Document - Colombia: Fear for safety/Death threats
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 23/020/2008
27 June 2008
UA 186/08 Fear for safety/Death threats
COLOMBIA Members of the Medellín Youth Network (Red Juvenil de Medellín)
A paramilitary organization, the Aguilas Negras (Black Eagles), sent an email death threat to the youth organization Red Juvenil de Medellín (Medellín Youth Network) on 30 May.
The message read, “Death to anarchists disguised as pacifists, no more druggy concerts or communists, there are no more warnings” (Muerte a anarquistas disfrazados de pacifistas, no mas conciertos de drogas ni comunistas, no hay mas avisos).
Red Juveníl de Medellín works to empower young people to resist attempts by either side in the country's long-running internal armed conflict, the regular army and paramilitaries, or guerrilla groups, to recruit them. It promotes the principles of non-violence and the practice of conscientious objection.
The threatening e mail follows a concert against militarization organized by the Red Juveníl de Medellín on 17 May in the Obrero de Boston Park in the city of Medellín. The network organizes this concert every year to mark International Conscientious Objectors’ Day. About 5, 000 young people went to the concert.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the course of Colombia’s internal armed conflict, human rights organizations, trade unions and other social organizations have often been labelled guerrilla collaborators or supporters by government officials, as well as by the security forces and paramilitaries. These accusations have often led to attacks against human rights activists, such as the Red Juveníl de Medellín. Guerrilla groups have also threatened and killed human rights activists and trade unionists.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:
- expressing concern for the safety of members of the Red Juvenil de Medellín, who received an email death threat from the Aguilas Negras paramilitary organization on 30 May;
- urging the authorities to ensure that all measures deemed appropriate by those threatened on 30 May are taken to guarantee their safety;
- calling on them to order full and impartial investigations into the 30 May death threat, publish the results and bring those responsible to justice;
- calling on them to take decisive action to confront and dismantle paramilitary groups and investigate and break their links with the security forces, in line with repeated UN recommendations;
- calling on the authorities to produce policy and plans, in conjunction with human rights defenders, to guarantee their safety according to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and to make these plans public.
APPEALS TO:
President
Señor Presidente Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Presidente de la República, Palacio de Nariño, Carrera 8 No.7-2, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: +57 1 337 5890
+57 1 342 0592
Salutation: Dear President Uribe/Excmo. Sr. Presidente Uribe
Vice-President
Dr. Francisco Santos Calderón
Vicepresidencia, Carrera 8A No 7-27, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: +57 1 565 7682 (ask: me da tono de fax por favor)
Salutation: Dear Vice-president Santos/Estimado Sr. Vicepresidente Santos
Attorney General
Dr. Mario Germán Iguarán Arana
Fiscal General de la Nación, Fiscalía General de la Nación
Diagonal 22B (Av. Luis Carlos Galán No. 52-01) Bloque C, Piso 4, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: +57 1 570 2000 (a message in Spanish will ask you to enter extension 2017)
Salutation: Estimado Sr. Fiscal/Dear Mr Iguarán
Mayor of Medellín
Alonso Salazar Jaramillo
Alcaldía de Medellín
Calle 44 N 52 – 165
Centro Administrativo la Alpujarra – Palacio Municipal, Medellín, Colombia
Fax: +57 4 3811852
Salutation: Estimado Sr. Alcalde/Dear Mr Salazar
COPIES TO:
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sr. Fernando Araújo Perdomo
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Calle 10 No 5-51, Palacio de San Carlos, Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: +57 1 562 7822
La Red Juvenil de Medellín
Calle 47 # 47 – 53, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
and to diplomatic representatives of Colombia accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 8 August 2008.