Assassination of the son of trade unionist Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona

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

Description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source, and by Antenna International, member organisation of the SOS-Torture network, about the assassination of Mr. Andrés Julián Melán, 27-year-old, son of the union leader of the company Textiles Rionegro, Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona, in the municipality of Rionegro, Department of Antioch, at his home in the same city.

According to the information received, in the morning of 6 June 2007, a group of armed criminals attacked Mr. Melán Cardona’s family in their own house, assassinated his son, mentioned above, and seriously hurt his wife, Ms. Luz Ángela Velazques, and his other son, whose name has not been provided.

According to the denunciations, Mr. Melán Cardona, who is a defender of the implementation of the process of unionization in the whole Colombian textile sector, process lead by Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia (CUT), had already received threats against his life.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned that, whereas in the last days of the 96th International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO), businessmen and the government achieved not to classify Columbia as part of the group of countries that most violate labour laws and human rights, threats and harassment become more common every day, including assassination of union leaders everywhere in the country.

In this regard, OMCT has received information about the assassination of Mr. John Jairo Arcila Grapevine, leader of the community and the craftsmen, also political leader, that happened on 5 June 2007, in the city of Armenia, Department of Quindío. According to the information, Mr. John Jairo Arcila Grapevine would have denunciated the alleged corruption of members of the municipal administration in the popular commercial district, where are the ambulant sellers he supervises.

OMCT condemns these serious violence, especially the assassination of Mr. Andrés Julián Melan and is gravely concerned about the safety and the physical and psychological integrity of all the members of the family of Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona and his wife, Luz Ángela Velazques, as well as all the unionized workers in the Department of Antioch, especially in East antioqueño.

Actions requested

Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:

1. Take immediate measures to guarantee the safety and the physical and psychological integrity of all the members of the family of Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona and his wife, Luz Ángela Velazques, as well as that of all the unionized workers in the Department of Antioch;
2. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the murders of Mr. Andrés Julián Melán and Mr. John Jairo Arcila Parra, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to the families of Mr. Andrés Julián Melán and Mr. John Jairo Arcila Parra;
4. Follow through with the recommendations made by the international and regional human rights organisations, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights;
5. Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• Misión Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra. Chemin du Champ d’Anier, 17-19, 1209 Ginebra, Suiza. FAX: + 41.22.791.07.87; Tél.:+ 41.22.798.45.55. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
• Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Misión Diplomática en Bruselas: FAX: +32.2.646.54.91, E-mail: colombia@emcolbru.be
• S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Carrera 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.566.20.71 E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co
• Mr. Francisco Santos, Vicepresidente de la República, Téls.: +571334.45.07, +573.7720130, E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co ; buzon1@presidencia.gov.co
• Programa DDHH de Vicepresidencia: ppdh@presidencia.gov.co - Observatorio DDHH de Vicepresidencia: 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 Carrera 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 embassies of Columbia in your respective countries.

Geneva, 18 June 2007

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.