UA 307/97 on Colombia-Amnesty Appeal Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source:mlopez@igc.apc.org Fri Sep 26 10:01:59 1997 U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L The following information is from Amnesty International's research headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide movement working for the international protection of human rights. It seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color, sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions (political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners without reservation.Please do not repost the information below to any part of the Internet without prior permission from Amnesty International. Thank you for your help with this appeal. Please read the monthly Urgent Action Network Newsletter posted on the web at: http://www.amnesty-USA.org/urgact/ Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: sharriso@aiusa.org http://www.amnesty-usa.org/urgact/ Phone: 303 440 0913 Fax:303 258 7881 --------------------------------------------------- UA 307/97 Fear for Safety / Possible 'Disappearances' 25 September 1997 COLOMBIA Otoniel BARBOSA ARDILA, community activist Daniel BARBOSA ARDILA, community activist Brothers Otoniel Barbosa Ardila and Daniel Barbosa Ardila, who have not been seen since 17 September 1997, are feared to have 'disappeared'. Amnesty International is deeply concerned for their safety. Otoniel Barbosa Ardila reportedly travelled to the municipality of Pailitas, department of Cesar, on 17 September to collect his brother who had spent the previous night there. At about 5pm the two brothers were reported to have left Pailitas towards the community of El Burro where they were due to pick up some milk which they had left at the house of an acquaintance. They never arrived at the house. Regular reports of 'disappearances' in the department of Cesar, combined with a report that a paramilitary base of the Autodefensas Campesinsa de Cordoba y Uraba (ACCU), Peasant Self-Defence Groups of Cordoba and Uraba, is situated on the road between Pailitas and El Burro, on a ranch called Ucrania, has led to fears that the two brothers have been 'disappeared'. There is serious concern for the safety of the two men, who are both members of the Junta de Accion Comunal, Community Action Council, of the community of Quebrada Seca. In the past, peasant farmer activists and other civic activists have often been labelled as guerrilla sympathizers and collaborators by the security forces and their paramilitary allies. Many of those so labelled have subsequently become the victim of serious human rights violations. In recent years community organizations in Pailitas and other communities throughout the south of Cesar have been the target of frequent human rights violations committed by paramilitary groups operating with the support and under the coordination of the armed forces. Failure by the Colombian Government to take sufficient action to ensure that these groups are dismantled, to bring members of the security forces responsible for supporting paramilitary groups and those responsible for human rights violations to justice, continues to leave community activists and others in the region exposed to the risk of human rights violations. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Many paramilitary groups have their origins in the civilian 'self- defence' squads which the army created in the 1980s to act as auxiliaries during counter-insurgency operations. Over the past five years, several thousand civilians have been killed by paramilitary groups throughout the country. In 1989 the Colombian government suspended the legal base for the formation of paramilitary organizations and issued directives to the Colombian armed forces to combat and disband such groups. Nevertheless, in many areas of the country paramilitary forces have continued to kill and 'disappear' perceived opponents with impunity. They continue to work with the support of the security forces. President Ernesto Samper Pizano, who assumed office on 7 August 1994, has made repeated promises to improve the human rights situation including a commitment to dismantle paramilitary forces. However, no steps have been taken to control their actions and to hold members accountable for serious and widespread human rights violations. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters: - expressing concern for the safety of the brothers Otoniel Barbosa Ardila and Daniel Barbosa Ardila, whose whereabouts have been unknown since 17 September 1997; - calling for an immediate investigation into the whereabouts of the two men who, if in detention, should be given access to relatives, lawyers and medical doctors. The results of the investigation should be made public and anyone found responsible for human rights violations should be brought to justice; - urging that, if in detention, the two men be immediately charged with recognizable criminal offences, or released immediately; if possible, also: - calling for a full and impartial investigation into links between the security forces and paramilitary groups operating in the area and urging that those members of the security forces responsible for supporting and participating in such groups be brought to justice; - urging the authorities to take immediate action to dismantle paramilitary groups, in line with stated governmental commitments. APPEALS TO: President of Colombia: Senor Presidente Ernesto Samper Pizano Presidente de la Republica Palacio de Narino Carrera 8 No. 7-26 Santafe de Bogota, Colombia Dear President Samper: [Telegrams: President Samper Pizano, Bogota, Colombia ] [Telexes: 396 44281 PALP CO] [Faxes: 011 57 1 284 21 86289 3377/286 7434] Minister of the Interior: Dr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia Ministro del Interior Ministerio del Interior Carrera 8, No.8-09, Piso 2 Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA Dear Minister: [Telegrams: Ministro del Interior, Bogota, Colombia] [Telexes: 396 45406 MINGO CO] [Faxes: 011 57 1 281 5884/286 0053/286 0405] Minister of Defense: Dr.Gilberto Echeverri Mejia Ministro de Defensa Nacional Ministerio de Defensa Nacional Avenida Eldorado CAN - Carrera 52 Santafe de Bogota, Colombia Dear Minister: [Telegrams: Ministro de Defensa, Bogota, Colombia] [Telexes: 396 42411 INPRE CO; 396 44561 CFAC CO] [Faxes: 011 57 1 222 1874] Attorney General: Dr.Alfonso Gomez Mendez Fiscal General de la Nacion Fiscalia General de la Nacion Diagonal 22B 5201 Apartado Aereo 29855 Santafe de Bogota, Colombia Dear Dr Gomez: [Telegrams: Fiscal General, Fiscalia General, Bogota, Colombia] COPIES TO: Alternative Legal Association: MINGA AA 40303 Santafe de Bogota, Colombia Ambassador Juan Carlos Esguerra Embassy of Colombia 2118 Leroy Pl. NW Washington DC 20008 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 November 10, 1997. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytsa-09.27.97-09:48:57-27933