From: Colombian Labor Monitor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 17:27:38 -0500 (CDT) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: AI: Urgent Action UA 240/01 on Colombia For regular updates throughout the day visit the most thorough and complete Colombian news service at www.prairienet.org/clm _________________________________________________________________________ Visit http://www.prairienet.org/clm _________________________________________________________________________ AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION APPEAL 20 September 2001 UA 240/01 Fear for Safety/Extrajudicial Execution COLOMBIA Yolanda Ceron Members of Catholic Church organization Pastoral Social, and other human rights defenders in Tumaco, department of Narino On 19 September 2001, Yolanda Ceron, human rights defender and Director of the Catholic Church organization Pastoral Social, was killed by two gunmen thought to be members of army-backed paramilitary forces in the town of Tumaco, department of Narino. Yolanda left her office around noon and as she approached Narino Park, in central Tumaco, several shots were fired at her. She was transported to hospital in Tumaco, where she was pronounced dead soon after arriving as eight shots had fatally wounded her. For several days prior to her killing, Yolanda reportedly informed her Pastoral Social colleagues that their offices were under constant surveillance, that she was being harassed and that she was being followed by unidentified men. Yolanda and other members of Pastoral Social have campaigned against the increasingly grave human rights situation in the region and have provided assistance to victims. Her death raises serious concerns for the safety of members of Pastoral Social, other human rights defenders, and the civilian population of Tumaco. It also heightens concerns for neighboring communities, whose inhabitants are predominantly Afro-Colombians and members of indigenous communities. Paramilitaries backed by the security forces began operating in Tumaco in September 2000 and threatened to kill human rights defenders shortly afterwards. A number of human rights activists have actually been killed (2 April 2001 - Further information on UA 382/00 19 December 2000; UA 206/01, 17 August 2001). BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Colombian army and security forces and their paramilitary allies commit serious human rights violations with virtual impunity. In the last five years alone, several thousand civilians have been killed. The security forces, who maintain a heavy military presence in the region, have responded by reportedly capturing a number of paramilitaries. In 1989, the government suspended the constitutional legal base for the formation of paramilitary organizations and issued directives to the armed forces to combat and disband such groups. However, paramilitaries continue to work with the support of the security forces in many areas of the country. Armed opposition groups have also committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, including executions of those they accuse of being security force or paramilitary force collaborators. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible: - calling for a full and impartial investigation into the 19 September killing of Yolanda Ceron, human rights defender and Director of the Catholic Church organization Pastoral Social, and into recent attacks on human rights defenders in the region; - expressing concern for the safety of members of Pastoral Social, other human rights defenders in Tumaco and the civilian inhabitants of the region; - urging the authorities to do everything deemed appropriate by those under threat to guarantee their safety; - calling for a full and impartial investigation into links between the security forces and paramilitary groups operating in Tumaco, department of Narino, urging that the results are made public and those found responsible for supporting and participating in such groups are brought to justice; - urging the authorities to take immediate action to dismantle paramilitary groups, in line with stated government commitments and United Nations recommendations. APPEALS TO: President of the Republic Senor Presidente Andres Pastrana Arango Presidente de la Republica Palacio de Narino Carrera 8 No.7-26 Santafe de Bogota COLOMBIA Telegram: President, Bogota, Colombia Fax: 011 57 1 566 2071 / 286 7434 / 286 6842 / 284 2186 Salutation: Dear President / Excmo. Sr. Presidente Minister of Defence Dr. Gustavo Bell Ministro de Defensa Nacional Ministerio de Defensa Nacional Centro Administrativeo Nacional Avenida Eldorado - Carrera 52, OFI 217 Santafe de Bogota Colombia Telegram: Ministro de Defensa, Bogota, Colombia Telex: 396 42411 INPRE CO; 44561 CFAC CO Faxes: 011 57 1 222 0059 Salutation: Dear Minister / Sr. Ministro Commander of the Marine Infantry Training Base BEIM2 Lieutenant Colonel Nicolas Montenegro Montenegro Commander of BEIM 2 (Base de Entrenamiento de Infanteria de Marina Apostadero Naval Tumaco, Narino Telegrams: Comandante BEIM2, Tumaco, Colombia Telefax: 011 57 927 272 821 Salutation: Sr Comandante. COPIES TO: National non-governmental human rights organization Pastoral Social Diocesis de Tumaco Tumaco, Narino Colombia Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno Embassy of Colombia 2118 Leroy Pl. NW Washington DC 20008 Fax: 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 November 20, 2001. Scott Harrison for the Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________ **************************************************************** * CLM-NEWS is brought to you by the COLOMBIAN LABOR MONITOR at * * http://www.prairienet.org/clm * * and the CHICAGO COLOMBIA COMMITTEE * * Email us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or * * Dennis Grammenos at [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To subscribe send request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * subscribe clm-news Your Name * **************************************************************** _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________