Colombia
05.02.02
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: arbitrary detention and disappearance of Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro
Case COL 050202
Arbitrary detention/ Alleged forced disappearance
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo”, on the arbitrary detention and alleged forced disappearance of Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro, leader of the displaced peasants of Ciénaga del Opón, during the events that took place in Barrancabermeja, Departament of Santander.
According to the information received, 48-year old, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, father of five children, was arbitrarily detained on Saturday 2nd February, 2002, at around 2:00 p.m., by three men wearing civilian clothes, among them a young man known as “Cachete.” He was then taken to the Arenal district, comuna 1, in the city’s center.
According to the report, on Sunday February 3rd, 2002, at around 10:00 a.m., Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma was seen to be still alive, when he was taken by recognized members of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) operating in that sector, to the site known as “la Isla” in front of a football court in that district. All these events were allegedly reported to the competent local and national authorities of the State, so that Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma could be rescued alive. The public force reportedly informed, that search operations were suspended at around 5:00 p.m. According to the report, at around 8:00 p.m. of that same day, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma was seen again in the district “Los Rosales”, when he was being driven by two men dressed in civilian clothes. At around 9:30 p.m., he was reportedly seen for the last time in the district Provivienda, comuna 5, north eastern sector of the city.
According to the information received, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, belongs to the community of displaced peasants of Ciénaga del Opón , that has been located since 15 months ago in the hostel of the old school “La Normal”. Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, worked during more than 10 years as a Police Inspector in the rural area of the Ciénaga del Opón, until his dismissal due to the recent restructuration of municipal administration. The displaced community of the rural area of Ciénaga del Opón begun to return on June 2001, with the support of the Comité Municipal de Atención a la Población Desplazada (CMAP).
According to the report, the alleged disappearance of Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro is another act of violence carried out in connection to the return process of this community, and therefore shows the absence of real guarantees of the State for the return of this community.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to locate the whereabouts of Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, and guarantee his physical and psychological integrity;
ii. take appropriate and urgent measures to guarantee the return of the displaced population of the rural area of Ciénaga del Opón and their establishment in conditions with dignity.;
iii. carry out immediately the given recommendations by international and regional human rights organisations , including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71 e-mail : apastra@presidencia.gov.co
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· Doctor Gustavo Bell Lemus, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 18 74 ; e-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ; mdn@cable.net.co
· Doctor Armando Estrada Villa, Ministro del Interior, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 Santa Fe de Bogotá, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25 ; e-mail: mininterior@myrealbox.com ; minisint@col1.telecom.com.co
· Doctor Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80,Santa Fe de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1)342 97 23;(+57 1)281 75 31 ; e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
· Doctor Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 00 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 640 04 91 e-mail : secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
· 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
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 5th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary detention/ Alleged forced disappearance
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo”, on the arbitrary detention and alleged forced disappearance of Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro, leader of the displaced peasants of Ciénaga del Opón, during the events that took place in Barrancabermeja, Departament of Santander.
According to the information received, 48-year old, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, father of five children, was arbitrarily detained on Saturday 2nd February, 2002, at around 2:00 p.m., by three men wearing civilian clothes, among them a young man known as “Cachete.” He was then taken to the Arenal district, comuna 1, in the city’s center.
According to the report, on Sunday February 3rd, 2002, at around 10:00 a.m., Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma was seen to be still alive, when he was taken by recognized members of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) operating in that sector, to the site known as “la Isla” in front of a football court in that district. All these events were allegedly reported to the competent local and national authorities of the State, so that Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma could be rescued alive. The public force reportedly informed, that search operations were suspended at around 5:00 p.m. According to the report, at around 8:00 p.m. of that same day, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma was seen again in the district “Los Rosales”, when he was being driven by two men dressed in civilian clothes. At around 9:30 p.m., he was reportedly seen for the last time in the district Provivienda, comuna 5, north eastern sector of the city.
According to the information received, Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, belongs to the community of displaced peasants of Ciénaga del Opón , that has been located since 15 months ago in the hostel of the old school “La Normal”. Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, worked during more than 10 years as a Police Inspector in the rural area of the Ciénaga del Opón, until his dismissal due to the recent restructuration of municipal administration. The displaced community of the rural area of Ciénaga del Opón begun to return on June 2001, with the support of the Comité Municipal de Atención a la Población Desplazada (CMAP).
According to the report, the alleged disappearance of Mr. Manuel Francisco Navarro is another act of violence carried out in connection to the return process of this community, and therefore shows the absence of real guarantees of the State for the return of this community.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to locate the whereabouts of Manuel Francisco Navarro Culma, and guarantee his physical and psychological integrity;
ii. take appropriate and urgent measures to guarantee the return of the displaced population of the rural area of Ciénaga del Opón and their establishment in conditions with dignity.;
iii. carry out immediately the given recommendations by international and regional human rights organisations , including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· S.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71 e-mail : apastra@presidencia.gov.co
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n°. 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· Doctor Gustavo Bell Lemus, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 18 74 ; e-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ; mdn@cable.net.co
· Doctor Armando Estrada Villa, Ministro del Interior, Cra. 8 n°. 8-09 Santa Fe de Bogotá, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 286 80 25 ; e-mail: mininterior@myrealbox.com ; minisint@col1.telecom.com.co
· Doctor Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 n°. 15-80,Santa Fe de Bogotá.Fax: (+57 1)342 97 23;(+57 1)281 75 31 ; e-mail : reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
· Doctor Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 00 ; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
· Doctor Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 640 04 91 e-mail : secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
· 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
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 5th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.