SECURITY FOR WHAT AND FOR WHOM?

(Translated by Stacey Schlau, a CSN volunteer translator)
 
SECURITY, FOR WHAT AND FOR WHOM?

The Joel Sierra Human Rights Foundation DENOUNCES to national and international public opinion, through the network of national and international human rights NGOs, the following facts:

1. On March 29, 2007, at about 8 pm, in the township of El Charo, municipality of Saravena, Mr. MILCIADES SANCHEZ was assassinated.
   

1. That same day, March 25, JUDITH NAVARRO DITTA, 24 years old, from Fonseca-Guajira, and FRANCISCO GAMA VILLAMIZAR, 41 years old and from Puerto Wilches-Santander, were assassinated. These events occurred in the township of Los Pájaros, in the municipality of Arauquita. This foundation also has knowledge of the existence of a cadaver listed as N. N., also the result of a violent death, which is in the morgue of the San Ricardo Pampuri Hospital in Saravena.
   

1. On April 8, 2007, at about 6 pm, Mr. LISANDRO BAUTISTA TIRADO, 23 years old, was assassinated by unknown persons in the José Vicente neighborhood, in the urban part of the municipality of Saravena, Arauca state
   

1. That same day, in the township of Guaimaral, in the municipality of Arauquita,  Arauca state, three members of the same family were wounded when an anti-personnel mine was activated. Among the wounded is the young DUMAR FUQUENE.
   

1. On April 9, 2007, at about 3 pm, JHONNY JOSE CASELLES MENECES, 39 years old, construction technician, was assassinated.
   

1. With this canvas of violence, in which the dead in the department are counted by the dozens, terror is taking hold of the region, accentuated by the complicit silence of the national and departmental governments, and the mass media. The organisms of justice and law do not offer concrete results of their own investigations. The communities continue to denounce and ask for truth, justice, and reparation, demanding as well that this absurd violence cease. But they continue to be stigmatized, jailed, persecuted, and intimidated for their social involvement.
   

1. We call upon the offices of justice and law of the State to move forward the investigations of these facts, including the possible omissions and gaps that these investigations may have incurred, and that they immediately adopt measures designed to protect the civil population, preserve their fundamental rights, and guarantee peace. We demand of the national government that it take charge of this situation and ensure that it is visible and done in the open, and that they stop their efforts to cover up the reality that we the Araucan people are living.
   

Sonia Milena López
Legal Representative
 
FOR THE DEFENSE OF LIFE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND RESIDENCY ON THE LAND

Colombia Support Network
P.O. Box 1505
Madison, WI  53701-1505
phone:  (608) 257-8753
fax:  (608) 255-6621
e-mail:  csn@igc.org
http://www.colombiasupport.net




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