The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights
Defenders, a joint program of the InternationalFederation for Human Rights (FIDH)
and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) issued an urgent action
today (see below in Spanish) following a death threat that was sent on July
4, 2012 to 13 Colombian human rights defenders.
The threat which included a photo of each of the thirteen
defenders states:
“13 guerrillas camouflaged in the role of human rights
defenders, 13 military targets. Our army has clear instructions to take down
these bastards who want to take the land from good citizens to give it to
guerrillas like themselves. Be warned and know that we have clearly
identified your security programs and those without them SOB shit guerrillas
who with the excuse of being a human rights defender attempt through various
arbitrary means to take land away from the rightful owners in order that it
end up in the hands of a handful of bastard, SOB guerrillas”
Among the 13 people named are several people that CoDev and
other Canadian groups have worked closely with for years, including Yessika
Hoyos of the Lawyer’s Collective (CCAJAR), Lilia Solano of Justice and Life
and Aida Quilcue, elder and leader of the Regional Indigenous Council of
Cauca (CRIC). Human Rights defender Lilia Solano is pictured here during a
visit with OPSEU members and staff in 2010.
The Observatory asks that letters be sent immediately to the
Colombian authorities asking:
-
That the government adopt immediate measures to guarantee
the life, security and physical and psychological integrity of the people
threatened and everyone who works in thoseorganizations;
-
Undertake an independent, immediate, exhaustive and
impartial investigation into the threats with the intentions of indentifying
those responsible, bringing them to a competent, independent, just and
impartial court and applying penal or administrative sentences according to the law;
-
Ensure the end of all types of aggression, threats,
harassment and violence against organizationsand individuals who defend human rights in Colombia;
-
Guarantee the application of the article of the UN
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
