Extrajudicial executions of two farmers

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requires your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by reliable sources, including Antenna International, member organisation of the SOS-Torture network, about the extrajudicial killings of two farmers, Mr. Wilmer Jácome and Mr. Adinael Arias Cárdenas, by members of the regular Colombian army in the hamlet Patiecitos in the municipality of Convención and in the hamlet La Fortuna in the municipality of San Calixto respectively, both in the region of Catatumbo, department of North Santander.

According to the information received, on 16 October 2007, alleged members of the regular army arrived at a farm located in the hamlet Patiecitos where they approached Mr. Wílmer Jácome, who later disappeared. According to the testimonies of the farmers, the next day, on 17 October 2007, when the community of Patiecitos hamlet did go looking for Mr. Wílmer Jácome, it reportedly found blood traces in fields at the Gramales hamlet. This same day, members of the army reportedly informed that Mr. Wílmer Jácome “(…) was killed in combat” [1]. However, according to the information, the victim was a farmer who got out of the farm on which he was working when he was approached by alleged members of the army.

Moreover, on 13 October 2007, Mr. Adinael Aria Cárdenas, 32 years-old, affiliated to the “Communal Action Assembly” (Junta de Acción Comunal), was killed in the hamlet La Fortuna, in the village of La Cristalina, municipality of San Calixto. According to the information received, Mr. Arias Cárdenas got out of the farm, located in the above mentioned hamlet, around the municipality of El Tarra, when he was approached by troops of the mobile brigade n°15 of the national army (Brigada Móvil No. 15 del Ejército Nacional), in the place known by the farmers as “Puente Chulo”, at one kilometre of the centre of the municipality.

According to the denunciations, Mr. Arias Cárdenas was found assassinated on 14 October 2007, around three in the morning, and was reported “(…) as killed in combat”, affirmation that was refuted by his entire community who affirmed that Mr. Adinael Arias Cárdenas was a farmer with a family and did not pertain to any armed group as suggested by the army.

OMCT manifests its grave concerns with regard to these new events which underline the serious situation of insecurity affecting the communities of the region of Catatumbo, in particular with regard to the extrajudicial killings committed, according to the denunciations, by members of the regular Colombian army who then report those killed as guerrilla fighters killed in armed combat. OMCT recalls that these are not the first cases of extrajudicial killings denounced in the region of Catatumbo as during the month of October five other similar cases occurred which were also denounced by OMCT ( see urgent appeal COL 171007).

The International Secretariat of OMCT condemns these violent events, the persecution against the civil population and the prevailing impunity of the perpetrators and urges the authorities to alert the military commandment in order that the principle of distinction enshrined in international humanitarian law norms is respected.

Actions requested

Please write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:

1. Immediately take all necessary and appropriate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the members of Mr. Wilmer Jácome’s and Mr. Adinael Arias Cárdenas’s families, of all habitants of the hamlet Patiecitos, Gramales, La Fortuna and in general of all the members of the civil population of the rural zone of Convención and San Calixto, in the region of Catatumbo, Department North of Santander;
2. Order an immediate, independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the alleged extrajudicial killings of Mr. Wilmer Jácome and Mr. Adinael Arias Cárdenas and in general of all grave human rights violations committed against communities of Catatumbo, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Adequately compensate Mr. Wilmer Jácome’s and Mr. Adinael Arias Cárdenas’s families;
4. Immediately implement the recommendations made by the regional and international human rights organisations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;
5. Ensure in all circumstances the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country, in accordance with international human rights standards.

Addresses

• Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva. . Chemin du Champ d’Anier, 17-19, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland. FAX: + 41.22.791.07.87; TEL.:+ 41.22.798.45.55. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
• Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Diplomatic Mission in Brussels: FAX: +32.2.646.54.91, E-mail: colombia@emcolbru.be
• H.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, President of the Republic, Cra. 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá.Fax:+57.1.566.20.71 : auribe@presidencia.gov.co
• Mr. Francisco Santos, Vice-president of the Republic, Téls.: +571334.45.07, +573.7720130, E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co ; buzon1@presidencia.gov.co
• Vice-presidency of the Human Rights Programme: ppdh@presidencia.gov.co
• Vice-presidency of the Human Rights Observatory: obserdh@presidencia.gov.co
• Dr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogotá. Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91 E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com ; agenda@agenda.gov.co
• Doctor Mario Hernán Iguarán Arana, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22-B # 52-01, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.570.20.00; +57.1.414.90.00 Extensión 1113, E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
• Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Cra. 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49 Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co, E-mail: quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co; cap@procuraduria.gov.co; reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
• Dr. Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.222.18.74; E-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co; mdn@cable.net.co
• Dr. Carlos Franco, Director del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario (DIH). E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
• Dr. Fernando Ibarra, Asesor del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de DIH. Tel.: +57.1.336.03.11, FAX: +57.1.337.46.67, E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Colombia in your countries.

Geneva, 25 October 2007

Please let us know of any action undertaken, quoting this appeal’s number.

[1] “(...) como dado de baja en combate”.