL for 10 years and was a trade union member, Casbe sub section. His killing has been attributed to presumed paramilitaries. Mr. Miranda was killed and his body, which showed signs of torture, found in the village of Cuatro Bocas.
The Reports point out that in Barrancabermeja targeted killings continue to occur in various districts and that the phenomenon of forced disappearance is increasing. Two such cases are Nicolás Alberto Díaz, Luis Eusebio Vega and Gregorio López, who, amongst others, have disappeared from Barrancabermeja.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT again condemns these new occurrences of extreme violence, the severe persecution of the civil population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and the failure of the authorities to provide effective protection measures to prevent these events.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee thephysical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and to locate those who are missing;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events in order to identify those reponsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or adminstrative sanctions stipulted 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, March 29 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 various violations of human rights in Colombia, in the municipalities of San Carlos, Department of Antioquia; Barrancabermeja, Department of Santander; Pueblo Viejo, Department of Magdalena; San Diego, Department of Cesar and Achí, Department of Bolívar. 20 persons lost their lives in these events, 3 persons are missing and many more are victims of forced displacement.
According to various reliable sources, including the Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos (FCSPP), on Saturday 17 March 2001, some 100 paramilitaries entered the urban periphery of San Carlos and killed the following persons :
Roger Abad Gil Naranjo; Lino de Jesús Quintana Guzmán (municipal worker, head of works); Jesús María Quiceno López; Javier de Jesús López Giraldo; Sandra Patricia Giraldo Cardona; Nancy Margarita Giraldo Tobón; Alberto Ramírez; Alduber de Jesús Arias Montoya; Orlando de Jesús Quintero Quintero; Jaime Alberto Guarín (municipal worker); Luis Alberto Agudelo (President of Junta de Acción Comunal of Samaná ) and his children, Berto Alberto Agudelo Usuga and José Ermilson Agudelo Usuga.
In another incident, on Friday 16 March 2001, in the municipality of San Diego, armed men who identified themselves as paramilitaries entered the ranch « Cotopris » and killed Mr. Angel Gaviria Dávila and Mr. Carlos Andrés Manjarrés. On the same day, armed men entered the village Petre in the municipality of Achi and killed two persons who have not been identified.
Again on the 16 March, armed men who identified themselves as members of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia came to the Plaza El Salitre in Barrancabermeja and proceeded to force Carlos Armando Plata Jaimes and Israel Guerrero Gómez out of their homes where they were with their families. The bodies of these two men were found some hours later on the outskirts of the town.
In addition, on 18 March 2001 Mr. Rafael Atencia Miranda was killed in Barrancabermeja. The victim had been a temporary worker with ECOPETROL for 10 years and was a trade union member, Casbe sub section. His killing has been attributed to presumed paramilitaries. Mr. Miranda was killed and his body, which showed signs of torture, found in the village of Cuatro Bocas.
The Reports point out that in Barrancabermeja targeted killings continue to occur in various districts and that the phenomenon of forced disappearance is increasing. Two such cases are Nicolás Alberto Díaz, Luis Eusebio Vega and Gregorio López, who, amongst others, have disappeared from Barrancabermeja.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT again condemns these new occurrences of extreme violence, the severe persecution of the civil population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and the failure of the authorities to provide effective protection measures to prevent these events.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee thephysical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and to locate those who are missing;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events in order to identify those reponsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or adminstrative sanctions stipulted 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, March 29 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.