URGENT ACTION
ATTACKS AGAINST SINTRAEMCALI IN 2004 BEGIN
The Municipal Workers Union of the Public Enterprises of Cali, SINTRAEMCALI, the Association for Research and Action NOMADESC and other members of the Campaign PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR (Forbidden to Forget) denounce the serious events whereby Ricardo Barragán, Commercialization Supervisor in the Water Plant of EMCALI EICE ESP and tireless activist of SINTRAEMCALI, was horribly assassinated.
The Events
RICARDO VARRAGAN, had left his home in his car a HUNDAY ACCEN on his way to the EMCALI Operational Centre of Bodegas Navarro to play football with his comrades from the company when he was intercepted at the Autopista Sur Oriental with Street 39 at approximately 4:45 p.m.[Friday, 17th January] , by two high velocity motorcycles and was shot five times in the head. One of the assassins of RICARDO VARRAGAN was later captured by the police as he was trying to flee the crime scene and was taken to the Police Station in the neighborhood of El Guabal.
RICARDO VARRAGAN was well known for his active involvement in offering technical support to the proposals for the Plan for the Salvation of EMCALI, where he had contributed greatly in reducing operational costs, increasing revenues and improving the use of human resources. Furthermore, he was well known for his active participation in the days of protest carried out by workers in defence of EMCALI EICE ESP, against privatization.
Demands:
Demand that the State Security Organizations carry out a swift and impartial investigation against the material authors of this crime
Demand the immediate exemplary punishment of those responsible for this serious crime against this SINTRAEMCALI activist.
Call on you all to remain vigilant concerning the situation in Santiago de Cali and particularly that of SINTRAEMCALI and send letters to the Colombian government calling on it to explain this situation to the International Community.
Asociación Para la Investigación y Acción Social NOMADESC, Sindicato de Trabajadores de Las Empresas Municipales de Cali SINTRAEMCALI, Sindicato De Los Trabajadores Universitarios De Colombia SINTRAUNICOL, Unión Sindical Obrera USO, Corporación Servicios Profesionales Comunitarios SEMBRAR, Central Unitaria De Los Trabajadores CUT - VALLE DEL CAUCA Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Minería en Colombia, SINTRAMINERCOL, Movimiento Estudiantil del Valle del Cauca y Nariño, Fundación Comita De Solidaridad Con Presos Políticos Seccional Valle del Cauca, Sintramunicipio Bugalagrande, Sintramunicipio Yumbo, Sintramunicipio Dagua, Sintrametal Yumbo, Sutev, Asonal Judicial Valle del Cauca. Sintrahospiclinicas, Sinaltrainal Bugalagrande
Please send letters to/Enviar mensajes a :
Presidente de la República de Colombia:
Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez
Palacio de Nariño
Carrera 8 No.7-26
Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 00 57 1 286 74 34/286, 68 42/284 21 86
[Salutation: Excelentisimo Sr. Presidente/Dear President ]
E-mail: to send e-mail to Uribe login to http://www.presidencia.gov.co and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page
Para enviar correo al Sr Presidente, dirmjase a la pagina Web: http://www.presidencia.gov.co y haga clic en ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE ubicado en la parte inferior, al final de la pagina.]
Vicepresidente de la Republica de Colombia Francisco Santos
Consejeria Presidential de Derechos Humanos
Calle 7, No 654, Piso 3
Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 00 57 1 337 1351
E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co
Presidential Human Rights Programme
Programa Derechos Humanos Presidencia de la Republica
ppdh@presidencia.gov.co
Ministro del Interior y Justicia
Fernando Londoqo Hoyos
Ministerio del Interior y Justicia
Palacio Echeverri, Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o.,
Santa fe de Bogota, Colombia
Fax:00 57 1 286 8025
E-mail: ministro@minjusticia.gov.co; minisint@col1.telecom.com.co;
Fiscal General de la Nacion/Public Prosecutor Dr Luis Camilo Osorio
E-mail:contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co; webmaster@fiscalia.gov.co
Procurador General de la Nacion/Attorney General Dr Edgardo Josi Maya Villazon
Carrera 5 N0 15-80 F Fax: 3429723 E-mail:anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
Defensor del Pueblo / Public Defender Dr Luis Eduardo Cifuentes
E-mail:secretaria_privada@hotmail.com; defensoria@defensoria.org.co
And, in the UK, to Colombian Embassy (UK): mail@colombianembassy.co.uk
Bill Rammell MP Under Secretary of State Foreign Office james.morrison@fco.gov.uk
With a copy to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign at colombia_sc@hotmail.com
Model Letter
In English:
Dear Mr. President,
I am appalled to hear of the terrible assassination of the SINTRAEMCALI worker and activist RICARDO VARRAGAN who was murdered last week in the city of Santiago de Cali. He is the latest victim of a sustained campaign of repression against all those members of SINTRAEMCALI, local activists and trade unionists who have joined together in opposition to the privatization of water, electricity and telecommunications in the city of Cali.
We call on the Colombian government to carry out a thorough investigation into this horrific crime in line with your International responsibilities. Furthermore, both the material and intellectual authors of this crime should be punished severely to set an example to all those waging a war of terror against those trade union, social and community organisations struggling for peace and social justice in Colombia.
Sincerely
(signed)