URABA SECRET POLICEMEN REFUSES TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES TO PEACE COMMUNITY LEADERS

On July 20, 2007, three leaders of the Peace Community, GILDARDO TUBERQUIA, JESUS EMILIO TUBERQUIA Y ANIBAL DURANGO,  were stopped  by 2 men dressed as civilians in San Jose de Apartado. The men asked the three for identification, to which they replied they would not identify themselves to these men. At once, two uniformed policemen appeared and asked the three for their identification cards. When they give them to the police, the police passed them to the two civilians, one of whom wrote down their personal data in a notebook.

The three, who are dedicated leaders of the Peace Community, returned to San Josecito and called the Public Defender’s office demanding that the police identify the two civilians and to provide an immediate presence, which they said they could not do because of the holiday week-end.

The Peace Community then send a delegation to the Police Station in San Jose and asked the Commander to identify the two civilians. After first denying that there were two civilians with the police, the spokesperson at the Police Station alleged that the two dressed as civilians were part of the SIJIN (Secret Police). The Police also tried to deny that they had to follow the requirements of the Constitutional Court and said that they had called the two men dressed as civilians to come to the Police Station to meet them. After waiting for two hours the Peace Community leaders decided that no one was coming to meet them.

Lieutenant Colonel MARCO TULIO AVENDANO, Commander of the Police in Uraba, on July 21st told CSN that he is personally responsible for the safety of the members of the Peace Community, he confirmed that the two men dressed of civilians  were members of the SIJIN, but refused to commit himself to requiring that they identified themselves to Members of the Peace Community.

Please write to Lieutenant Colonel Avendano  to tell him we expect him to follow true on his commitment to see that the Members of the Peace Community are protected,  and that paramilitary forces such as the Aguilas Negras, will not be permitted to act in the region. Tell him to require police of any kind to identify themselves when they ask for documents of Peace Community Members, that you expect the Peace Community leaders to be protected. Let them know we are watching to make sure that nothing happens to these important leaders of the Peace Community. Also please let your Members of Congress know that you are concerned about the continuing paramilitary operations, apparently supported by the Colombian Police and Army,  in the region of San Jose de Apartado.


Please  write  respectfully to :
IN THE US
Your Senators and Representatives see our website www.colombiasupport.net

US Embassy :
 Ambassador B@ state.gov

IN COLOMBIA

Liutenant Colonel Marco Tulio Avendano-Lara
Police Comander Uraba
comandeura@policia.gov.co

President Alvaro Uribe-Velez
auribe@presidencia.gov.co

[OR to better send e-mail to Uribe login to http://www.presidencia.gov.co and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page.

Vice-president Francisco Santos
fsantos@presidencia.gov.co


Vice-Minister of Defense  Sergio Jaramillo-Caro
serjara@mindefensa.gov.co



Secretario de Gobierno de Antioquia
Jorge Mejia-Martinez jmejiama@gobant.gov.co

Procuraduría General de la Nación
Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón
 reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co

Vice-Minister of Defense  Sergio Jaramillo-Caro
serjara@mindefensa.gov.co





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