URGENT ACTION APPEAL
Go to http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
to read this month's newsletter.
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Note: Please write on behalf of these people even though you may
not have received the original UA when issued on February 9, 2001. Thanks!
7 February 2003
Further Information on UA 38/01 issued 9 February 2001 and re-issued 14
February 2001 and 20 November 2002) Fear for Safety /Death Threats
COLOMBIA
Human rights activists with the Organización Femenina
Popular, (OFP), Popular Women's Organization in the
Cantagallo municipality, department of Bolivar
Jackeline Rojas (f)
New name: Cleotilde Morón (f)
Amnesty International continues to be concerned for the safety of human rights
activists of the Organización Femenina Popular, (OFP), Popular Women's
Organization in the Cantagallo municipality, department of Bolivar following
recent threats by army-backed paramilitaries.
On 5 February, a meeting in the offices of the OFP in Cantagallo to discuss
paramilitary threats against the OFP was interrupted by armed men believed to
be members of an army-backed paramilitary group. Despite the presence of
representatives of the Defensoría Regional del Pueblo, Regional National
Advocate for the People, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, the mayor's office, other non-governmental human rights organizations,
the church and the OFP, the armed intruders threatened that they would return to
burn down the offices of the OFP in Cantagallo and would kill any OFP leaders
that remained in the offices.
The OFP has reportedly informed the Director of the Programa Presidencial
para la Promoción, Respeto y Garantía de los Derechos Humanos, Presidential
Program for the Promotion, Respect and Guarantee of Human Rights about this
incident. However, despite the fact that Cantagallo has both a police and army
presence, the authorities have taken no decisive action to dismantle paramilitary
groups operating in the area or to protect the OFP.
Human rights activists with the OFP in the departments of Bolivar and
Santander have been threatened repeatedly in the past (see AMR 23/011/2002,
28 January 2002; and UA 144/02, AMR 23/055/2002, 13 May 2002). The
former coordinator of the OFP group in Cantagallo resigned from her post in
December 2002 due to the constant threats and pressure from paramilitary
groups for her to do so. Her replacement, Cleotilde Morón was reportedly
approached two days after taking up the post by a paramilitary commander, who
claimed he knew she was the new coordinator of the OFP group in Cantagallo
and that this would cause her problems.
The threats issued by the paramilitaries are the latest in a long campaign of
intimidation of human rights activists in the area. Jackeline Rojas, who oversees
the work of the OFP in the Cantagallo area, was declared a "military target" in
November 2002 by army-backed paramilitaries who reportedly view the OFP as
a threat to their control over the area. Jackeline Rojas continues to oversee the
work of the OFP in the Cantagallo area. Amnesty International remains
concerned for her safety.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The OFP has been working to promote women's human rights in
Barrancabermeja, department of Santander and surrounding areas including the
municipality of Cantagallo for more than 30 years. They refuse to cooperate
with army-backed paramilitary groups, and have therefore faced continual
threats and harassment.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible:
- expressing concern for the safety of Cleotilde Morón and other human rights
activists with the Organización Femenina Popular, (OFP), Popular Women's
Organization in Cantagallo, Bolívar department following the most recent
threats, issued on 5 February;
- calling on the Colombian authorities to investigate these threats fully and bring
to justice those responsible;
- urging the Colombian authorities to take steps, deemed appropriate by those
under threat, to guarantee the safety of human rights activists with the OFP, so
that they can carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of
reprisal;
- calling on the Colombian government to initiate an ongoing and meaningful
dialogue with human rights defenders to address issues of their protection and
the prevention of attacks against them;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations to human rights defenders, as laid
out in the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of
Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally
Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Human Rights
Defenders in the Americas resolution of the Organization of American States
and in repeated recommendations made to them by the United Nations;
-expressing concern at the continued large-scale presence of army-backed
paramilitary forces in Cantagallo Municipality and surrounding areas despite the
heavy military presence in the area;
- calling for immediate decisive action to confront and dismantle these groups in
line with repeated UN recommendations and governmental commitments.
APPEALS TO:
President of the Republic:
Señor Presidente Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Presidente de la República
Palacio de Nariño
Carrera 8 No.7-26
Santafé de Bogotá
Colombia
Telegram: Presidente de la República, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 342 0592
Salutation: Excmo. Sr. Presidente Uribe / Dear President Uribe
Vice-President of the Republic of Colombia:
Vicepresidente de la República de Colombia
Dr. Francisco Santos Calderón
Vicepresidencia
Carrera 8A No 5-57
Santafé de Bogotá
Colombia
Telegram: Vice-Presidente Bell, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 334 1138
Salutation: Excelentísimo Sr. Vicepresidente/ Dear Vice-President
National Advocate for the people:
Sr. Eduardo Cifuentes Muñoz,
Defensor del Pueblo, Defensoría del Pueblo,
Calle 55, No. 10-32/46 office 301,
Santafé de Bogotá
Colombia
Telegram: Defensor del Pueblo, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 640 0491
Salutation: Estimado Sr. Cifuentes Muñoz / Dear Mr. Cifuentes
Muñoz
COPIES TO:
Grassroots women's organization:
Organización Femenina Popular
Cra 22 No 52B - 36
Barrancabermeja, Santander
Colombia
Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno
Embassy of Colombia
2118 Leroy Pl. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 232 8643
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office between
9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after
March 21, 2003.
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots
movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact,
including contact information and stop action date
(if applicable). Thank you for your help with this
appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL