Ecuador
20.03.02
Urgent Interventions
Ecuador: shooting of peaceful demonstrators
Case ECU 200302
Indiscriminate use of force
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention on the following situation in Ecuador.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by reliable sources of the excessive use of force perpetrated against Mr. Warren Stowe, citizen of the United States, and Mr. Edward Portilla, a Colombian national, on 20 March 2002 at approximately 14.45 p.m.
According to the reports, the events occurred during a peaceful demonstration organized by the International Camp for Justice and the Dignity of Peoples, which started on 14 March 2002 in the cities of Lago Agrio, Manta and Quito. The protesters initiated their march in the headquarters of the camp, the University “Politécnica Salesiana”, and continued towards the avenues 6 de Diciembre y Colón to conclude the demonstration at the Embassy of the United States in Quito. There they would hand in the manifesto and ratify the conclusions reached by the participants of the event.
According to the information, by the time when the protestors reached the avenue 12 de Octubre y Cordero where the building of the "World Trade Center" is found, armed guards started shooting indiscriminately at the assembled group. It seems that this disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force was the response to individuals, believed to be among the protestors, who had been throwing bags of paint to the façade of the building. According to the reports, the shooting produced two victims, Mr. Warren Stowe, director of the International Camp, and Mr. Edward Portilla, one of the delegates of the numerous countries assisting the event, who received wounds in the legs and thighs. They were both taken to the local hospital, Hospital Eugenio Espejo, in Quito.
The reports state that the group continued its march towards the U.S. embassy, however, when they were going through the avenue 6 de Diciembre y Robles, members of the Public Forces forced the group to disband using tear gas. The organizers and delegates participating in the event decided to return to the headquarters of the International Camp and conduct an evaluation of the incidents. It is reported that the public event was being conducted in a peaceful manner throughout.
Action requested:
Please write to the Ecuadorian authorities urging them to:
i. adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Warren Stowe and Mr. Edward Portilla, as well as of the other delegates of the International Camp;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation on the excessive and indiscriminative use of force perpetrated against the mentioned individuals, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by the law;
iii. ensure the victims their right to adequate medical assistance, including physical and psychological support;
iv. Guarantee the respect for human rights and the fundamental liberties throughout the country in accordance with the national law and the international human rights norms.
Addresses:
- Sr. Dr. Gustavo Noboa Bejarano, Presidente de la República del Ecuador, Palacio de Carondelet, García Moreno 1043, Quito, Ecuador. Fax: (+593) 2-258 07 51; E-mail: vpre@uio.telconet.net; despresi@presidencia.ec-gov.net
- Sr. Almirante Hugo Unda, Ministro de Defensa Nacional, Quito, Ecuador. Fax: (+593) 2-258 04 31; despacho@pop.midena.mil.ec
- Sr. Juan Manrique, Ministro de Gobierno y Policía, Fax: (593-2) 580067 ministrog@presidencia.ec-gov.net
Geneva, March 20th, 2002
Indiscriminate use of force
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention on the following situation in Ecuador.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by reliable sources of the excessive use of force perpetrated against Mr. Warren Stowe, citizen of the United States, and Mr. Edward Portilla, a Colombian national, on 20 March 2002 at approximately 14.45 p.m.
According to the reports, the events occurred during a peaceful demonstration organized by the International Camp for Justice and the Dignity of Peoples, which started on 14 March 2002 in the cities of Lago Agrio, Manta and Quito. The protesters initiated their march in the headquarters of the camp, the University “Politécnica Salesiana”, and continued towards the avenues 6 de Diciembre y Colón to conclude the demonstration at the Embassy of the United States in Quito. There they would hand in the manifesto and ratify the conclusions reached by the participants of the event.
According to the information, by the time when the protestors reached the avenue 12 de Octubre y Cordero where the building of the "World Trade Center" is found, armed guards started shooting indiscriminately at the assembled group. It seems that this disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force was the response to individuals, believed to be among the protestors, who had been throwing bags of paint to the façade of the building. According to the reports, the shooting produced two victims, Mr. Warren Stowe, director of the International Camp, and Mr. Edward Portilla, one of the delegates of the numerous countries assisting the event, who received wounds in the legs and thighs. They were both taken to the local hospital, Hospital Eugenio Espejo, in Quito.
The reports state that the group continued its march towards the U.S. embassy, however, when they were going through the avenue 6 de Diciembre y Robles, members of the Public Forces forced the group to disband using tear gas. The organizers and delegates participating in the event decided to return to the headquarters of the International Camp and conduct an evaluation of the incidents. It is reported that the public event was being conducted in a peaceful manner throughout.
Action requested:
Please write to the Ecuadorian authorities urging them to:
i. adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Warren Stowe and Mr. Edward Portilla, as well as of the other delegates of the International Camp;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation on the excessive and indiscriminative use of force perpetrated against the mentioned individuals, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by the law;
iii. ensure the victims their right to adequate medical assistance, including physical and psychological support;
iv. Guarantee the respect for human rights and the fundamental liberties throughout the country in accordance with the national law and the international human rights norms.
Addresses:
- Sr. Dr. Gustavo Noboa Bejarano, Presidente de la República del Ecuador, Palacio de Carondelet, García Moreno 1043, Quito, Ecuador. Fax: (+593) 2-258 07 51; E-mail: vpre@uio.telconet.net; despresi@presidencia.ec-gov.net
- Sr. Almirante Hugo Unda, Ministro de Defensa Nacional, Quito, Ecuador. Fax: (+593) 2-258 04 31; despacho@pop.midena.mil.ec
- Sr. Juan Manrique, Ministro de Gobierno y Policía, Fax: (593-2) 580067 ministrog@presidencia.ec-gov.net
Geneva, March 20th, 2002