September 16th, 2010 In the morning of September 14th, the Comission of Justicia y Paz, an organization defending human rights, was informed that a concerted plan had been set up against them a few weeks ago. Stalking, telephone and electronic interceptions, the use of a smear campaign, a judiciary set-up and eventual attacks against life and physical integrity of members are part of the plan. This operation is settled in order to harm these human rights defenders: ABILO PEÑA, DANILO RUEDA and ALBERTO FRANCO. For fear of reprisals, the person who provided this information asked not to be named and said that soon, the lawyers of Justicia y Paz dealing with the most «delicate» cases — those implying businessmen and senior officers —, will be watched more closely. Among others, the lawyers responsible for the trial of General Rito Alejo del Río and the businessmen of the African palm project in Bajo Atrato. The purpose of this persecution plan is to unsettle the Comission of Justicia y Paz. Consequently, an important amount of money was given by businessmen of an undefined area to the people in charge of the two aspects of the plan: the media and judiciary set-up and the stalking, threats and possible attacks led by some state agents. The women who delivered the money refused to identify the state agents. On Sunday, September 12th, the members of Justicia y Paz EDWIN MOSQUERA and YAGO REDONDO, which support rural families living in the Humanitarian Zones of the shared territory of the Curvarado communities, in Bajo Atrato (Choco), were harassed, intimidated and photographed by the owners of the business «La Tukeka», which benefits from paramilitary operations in the region. Last week, human rights defenders working within the Commission of Justicia y Paz in various regions of the country were harassed and received threats. SANTIAGO MERA and JOHANA LÓPEZ were stalked while helping displaced families in the Cauca. Two members of the Buenaventura accompaniment team, ENRIQUE CHIMONJA and MARÍA EUGENIA MOSQUERA, were declared military objective. In the region of Bas Calima, the Commission Justicia y Paz was also declared a military objective by paramilitary structures. In the city of Bogota, DANILO RUEDA, one of the coordinators of Justicia y Paz, was threatened to death by motorcyclists, which grabbed and threatened him as he was waiting for a cab at the corner of a street. Last week, we were informed that pressure had been made on certain people as to make them give false testimonies implying members of the Commission Justicia y Paz with the FARC-EP guerrilla. More than 8 days have passed since the Commission Justicia y Paz first informed the government of this new wave of threats and intimidation. Since that day no answer was given neither no action was made by the government to protect life and physical integrity of the human rights defenders. We consider as responsible the government of Colombia for any irreparable injuries or attempt that could be done against life and physical integrity of the members of Justicia y Paz, and this because of the inaction and complicity of the aforesaid government with parabusiness areas which want to divide up the work of Justicia y Paz — this organization defending human rights and working aside victim families and rural communities struggling for their lands. Thus we are asking you to take action urgently by writing to the Colombian government, in order to make them act instantly and adopt a concrete plan to support Justicia y Paz members in their work defending human rights. Thank you for your solidarity, The PASC Team ****************** SAMPLE LETTER Send to : Dr. ANGELINO GARZÓN
Vicepresidente de Colombia
comunicacionesvp@presidencia.gov.co
Fax : (0057) 1 -4442156 ************************* Montreal, 16 septembre 2010. Dr. ANGELINO GARZÓN Vicepresidencia de Colombia Objeto : Plan de persecución contra la Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz Nuestra condena ante la persistencia de un plan sistemático de persecución en contra de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz que ha sido posible debido a la inacción institucional para enfrentar las lógicas de operación bajo la cual se concibe la labor legal y legitima de defensa de derechos humanos y de derechos de los pueblos, como parte de una estrategia guerrillera. La realidad de impunidad en que se cimienta la estructura criminal institucional, pretende negar los derechos a la verdad, a la justicia, a la reparación integral y a la restitución de la propiedad colectiva de las comunidades del Curvarado y Jiguamiando. Esta operación de intimidación, de amenazas y de señalamientos, de planes de atentado, de desprestigio y de montajes judiciales contra la Comision de Justicia y Paz pretende ocultar la ilegalidad con que operan sectores empresariales negando los derechos de comunidades campesinas mestizas, negras e indígenas. Nuevamente en conformidad con el artículo 23 de la Constitución Nacional colombiana, esperamos con prontitud su respuesta a estas preguntas : 1. ¿Qué garantías se van a brindar para la labor legal y legítima y para proteger la vida y integridad fisica de las y los defensores de derechos humanos de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz ; en Bogotà de P. ALBERTO FRANCO, ABILIO PEÑA, DANILO RUEDA, el sur occidente de MARÍA MOSQUERA, JOHANA LÓPEZ, SANTIAGO MERA, ENRIQUE CHIMONJA, y en el Bajo Atrato de EDWIN MOSQUERA y YAGO REDONDO ? 3. Se actúe diligentemente para esclarecer la campaña de desprestigio y de judicialización contra la Comisión de Justicia y Paz, conocido en octubre de 2008 por la conversación del general ® RITO ALEJO DEL RIO ROJAS y el ex ministro FERNANDO LONDOÑO HOYOS. 4. Se identifique a los responsables del intento de fraude procesal para vincular falsamente a los integrantes de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz, entre otros, P. ALBERTO FRANCO, ABILIO PEÑA, DANILO RUEDA, y al padre JAVIER GIRALDO como responsables del triple crimen de diciembre pasado y del atentado de MARMOLEJO ? Con profunda preocupación, exigimos se nos de una respuesta urgente y contundente explicándonos que plan de acción concreto va a adoptar su gobierno para proteger la labor legal y legítima y para proteger la vida y integridad física de las y los defensores de derechos humanos de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz. SIGNATURE
ORGANISATION (if necessary)
CANADA