Colombia
25.05.01
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: extra-judicial executions and forced disappearances
Case COL 250501
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 by various reliable sources, including the Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos (FCSPP) and the Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos (FEDEFAM) of a number of serious violations of the fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Magdalena Medio, including the extra-judicial execution of Mr. Uriel Arrieta, the temporary arbitrary detention of Ms. Ana Victoria Delgado and the destruction of the hamlet El Paraiso, as well as the forced disappearance of Mr. Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Mr. Julio César Téllez in the town of Bucaramanga, Santander.
According to the information received, on 16 Amy 2001, a group of paramilitaries made an incursion into the village of El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo in the south of the Department of Bolivar, proceeding to set fire to 26 houses leaving the entire hamlet in ruins. In addition, the paramilitaries threatened villagers not to rebuild their houses, saying that they would again destroy them. They apparently also threatened to burn down the hamlets of Agua Sucia, La Unión, Cañabraval Alto y La Fría.
The reports add that after making these threats, the paramilitaries took with them Ms. Victoria Delgado, mother of Mr. Gildardo Fuentes, a peasant farmer who had been abducted and detained on 28 November 1999 with Mr. Edgar Quiroga. ( See Observatory Appeal COL 014 / 9911 / OBS 076). Ms. Delgado was later released.
According to the reports, these events have resulted in the villagers of El Paraiso abandoning the hamlet, taking refuge in the surrounding areas. Their belongings having been destroyed, they are now living in extremely precarious conditions.
Previous events to be taken into account include the assassination of the farmer Mr.Uriel Arrieta, 40, in the village of la Rama in the area of El Paraiso on 10 May 2001. Furthermore, on 17 May 2001 a paramilitary commando abducted Mr Robinson Enrique Manjarres, 30, and Julio César Téllez, 17, from Bucaramanga. These men had previously fled their homes in Barrancabermeja in order to escape the threats made by the paramilitaries. According to reports, they were taken back to Barrancabermeja where they are still being held.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT again condemns these acts of persecution against the civil population and shares the concern of Colombian human rights groups for the physical in psychological integrity of Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Julio César Téllez, and for the well-being of the villagers of the region of Magdalena Medio. OMCT again reminds the national Government of Colombia of its obligations to halt the actions of the paramilitary and to assist displaced populations.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to locate Mr Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Mr Julio César Téllez and to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, especially the reports of torture, 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, May 25, 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 by various reliable sources, including the Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos (FCSPP) and the Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos (FEDEFAM) of a number of serious violations of the fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Magdalena Medio, including the extra-judicial execution of Mr. Uriel Arrieta, the temporary arbitrary detention of Ms. Ana Victoria Delgado and the destruction of the hamlet El Paraiso, as well as the forced disappearance of Mr. Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Mr. Julio César Téllez in the town of Bucaramanga, Santander.
According to the information received, on 16 Amy 2001, a group of paramilitaries made an incursion into the village of El Paraiso, municipality of San Pablo in the south of the Department of Bolivar, proceeding to set fire to 26 houses leaving the entire hamlet in ruins. In addition, the paramilitaries threatened villagers not to rebuild their houses, saying that they would again destroy them. They apparently also threatened to burn down the hamlets of Agua Sucia, La Unión, Cañabraval Alto y La Fría.
The reports add that after making these threats, the paramilitaries took with them Ms. Victoria Delgado, mother of Mr. Gildardo Fuentes, a peasant farmer who had been abducted and detained on 28 November 1999 with Mr. Edgar Quiroga. ( See Observatory Appeal COL 014 / 9911 / OBS 076). Ms. Delgado was later released.
According to the reports, these events have resulted in the villagers of El Paraiso abandoning the hamlet, taking refuge in the surrounding areas. Their belongings having been destroyed, they are now living in extremely precarious conditions.
Previous events to be taken into account include the assassination of the farmer Mr.Uriel Arrieta, 40, in the village of la Rama in the area of El Paraiso on 10 May 2001. Furthermore, on 17 May 2001 a paramilitary commando abducted Mr Robinson Enrique Manjarres, 30, and Julio César Téllez, 17, from Bucaramanga. These men had previously fled their homes in Barrancabermeja in order to escape the threats made by the paramilitaries. According to reports, they were taken back to Barrancabermeja where they are still being held.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT again condemns these acts of persecution against the civil population and shares the concern of Colombian human rights groups for the physical in psychological integrity of Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Julio César Téllez, and for the well-being of the villagers of the region of Magdalena Medio. OMCT again reminds the national Government of Colombia of its obligations to halt the actions of the paramilitary and to assist displaced populations.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to locate Mr Robinson Enrique Manjarres and Mr Julio César Téllez and to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, especially the reports of torture, 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, May 25, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.