Stop Wave of Attacks against Colombian Human Rights Defenders

Date Issued: March 19, 2008

A few weeks ago many of you took action demanding the protection of peaceful protesters in Colombia, including Ivan Cepeda.

Unfortunately, the attacks and killings have only intensified since the protest took place on March 6. After a Colombian presidential adviser falsely linked the protest to a guerilla group, scores of human rights defenders have been threatened with death by paramilitary groups. A number of trade unionists have also been killed and members of human rights organizations have been subject to kidnapping, harassment or theft of their equipment.

It is time that President Uribe intervenes to stop this wave of violence. Demand that he disavow the statements made by his adviser and publicly recognize that it is unacceptable to endanger the lives of human rights activists by smearing them as guerillas.

Background

See our alert from February 20, 2008 for background here.

Sample Letter:

S.E. Alvaro Uribe Velez
Presidente de la Republica
Cra. 8 #7-26
Palacio de Narino
Bogota
Colombia

Dear President Uribe:

I am writing to convey my grave concern regarding the threats, attacks and killings of human rights defenders following the March 6 nationwide rally against paramilitary and other forms of violence. I urge you to intervene to stop the wave of violence.

I am deeply concerned that your adviser, Jose Obdulio Gaviria, publicly stated on Caracol radio on February 10 and 11 that demonstrations organized by human rights organizations on March 6 were in fact being organized by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This statement is not only inaccurate but dangerous, and I urge you to clearly distance your government from these remarks.

Since these statements were made by Mr. Gaviria, I understand that four union members have been assassinated, some of whom were associated with the March 6 demonstration.[1] Furthermore, on February 29, shots were fired against the home of Luz Adriana Gonzalez, member of the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights and a promoter of the March 6 demonstration in Pereira. More disturbingly, on March 15, during an event held by the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) in the Hotel Dann Colonial in central Bogota, two armed men entered the meeting and kidnapped two leaders of the internally displaced persons community. They were subsequently threatened and shown photographs of the March 6 demonstrations. The armed men left the leaders in the suburb of Armenia the following day. Other members of human rights organizations have also been subject to physical attacks, harassment, or theft of their equipment.

Moreover, Mr. Gaviria's remarks have fostered a dangerous atmosphere in which dozens of Black Eagle paramilitary groups have emailed death threats to human rights organizations such as MINGA, the Colombian Commission of Jurists, Reiniciar, CODHES, leaders of the Movement of Victims of State Crimes, and the international organization Peace Brigades International Colombia Project (PBI). The latest of these email threats announced a "total rearmament of paramilitary forces" and declared named human rights defenders to be "military targets." These alarming death threats underline the fact that paramilitary organizations still function in Colombia and that the paramilitary demobilization process has failed to adequately dismantle their structures.

I ask that you:

1. Ensure a prompt, impartial and comprehensive investigation of all of the above threats and incidents, and prosecute those responsible;
2. Ensure that those who committed the crimes are stripped of their paramilitary demobilization benefits;
3. Publicly reject the statements of Mr. Gaviria; and
4. Publicly reject the recent wave of attacks and reaffirm your government's support for and protection of human rights defenders.

cc.

Dr Carlos Franco
Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos
Calle 7 No 6 - 54
Bogota D.C
Colombia

[1] Carmen Cecilia Carvajal, member of the North Santander Teachers Association (ASINORT) was killed March 4. Leonidas Gomez, member of the Union Nacional de Empleados Bancarios (UNEB) and Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT) trade unions was killed March 5. Gildardo Antonio Gomez Alzate, delegate of the Asociacion de Institutores de Antioquia (ADIDA) and investigator for the Centro de Estudios e Investigationes Docentes (CEID) was killed March 7. Carlos Burbano, member of the organization ANTHOC was found dead on March 11.