SIGN ONLINE A LETTER TO THE COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES

Context:

As a social and political movement in Colombia, we have been facing a strong wave of serious accusations and judicial frame ups by the National Government that seek to delegitimize the right to defend life and territories. These actions are part of a larger trend of genocidal social practices and put the lives and integrity of social leaders at risk. They also affect the communities that the leaders and organizations represent and the political work they carry out.

The People's Congress headquarters in Bogotá is a meeting space that seeks to strengthen the work of social processes towards a dignified life; a headquarters that has been the object of constant monitoring, surveillance and siege by people unidentified subjects, these incidents have been more frequent following the dismantling of the recent framings of social leaders of the process.

Incidents:

On December 29 at 12:00pm, two women and one man arrived at the headquarters of the CdP to pick up the utility bills and water the plants inside the headquarters.

At the corner of 28th avenue with 39th street, that is, half a block before arriving to the headquarters, they noticed the presence of a gray vehicle with an OBT plate parked and suspiciously on a surveillance exercise.

At about 12:15 p.m., a woman of about 33-37 years of age arrived, wearing jeans, a lilac jacket, a white face mask, light-colored shoes and who has black hair, who apparently was talking on her cell phone on the sidewalk in front of the headquarters, all the while watching the movements of those who were at the headquarters, taking pictures and recording every action taken inside the house.

Our security cameras record that once our comrades left the headquarters, the woman also left the premises.

By reviewing the surveillance videos, you can clearly see the woman taking pictures and reporting every situation in the house; just as people leave the house you can see how she makes a phone call and minutes later leaves.

Demands:

• We demand that the National Government stop the actions of stigmatization, harassment, intimidation and surveillance of both the headquarters of the Peoples' Congress and our comrades.
• To the Human Rights Commission of the Presidency and other control bodies, they should investigate the origin of these actions and those responsible.
• To guarantee the life and security of the people who are part of the People's Congress across the country.

With copy:

IVÁN DUQUE MÁRQUEZ
President of the Republic
Calle 7 No. 6 -54, Bogotá, D.C

MARTA LUCÍA RAMÍREZ DE RINCÓN
Vice President of the Republic
Calle 7 No. 6 -54, Bogotá, D.C.

CARLOS HOLMES TRUJILLO
Minister of Defense
El dorado Avenue with Carrera 52 CAN, Bogotá, D.C.

ALICIA ARANGO OLMOS
Minister of the Interior
12B Street No. 8-38 - Bogotá, D.C.

FRANCISCO ROBERTO BARBOSA DELGADO
Attorney General of the Nation
Diagonal 22B No. 52-01, Bogotá, D.C

NANCY PATRICIA GUTIÉRREZ CASTAÑEDA
Presidential Advisor for Human Rights and International Affairs
Calle 7 No. 6-54, Bogotá, D.C.

RICARDO ARIAS MACIAS
Director of the Human Rights Program of the Ministry of the Interior
12B Street No. 8-38, Bogotá, D.C.

CARLOS ERNESTO CAMARGO
Ombudsman
Carrera 9 No. 16 - 21, Chamber of Commerce building, Bogotá, D.C.

MARGARITA CABELLO
Attorney General of the Nation
Carrera 5 No.15 - 80F, Bogotá, D.C.

National Human Rights Commission
Peoples Congress