We are relaying the following Urgent Appeal from Amnesty International. Labor in Colombia is under fire and unionists there need our help. Please take a little bit of time to respond to this Urgent Appeal. Solidarity, Dennis Grammenos Colombian Labor Monitor http://www.prairienet.org/clm =========================================================================== UA 230/98 Fear for safety/Death threats 27 August 1998 --------------------------------------------------------- COLOMBIA July Gonzalez Villadiego (f), Rafael Pena, Olimpo Cardenas, Alvaro Pulido, Ana Cecilia Escorcia (f), Miguel Gonzalez, Segundo Mora, Ivan Ferreira, Jesus Arias, Raul Malagon, Hector Florez, Mauricio Alvarez, Edgar Rodriguez, Orlando Romero, Jesus Arevalo, Alvaro Quintero, Emidgio Triana - all members of the National Executive of the Union Nacional de Empleados Bancarios (UNEB), National Bank Workers' Union, other UNEB members, and Domingo Rafael Tovar Arrieta, a leader of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Trade Union Confederation There is serious concern for the safety of the the above-named leaders of the Union Nacional de Empleados Bancarios (UNEB), National Bank Workers' Union, after they received death threats, reportedly issued by a paramilitary organization. On 13 August 1998 an anonymous phonecaller made death threats against July Gonzalez Villadiego and her partner, Domingo Rafael Tovar Arrieta, a leader of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Trade Union. On 15 August, the couple received further telephone death threats. A fax sent to the CUT offices on 21 August accused the UNEB and members of its National Executive of being 'guerrilla auxiliaries' and declared that the UNEB and its National Executive were now military targets. BACKGROUND INFORMATION For many years trade unionists, human rights workers, members of legal opposition groups and popular activists in Colombia have frequently been accused of being guerrilla sympathizers or auxiliaries by the security and armed forces. Such accusations have frequently been followed by serious human rights violations, often perpetrated by the security forces' paramilitary allies. Members of the Colombian army and security forces and their paramilitary allies continue to commit serious human rights violations with virtual impunity. The Colombian 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 in 1989. Yet these groups continue to work with the support of the security forces in many areas of the country. No effective steps have been taken by the authorities as yet to control the actions of such gropus and to hold their members accountable for the serious and widespread human rights violations they commit. The Attorney General recently stated that more than 200 arrest warrants issued against alleged paramilitary members in connection with human rights violations have still not been acted upon by the security forces. Colombia's new President, Andres Pastrana, took office on 8 August 1998. So far, he and his government have not taken any steps or made any commitments to tackle the country's long running human rights crisis. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters: - expressing concern for the safety of Domingo Rafael Tovar Arrieta, a leader of the CUT, the members of the National Executivec of UNEB (name some of them) and all other UNEB members in the light of the repeated death threats made against them; - calling on the authorities to take all steps deemed appropriate by those under threat themselves to guarantee their safety; - urging that all threats against the above named trade unionists be fully and impartially investigated and that those responsible be brought to justice; - calling for a full and impartial investigation into links between the security forces and paramilitary groups and urging that those found responsible for supporting and participating in such groups be brought to justice; - urging that the authorities take immediate action to dismantle paramilitary groups, in line with stated government commitments; - calling on President Pastrana's government to take immediate and decisive action to tackle Colombia's human rights crisis; - reminding Colombia's new government of the country's commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular Article 3: 'Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.' APPEALS TO: President of Colombia: Dr. Andres Pastrana Arango Presidente de la Republica Palacio de Narino Carrera 8 No. 7-26 Santafe de Bogota, Colombia Dear President Pastrana: Telegrams: President Pastrana, Bogota, Colombia Telexes: 396 44281 PALP CO Faxes: 011 57 1 284 2186 / 289 3377 / 286 7434 Minister of the Interior: Dr. Nestor Humberto Martinez 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 Fax: 011 57 1 281 5884 / 286 6524 / 286 0405 Minister of Defense: Dr. Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo 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 / 288 4906 Attorney General: Dr.Alfonso Gomez Mendez Fiscal General de la Nacion Fiscalia General de la Nacion Diagonal 22B 5201 Santafe de Bogota,Colombia Dear Dr.: Telegrams: Fiscal General, Fiscalia General, Bogota, Colombia Faxes: 011 571 570 2000 (when ansaphone picks up dial 2017 for fax) COPIES TO: Trade Union: Union Nacional de Empleados Bancarios Calle 28 No. 16-34 Bogota, Colombia Ambassador Juan Carlos Esguerra Embassy of Colombia 2118 Leroy Pl. NW Washington DC 20008 =========================================================================
[PEN-L:1317] ALERT: Unionists threatened in Colombia
Colombian Labor Monitor Fri, 28 Aug 1998 21:19:13 -0500 (CDT)
