Colombia
07.08.00
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: threats
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
COL 008 / 0008 / OBS 079
THREATS
COLOMBIA
7th August 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation inColombia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory reiterates its grave concern for the life and freedom of of defenders of human and trade-union rights and in Colombia and particularly those of Sr. Gerardo Gonzàlez and his family. Sr Gonzalez is a well known trade union leader, at present Secretary for Agrarian and Indigenous Affairs of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), President of the Small Agriculturists' Trade Union of Cundinamarca (SINPEAGRICUN) and member of the ILO Governing Body
Reports from the "José Alvear Restrepo" Lawyers' Association (CCAJAR)mention constant harassment and threats directed at Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez and his family by reason of his activities which resulted in the creation of various organizations, including the CUT, the National Farmers' Association (ANUC) and the National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FENSUAGRO).
According to reports from CCAJAR, a pamphlet published on May 5th 2000 reported that a paramilitary offensive would shortly take place in Bogotà and announced the execution of various persons including Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez. Two days later, on May 7th at the Bogotà airport of El Dorado, while waiting to board a plane for Europe, he was watched and followed by an unknown man. Once inside the plane he was called by loudspeaker and when he responded to the call there were two men waitinig for him who looked at him in an intimidating way without saying a word. Previously, in August 1999, a group calling itself the "Colombian Rebel Army", published a list of 21 persons whom it threatened with death and which included Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez. His name also appeared in a document handed in to the office of the CUT at the end of 1999 which announced a plan to exterminate tradeunion leaders and other civic and popular leaders and human rights defenders. As far back as 1978, because of the threats, Sr.Gopnzalez had to abandon the region ini which he lieved and for the same reason in 1988 the CUT ssent him toi _Eulrope for a period. In 1993 he approached the Prosecutor General of the Nation in order to lodge complaints concerning the threats.
The harassment and threats were also extended to Sr. Gonzalez's family.
His dauther, Aurora Gonzalez, has been threatened and followed by members of the military intelligence. This was confirmed by the Administrative Security Department (DAS), the previous government having entrusted it for some time with certain security measures.
The same reports recall that during the present year (no date or month are indicated) Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez, his daughter Aurora Gonzalez and his wife were called upon to testify before the Prosecutor General of the Nation. During the interrogation the investigation centred around the family ands on the strtength of military intelligence reports they were arbitrarily labelled as presumed members of the FARC.
The Observatory shares the concern of the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers' Association in the sense that the repeated persecutions, harassment and threats against Sr. Sgerardo Gonzalez and his family are a grave risk for their physical integrity and life. The Observatory also shares their concern that following the accusations referred to in the previous paragraph it is likely that there may be an intention to put the Gonzalez family on trial or subject them to an arbitrary penal procedure.
Action requested
Dirigirse a las autoridades colombianas exigiéndo :
i. garantizar la libertad personal, la integridad personal y la vida del Sr. Gerardo González, su hija Aurora González y los demás miembros de su familia.
ii. investigar los hechos anteriormente aludidos a fin de que los responsables sean efectivamente identificados y sancionados con arreglo a la ley, y adoptar medidas para garantizar eficazmente al Sr. González y su familia el libre ejercicio de sus derechos y libertades fundamentales, incluyendo el derecho de no ser objeto de persecución ni de acusación judicial arbitraria.
iii. asegurar la aplicación de lo dispuesto por la Declaración sobre los defensores de los derechos humanos, adoptada por la Asamblea General de la ONU el 9 de diciembre 1998, en particular en lo referente a la protección del derecho de toda persona "..individual o colectivamente, a promover la protección y realización de los derechos humanos y las libertades fundamentales en los planos nacional e internacional y a esforzarse por ellos" (Art. 1), así como al deber del Estado de garantizar "...la protección por las autoridades competentes de toda persona, individual o colectivamente, frente a toda violencia, amenaza, represalia, discriminación, negativa de hecho o de derecho, presión o cualquier otra acción arbitraria resultante del ejercicio legítimo de los derechos mencionados en la presente Declaración (Art. 12.2);
iv. de manera general, conformar sus acciones a lo dispuesto por la Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos y los Pactos y Convenciones Internacionales ratificados por Colombia.
Direcciones:
Presidente de la República, Dr. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Palacio de Nariño, Santa fe de Bogotá. Fax (571) 2842186 (571) 2893377 (571) 2867473 E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.com // E-mail : www.presidencia.gob.co
Dr. Gustavo Bell, Vicepresidente de la República, Vicepresidencia de la República. Fax (571) 4442120 E-mail : kchalita@presidencia.gov.co
Dr. Jaime Bernal Cuellar, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 No. 15- 80, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax (571) 3429723
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación, Diagonal 22B No. 5201, Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá,Colombia. Fax : (571) 5702000 E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Fernando Castro Caicedo, Defensor del Pueblo, calle 55 No. 10-46, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax (571) 2820977- (571) 3461225. E-mail : jcastro@col1.telecom.com.co
Dr. Humberto de la Calle Lombana, Ministro del Interior, Ministerio del Interior, carrera 8
No. 8-09, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax. (571) 5602604
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
Alto Comisionado para la Paz, Dr. Camilo Gómez. Fax. (571) 5609946
Ginebra - Paris, 7 de agosto del 2000
Agradecemos informar al Observatorio acerca de cualquier acción realizada sobre el presente llamado, indicándonos el código del mismo.
El Observatorio, programa conjunto de la FIDH y la OMCT, está destinado a la protección de los defensores de los derechos humanos víctimas de violaciones y a proporcionarles una ayuda cotidiana tan concreta como sea posible. Premio de Derechos Humanos de la República Francesa, 1998
Para contactar el Observatorio, comuníquese a la Línea de Urgencia: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel.: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 4122 809 49 39 E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
COL 008 / 0008 / OBS 079
THREATS
COLOMBIA
7th August 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation inColombia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory reiterates its grave concern for the life and freedom of of defenders of human and trade-union rights and in Colombia and particularly those of Sr. Gerardo Gonzàlez and his family. Sr Gonzalez is a well known trade union leader, at present Secretary for Agrarian and Indigenous Affairs of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), President of the Small Agriculturists' Trade Union of Cundinamarca (SINPEAGRICUN) and member of the ILO Governing Body
Reports from the "José Alvear Restrepo" Lawyers' Association (CCAJAR)mention constant harassment and threats directed at Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez and his family by reason of his activities which resulted in the creation of various organizations, including the CUT, the National Farmers' Association (ANUC) and the National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FENSUAGRO).
According to reports from CCAJAR, a pamphlet published on May 5th 2000 reported that a paramilitary offensive would shortly take place in Bogotà and announced the execution of various persons including Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez. Two days later, on May 7th at the Bogotà airport of El Dorado, while waiting to board a plane for Europe, he was watched and followed by an unknown man. Once inside the plane he was called by loudspeaker and when he responded to the call there were two men waitinig for him who looked at him in an intimidating way without saying a word. Previously, in August 1999, a group calling itself the "Colombian Rebel Army", published a list of 21 persons whom it threatened with death and which included Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez. His name also appeared in a document handed in to the office of the CUT at the end of 1999 which announced a plan to exterminate tradeunion leaders and other civic and popular leaders and human rights defenders. As far back as 1978, because of the threats, Sr.Gopnzalez had to abandon the region ini which he lieved and for the same reason in 1988 the CUT ssent him toi _Eulrope for a period. In 1993 he approached the Prosecutor General of the Nation in order to lodge complaints concerning the threats.
The harassment and threats were also extended to Sr. Gonzalez's family.
His dauther, Aurora Gonzalez, has been threatened and followed by members of the military intelligence. This was confirmed by the Administrative Security Department (DAS), the previous government having entrusted it for some time with certain security measures.
The same reports recall that during the present year (no date or month are indicated) Sr. Gerardo Gonzalez, his daughter Aurora Gonzalez and his wife were called upon to testify before the Prosecutor General of the Nation. During the interrogation the investigation centred around the family ands on the strtength of military intelligence reports they were arbitrarily labelled as presumed members of the FARC.
The Observatory shares the concern of the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers' Association in the sense that the repeated persecutions, harassment and threats against Sr. Sgerardo Gonzalez and his family are a grave risk for their physical integrity and life. The Observatory also shares their concern that following the accusations referred to in the previous paragraph it is likely that there may be an intention to put the Gonzalez family on trial or subject them to an arbitrary penal procedure.
Action requested
Dirigirse a las autoridades colombianas exigiéndo :
i. garantizar la libertad personal, la integridad personal y la vida del Sr. Gerardo González, su hija Aurora González y los demás miembros de su familia.
ii. investigar los hechos anteriormente aludidos a fin de que los responsables sean efectivamente identificados y sancionados con arreglo a la ley, y adoptar medidas para garantizar eficazmente al Sr. González y su familia el libre ejercicio de sus derechos y libertades fundamentales, incluyendo el derecho de no ser objeto de persecución ni de acusación judicial arbitraria.
iii. asegurar la aplicación de lo dispuesto por la Declaración sobre los defensores de los derechos humanos, adoptada por la Asamblea General de la ONU el 9 de diciembre 1998, en particular en lo referente a la protección del derecho de toda persona "..individual o colectivamente, a promover la protección y realización de los derechos humanos y las libertades fundamentales en los planos nacional e internacional y a esforzarse por ellos" (Art. 1), así como al deber del Estado de garantizar "...la protección por las autoridades competentes de toda persona, individual o colectivamente, frente a toda violencia, amenaza, represalia, discriminación, negativa de hecho o de derecho, presión o cualquier otra acción arbitraria resultante del ejercicio legítimo de los derechos mencionados en la presente Declaración (Art. 12.2);
iv. de manera general, conformar sus acciones a lo dispuesto por la Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos y los Pactos y Convenciones Internacionales ratificados por Colombia.
Direcciones:
Presidente de la República, Dr. Andrés Pastrana Arango, Palacio de Nariño, Santa fe de Bogotá. Fax (571) 2842186 (571) 2893377 (571) 2867473 E-mail : pastrana@presidencia.gov.com // E-mail : www.presidencia.gob.co
Dr. Gustavo Bell, Vicepresidente de la República, Vicepresidencia de la República. Fax (571) 4442120 E-mail : kchalita@presidencia.gov.co
Dr. Jaime Bernal Cuellar, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 No. 15- 80, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax (571) 3429723
Doctor Alfonso Gómez Méndez, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Fiscalia General de la Nación, Diagonal 22B No. 5201, Apartado Aéreo 29855, Santafé de Bogotá,Colombia. Fax : (571) 5702000 E-mail : fiscal@colonsat.net.co
Doctor Fernando Castro Caicedo, Defensor del Pueblo, calle 55 No. 10-46, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax (571) 2820977- (571) 3461225. E-mail : jcastro@col1.telecom.com.co
Dr. Humberto de la Calle Lombana, Ministro del Interior, Ministerio del Interior, carrera 8
No. 8-09, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax. (571) 5602604
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
Alto Comisionado para la Paz, Dr. Camilo Gómez. Fax. (571) 5609946
Ginebra - Paris, 7 de agosto del 2000
Agradecemos informar al Observatorio acerca de cualquier acción realizada sobre el presente llamado, indicándonos el código del mismo.
El Observatorio, programa conjunto de la FIDH y la OMCT, está destinado a la protección de los defensores de los derechos humanos víctimas de violaciones y a proporcionarles una ayuda cotidiana tan concreta como sea posible. Premio de Derechos Humanos de la República Francesa, 1998
Para contactar el Observatorio, comuníquese a la Línea de Urgencia: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel.: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 4122 809 49 39 E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch