Amnesty Intl UA 122/98 on Colombia

U R G E N T   A C T I O N    A P P E A L
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The following information is from Amnesty International's research 
headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide 
movement working for the international protection of human rights. 
It seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color, 
sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not 
used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of 
conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political 
prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without 
charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions 
(political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel, 
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners 
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other internationally recognized human rights instruments, the 
values enshrined in them and the indivisibility and interdependence 
of all human rights and freedoms. 

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UA 122/98	20 April 1998
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COLOMBIA

Fear for safety: Human Rights Defenders
Extrajudicial execution: Dr. Eduardo Umana Mendoza 

The killing of Dr. Eduardo Umana Mendoza, one of Colombia's most 
prominent human rights lawyers, on 18 April 1998, has heightened 
Amnesty International's fears for the safety of all human rights 
defenders in the country.

Human rights defenders have in recent years faced increasing 
harassment and intimidation, which in some cases has been followed 
by attacks on their lives. Those who have denounced human rights 
violations committed by the security forces or their paramilitary 
allies have themselves often been the target of serious human rights 
violations. Similarly those who have made public the close links 
between security forces and paramilitary forces have been accused 
of being guerrilla sympathizers and been the victims of death threats 
and serious human rights violations.

Dr. Umana was a leading human rights activist for over 20 years and 
helped to found a number of Colombia's national non-governmental 
human rights organizations. As a human rights lawyer, Dr. Umana 
represented numerous political prisoners and sought justice in many 
high-profile cases. He vigorously condemned the responsibility of the 
security forces in human rights violations and the high level of 
impunity which benefits those responsible for human rights 
violations. He denounced the Military Justice System as a mechanism 
of impunity.

Over the last year several human rights activists have been killed. 
Most recently, on 27 February 1998, Jesus Maria Valle Jaramillo, the 
director of the Comite Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos 
Humanos de Antioquia, CPDH, Antioquia Permanent Committee for 
the Defence of Human Rights, a widely respected non-governmental 
human rights organization, was shot dead in his office in Medellin. 

Throughout the presidency of Ernesto Samper Pizano, the Colombian 
Government has made repeated commitments to guarantee the 
safety of human rights defenders, yet, in spite of this, his 
government has continuously failed to take the effective action 
necessary to safeguard their physical integrity. The killing of Dr 
Umana is testimony of the government's failure to take adequate 
action. 

Amnesty International calls upon the government of President 
Samper to stand by its commitments and ensure that human rights 
workers can carry out their lawful activities, without fear for their 
own lives or those of their families.

The recent 54th session of the UN Commission for Human Rights 
urged the Colombian government to give special importance to the 
safety of human rights workers. The session called on the 
government to implement the recommendations contained in the 
Report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which, inter 
alia, urges the proper recognition of the right of human rights 
advocates to conduct their activities without fear for their lives. 
Amnesty International is concerned that, if measures in line with 
these recommendations and proposals made by Colombian NGOs 
themselves, are not adhered to, all human rights defenders in 
Colombian will continue to be at serious risk. 

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters: 

- deploring the killing of Eduardo Umana in his home on 18 April 
1998 
by three gunmen;

- expressing grave concern for the physical safety of all other human 
rights defenders in Colombia;

- calling on the Colombian Government to act immediately in 
implementing all those measures repeatedly requested by the 
human rights community to guarantee the physical safety of human 
rights defenders in Colombia;

- urging that there be a full and impartial investigation into the 
killing of Eduardo Umana, that the results be made public and that 
all those responsible for planning as well as carrying out the attack 
be brought to justice.


APPEALS TO:

President of Colombia:
Senor Presidente Ernesto Samper Pizano
Presidente de la Republica
Palacio de Narino
carrera 8 No. 7-26
Santafe de Bogota, Colombia

Dear President Samper:

Telegrams: President Samper Pizano, Bogota, Colombia Tx: 396 44281 
PALP CO
Fax: 011 57 1 284 2186/289 3377/286 7434 



Minister of the Interior:
Dr. Alfonso Lopez Caballero
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 



Attorney General:
Dr.Alfonso Gomez Mendez
Fiscal General de la Nacion
Fiscalia General de la Nacion
Diagonal 22B 5201,Apartado Aereo 29855
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:

Human Rights Organization:
Coordinacion de Organizacion No Gubermentales de Derechos 
Humanos Avenida Jimenez No. 8-49 Oficina 1001
Bogota, Colombia


Ambassador Juan Carlos Esguerra
Embassy of Colombia
2118 Leroy Pl. NW
Washington DC 20008


Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office 
between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if 
sending appeals after June 1 1998.