SUMMARY:
On the 13th of September, Teresa Mosquera, a board member of the Meta Human Rights Committee, denounced death threats made against her by a paramilitary group calling itself Death to the Communists (MAC). Since February, the Committee's members have received numerous death threats, forcing the closing of their offices and their flight to Bogota.
TELEX MESSAGE: I wish to express my grave concern for the security of the members of the Human Rights Monitoring Commission for the Meta Department, especially for the members of the Meta Human Rights Committee. An immediate and thorough investigation should be conducted to determine who is responsible for the threats, and to assure the life and physical safety of all the participating members of the Human Rights Monitoring Commission for the Meta Department. I also want to take this opportunity to express my concern over the continuing human rights violations in Colombia. I urge the Colombian Government, which has committed itself to respecting human rights, put an end to these attacks and fully comply with international conventions to which it is a signatory.
ACTION: SEND A PRECOMPOSED TELEX OR FAX BY CALLING WORLDLINK AT Tel: 1-800-357-0326 or Email: worldlink@igc.apc.org
Refer to PBI message #1 to the President, #2 to the Minister of Defense. Worldlink charges $6(Billed) / $4 (Visa/MC) per telex or fax.
To send you own Fax/Telex/Letter:
* Presidente de la Republica, Ernesto Samper
Palacio de Narino, Santa fe de Bogota, Colombia
Salutation: His Excellency, Senor Presidente
Telex: 44281 PALP CO, Fax: +57 1 284 0472
* Minister of Defense, Juan Carlos Esguerra
Ministro de Defensa Nacional, Avenida Eldorado CAN-Carrera 52
Santa fe de Bogota , Colombia
Telexes: 42411 INPRE CO, Faxes: +57 1 288 4906/ 222 1874
Salutation: Senor Ministro
* Minister of Government, Dr. Horacio Serpa Uribe
Ministro of Gobierno, Carrera 8a, No. 8-09, Piso 7
Santa fe de Bogota, Colombia
Telexes: 45406 MINGO CO, Fax: +57 1 284 0214
Salutation: Senor Ministro
BACKGROUND:
In March, the Meta Human Rights Committee was forced to close
their
offices and its members fled to Bogota due to repeated death threats.
In
April, the Committee made its brief history available to the
government and
the international community, documenting the violence it has suffered
since
its creation in 1991: 4 assassinations, 3 disappearances, 25 more
have fled
the area, while those that remain have been receiving death threats
since
February.
In order to return to Meta with dignity and proceed with the defense and promotion of human rights in the region, the Committee agreed to put together a Human Rights Monitoring Commission with the national government to document the abuses committed in the region over the past 10 years.
The death threats received by Teresa Mosquera, a board member of the Meta Human Rights Committee, are interpreted as an attack on the work already accomplished by the recently formed Human Rights Monitoring Committee.
RELATIONS WITH PBI:
Following PBI's arrival in Colombia last November, the team made
the
decision to visit this region and the Meta Human Rights Committee on
a
monthly basis. As the human rights crisis has deepened, the PBI team
has
visited them more frequently until the Committee members were finally
forced to flee to Bogota, accompanied by PBI.
The PBI team has also prepared a dossier about the human rights situation in the Meta region which has since been used as working material by other organizations and institutions, including the Colombian Government and foreign embassies. PBI continues to accompany members of the Meta Human Rights Committee who are participating in the Human Rights Monitoring Committee.
******
Founded in 1981, Peace Brigades International is a unique
non-governmental
organization exploring nonpartisan approaches to peacemaking and
support
for basic human rights. Currently, PBI maintains teams in Colombia,
Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and several Native communities in North
America. PBI
is officially recognized by the UN.
For more information contact, see pbi.news or contact:
PBI/USA 2642 College Ave., Berkeley CA 94704 (510-540-0749)
*** Peace Brigades International (USA) **
*
2642 College Ave., Berekely CA 94704
T/F: 510-540-0749
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