Hiya again
Those who know me also know that a big part of my heart beats for the fantastic country of Colombia. By marriage on my brother's side, I have family there. But I also studied Spanish language and literature (longer ago than I care to remember) and have been fascinated by the literature of Ibero-America, especially Colombia.
Not long ago, the country made big headlines when a branch of the armed forces under the current government of Alvaro Uribe Vélez managed to liberate several long-held hostages, including the Colombian-French former presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancour -- everyone must have heard of that near-magical feat of subterfuge. [Addendum on July 25: Since I wrote this, I learnt that the "near-magical feat" involved pretending to be a Swiss human rights organisations, which I think is tantamount to abuse. Some papers reported that the liberators pretended to be from the Red Cross, but I've not seen it confirmed in an interview with one analyst from the International Crisis Group, who was recently interviewed in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung-NZZ (see http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5588&l=1 ). So I'm deleting the word "deeply" in the next sentence.] Although I am highly sceptical of Uribe's government, I must admit that I was ------ impressed with the way this liberation was achieved -- no bloodshed, no violence. That is quite a feat in a country that has known so much of both in the past forty years (and much longer). Anyone can take a leaf out of that particular book (the peaceful, non-violent liberation of the hostages, not the violence...).
However, all is far from well in what could easily be one of the wealthiest countries on earth. The government is staunchly right-wing, arch-liberalist and totally anti-human rights (except where its own cronies are concerned).
That is why I am today forwarding to you a call for urgent action on behalf of OFP - the Popular Women's Organisation of Barrancabermeja. Last July 20th [2008], these courageous women "celebrated" the 36th anniversary of the foundation of their organisation to defend freedom and social justice and gender equality (luchando por la libertad, la justicia social y de género).
Because the OFP (and other social and labour organisations) are a thorn in the fascist side of the paramilitaries, that -- to say the least -- enjoy the tacit protection of the Uribe government, the OFP have for more than ten years had to rely on the "unarmed bodyguards" of pbi - Peace Brigades International.
Read for yourself/yourselves. The following is an edited version of the English call for urgent action that I found in my in-box this morning.
*****
BARRANCABERMEJA, MIDDLE MAGDALENA (Magdalena Medio Dept.), COLOMBIA:
THREATS TO SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
URGENT ACTION
The Space of Social Workers and Human Rights Defenders in Barrancabermeja and the Middle Magdalena denounces and publicly rejects the wave of assassinations of male and female members of the community, as well as the death threats against five social organizations and human rights defenders in the city of Barrancabermeja. We call on the regional, national and international community to come to our assistance and to call on the government of Colombia to put a stop to these nefarious events.
The victims of recent threats and attacks have been the Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights (Credhos), the Popular Women's Organisation (OFP), the Corporation for Development and Peace of Magdalena Medio (CPDMM); the Workers' Labour Union (USO), and the labour unions SINDISPETROL and FERTICOL.
We are deeply concerned that "structures of death" (aka death squads) continue to operate in the city and region of Barrancabermeja while the state's civil and military authorities declare their complete ignorance of such presence, and fail to use their legal powers of action and constraint; nor do we any see action to break up such structures.
SOME FACTS:
[In Barrancabermeja, in just three days from July 18 to 21, 2008, five people were killed, one man in intensive care with serious injuries after an assassination attempt, and one premature baby also in intensive care whose young mother was murdered:]
• July 18, 2008, in the "22nd March" neighborhood, commune 3: a young couple were murdered: ALEXIS ARMANDO CASTILLO BALANZA (18) and his GERALDIN JIMENEZ POSADA (15). She was seven months pregnant and rushed to the Magdalena Medio Clinic, where she died. (Her baby was saved and is in intensive care.)
• July 18, 2008: stabbed to death, Diego Fernando QUIROGA BETANCURT (27). His assassin gave himself up to the authorities, stating that he killed D.F. Quiroga because he violated his two young daughters, 5 and 4 years of age.
• July 19, 2008, ca. 8:30 p.m., in the so-called "UNO" section: murder of NIVALDO MARBLE ZAPATA (39), resident of “The Chicó” neighbourhood.
• July 19, 2008, 9:30 p.m., in the “San Jose obrero” neighbourhood: murder of JAVIER DÍAZ ROOMS (40), resident on the Road to “Pozo Siete”, opposite the "Torres" neighbourhood.
• July 19, 2008, 9:30 p.m., in the "Corales" neighbourhood: ELIAS GUTIERREZ (39) attacked and seriously injured; he is in intensive care.
• July 21,2008, "Buena Vista" Neighbourhood, commune Four: leaflets containing the following death threat were distributed:
"ANTIOQUIA, JULY 20, 2008 -- COMMUNIQUE
"OUR ORGANIZATION AFTER DOING AN EXHAUSTIVE INVESTIGATION HAS DECIDED TO TAKE BARRANCABERMEJA BY BLOOD AND FIRE IN ORDER TO APPEASE HER OF ALL WHO CAUSE VIOLENCE.
"IN THIS SENSE WE DECLARE THE FOLLOWING TO BE MILITARY TARGETS: THE FARC, LEFT-WING SOCIAL AND HUMAN-RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS (OFP, CREDHOS, PDP), DISARMED PEOPLE [former paramilitaries who surrendered their weapons against fairly substantial state support to be "reinserted" into civil society], LABOUR UNIONISTS (USO, SINDISPETROL, FERTICOL), THE SO-CALLED “AGUILAS NEGRAS” ["Black Eagles", a notorious paramilitary organisation] AND ANYONE WHO COMMITS ILLICIT [DEEDS] TO THEIR OWN BENEFIT.
"THIS RECAPTURE OPERATION WAS INITIATED ON JULY 01 OF THE PRESENT YEAR AND WE HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL LEND US ITS SUPPORT SO WE MAY NOT NEED TO TAKE REPRISALS AGAINST IT.
"FOR A BARRANCABERMEJA IN PEACE THROUGH BLOOD AND FIRE“
"DON MARIO, COMMANDER [of] HEROES OF CASTAÑO [Castaño is a notorious paramilitary leader]"
We hold responsible the civil and military authorities, by omission, of the events that have occurred in Barrancabermeja and the region
We hold responsible the Colombian state, and its civil and military authorities for any [harm] that may be done to the life and integrity of the members of threatened organizations.
We demand State protection, in fulfillment of its constitutional duty, for the threatened organizations, their members and relatives; as well as for the victimised communities.
We demand investigation of these facts, and the adoption of the necessary and appropriate measures against the persons responsible for these actions.
We call on the International Community to be watchful and to ensure this serious matter is pursued, and to lodge their complaints with the national Government [of Colombia] against these facts that affect the life and integrity of the victimised communities and of the threatened organisations.
SPACE OF MALE AND FEMALE HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS
BARRANCABERMEJA, MIDDLE MAGDALENA, COLOMBIA
JULY 23, 2008.
Please send your e-mails and letters of concern to the following addresses:
Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Fax:+57.1.566.20.71; E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co
Sr. Francisco Santos, Vicepresidente de la República,
Téls. (+571) 334.45.07, (+57310) 7720130; E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co; buzon1@presidencia.gov.co
Programa DDHH de Vicepresidencia: ppdh@presidencia.gov.co
Observatorio DDHH de Vicepresidencia: obserdh@presidencia.gov.co
Dr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 #10-32, Bogotá.
Fax: +57.1.640.04.91; E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com; agenda@agenda.gov.co
Doctor Mario Hernán Iguarán Arana, Fiscal General de la Nación,
Diagonal 22-B # 52-01, Bogotá.
Fax: + 57.1.570.20.00; +57.1.414.90.00, Extensión 1113; E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Cra. 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá.
Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49; +57.1.342.97.23; E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co; quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co; cap@procuraduria.gov.co;
reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
Fax: +57.1.342.97.23
Dr. Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Bogotá.
Fax: +57.1.222.18.74; E-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co; mdn@cable.net.co
Dr. Carlos Franco, Director del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario (DIH).
Fax. +57.1.337 46 67; E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co, Clle 7 N° 5–54 Bogotá, D.C.
Dr. Fabio Valencia Cossio , Ministro del Interior y de Justicia, Avenida El dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Bogotá Fax. +57.1.222 1874; E-mail: ministro@minjusticia.gov.co
***
Thank you!
Peace! Paz!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment