Colombia
16.03.00
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: massacre carried out by a paramilitary group
Case COL 160300
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed of a massacre carried out by a paramilitary group on March 5th 2000 in the Corregimiento of San Luis Beltràn of the Yondo municipality, department of Antioquia.
Reports from the National Association for Help and Solidarity ANDAS confirm that on that date approximately 150 heavily armed men who identified themselves as paramilitary, irrupted with violence into San Luis Beltràn and killed eight peasants identified as follows: Pedro Chacón, Pastor Chacón, Juan Evangelista Chacón, Dagoberto Méndez, Leonel Pedroso Villarreal, Oscar Mauricio Pedroso Villarreal, Pedro Chacón Albarracín and Alfredo N. (surname unknown).
These acts are additional to numerous violations of human rights including summary executions, disappearances, abductions, death threats etc., perpetrated in the course of the present year in the region of the Yondo. They are imputable, in certain cases to the FARC and in other cases, to paramilitary groups. These various violations, including the murders committed on March 5th have taken place in spite of the fact that since last year not only the Personeria Municipal, the Defence of the People, the human rights organization CREDHOS, the Departmental Police Commandant himself have warned the civil, military and police authorities of the Yondo and Barrancabermeja region of the imminence of such events.
Various reports communicated to the International Secretariat of the OMCT indicate moreover that an Interinstitutional Commission, coordinated by the directorate for Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior carried out an inspection of the Municipality of Yondo, Magdalena Medio Antioqueno on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of February of this year. In spite of the fact that the commission in question knew of the situation and the imminence of new violations of human rights the competent authorities were apparently not instructed to take adequate measures to prevent or forestall other acts of violence.
Action requested
Write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. carry out a thorough and impartial inquiry into the facts mentioned above, in particular the murders referred to, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and impose upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii, ensure the right of the victim's families to obtain reparation and compensation;
iii. ensure a thorough investigation into the presumed complicity in the facts referred to of army and police authorities and personnel in order that those responsible may receive the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. put into effect the recommendations of international and regional human rights bodies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Interamerican Human Rights Commission;
v. ensure the effective respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in accordance with national laws, international standards ratified by the State of Colombia and in general international standards in human rights.
Addresses
S.E. Doctor Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República de Colombia, Palacio de Nariño, carrera 8 No. 7-26, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax : 571 2867434 ó 284 2186 ó 289 3377. E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.co
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación,
Diagonal 22B #52-01, Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax: (571) 320 37 83 ó 570 20 22. E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Luis Fernando Ramírez Acuña, Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, Avenida El Dorado con Carrera 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá, CAN, Colombia . Fax: (571) 222 18 74. E-mail: infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (571) 222 29 35. E-mail: pilaque@cgm.mil.c
The Colombian embassies in your respective countries
Geneva, 16th March 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed of a massacre carried out by a paramilitary group on March 5th 2000 in the Corregimiento of San Luis Beltràn of the Yondo municipality, department of Antioquia.
Reports from the National Association for Help and Solidarity ANDAS confirm that on that date approximately 150 heavily armed men who identified themselves as paramilitary, irrupted with violence into San Luis Beltràn and killed eight peasants identified as follows: Pedro Chacón, Pastor Chacón, Juan Evangelista Chacón, Dagoberto Méndez, Leonel Pedroso Villarreal, Oscar Mauricio Pedroso Villarreal, Pedro Chacón Albarracín and Alfredo N. (surname unknown).
These acts are additional to numerous violations of human rights including summary executions, disappearances, abductions, death threats etc., perpetrated in the course of the present year in the region of the Yondo. They are imputable, in certain cases to the FARC and in other cases, to paramilitary groups. These various violations, including the murders committed on March 5th have taken place in spite of the fact that since last year not only the Personeria Municipal, the Defence of the People, the human rights organization CREDHOS, the Departmental Police Commandant himself have warned the civil, military and police authorities of the Yondo and Barrancabermeja region of the imminence of such events.
Various reports communicated to the International Secretariat of the OMCT indicate moreover that an Interinstitutional Commission, coordinated by the directorate for Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior carried out an inspection of the Municipality of Yondo, Magdalena Medio Antioqueno on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of February of this year. In spite of the fact that the commission in question knew of the situation and the imminence of new violations of human rights the competent authorities were apparently not instructed to take adequate measures to prevent or forestall other acts of violence.
Action requested
Write to the Colombian authorities urging them to:
i. carry out a thorough and impartial inquiry into the facts mentioned above, in particular the murders referred to, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and impose upon them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii, ensure the right of the victim's families to obtain reparation and compensation;
iii. ensure a thorough investigation into the presumed complicity in the facts referred to of army and police authorities and personnel in order that those responsible may receive the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. put into effect the recommendations of international and regional human rights bodies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Interamerican Human Rights Commission;
v. ensure the effective respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in accordance with national laws, international standards ratified by the State of Colombia and in general international standards in human rights.
Addresses
S.E. Doctor Andrés Pastrana Arango, Presidente de la República de Colombia, Palacio de Nariño, carrera 8 No. 7-26, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax : 571 2867434 ó 284 2186 ó 289 3377. E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.co
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación,
Diagonal 22B #52-01, Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Fax: (571) 320 37 83 ó 570 20 22. E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Luis Fernando Ramírez Acuña, Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, Avenida El Dorado con Carrera 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá, CAN, Colombia . Fax: (571) 222 18 74. E-mail: infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co
General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (571) 222 29 35. E-mail: pilaque@cgm.mil.c
The Colombian embassies in your respective countries
Geneva, 16th March 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.