TITLE: Urgent Action! Protect Community Leaders In Barrancabermeja

AUTHOR:

ORG: Colombia Support Network

DATE: February 21, 2001

Since December 22, the city of Barrancabermeja, located just south of the proposed demilitarized zone between the government and the ELN guerrillas in the Middle Magdalena region, has experienced massive paramilitary invasion. Particularly targeted in this invasion are poor and displaced residents and community, social, and human rights leaders. On January 23, the AUC paramilitaries cut the phone lines of Comuna 7, on the outskirts of Barrancabermeja, leaving 18,000 people without phone service. Since that time, the paramilitaries have targeted the population of Comuna 7, calling mandatory meetings, forcing residents to sign statements in opposition to community organizations, and threatening all those who don't comply. On Friday, February 16, the paramilitaries began circulating a list of community leaders who are considered paramilitary targets. This list contained the names of seven (7) community leaders, including teachers, health care workers, unionists, and members of the local government. On Saturday, February 17, one of the men whose names was on this list, OMAR VERA LUNA, was temporarily detained at a roadblock organized on Friday in opposition to the demilitarized zone. Mr. VERA was released only when a prominent Colombian human rights worker, accompanied by several visiting French bishops, approached the regional police commander and demanded that Mr. VERA be released. Mr. VERA was returned to his home on Saturday evening, where he spent the night with his wife, two young daughters, and Colombian and international observers. On Sunday morning, paramilitaries went to Mr. VERA's house three times in order to threaten him, each time leaving because of the presence of international observers. During one of these encounters, the paramilitaries stated that THEY HAD TO KILL MR. VERA OR ELSE THEY WOULD BE KILLED. On Sunday afternoon, human rights workers moved Mr. Vera and his family out of their house to afford them greater protection elsewhere. However, Mr. Vera wants to return to his home and the human rights community asserts his rights to remain in his house with state protection. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Contact Colombian and U.S. officials to: *Express fear for the safety of Mr. Vera and other community leaders whose names appear below *Announce outrage that the Colombian State has not taken concrete actions to protect the lives of the citizens of Barrancabermeja, such as fixing the phone lines in Comuna 7 or guaranteeing the protection of threatened leaders who return to their homes. *Urge both Colombian and U.S. officials publicly recognize the legitimacy of popular leaders, human rights workers and other targeted citizens in Barrancabermeja to continue their work without threats or harassment. *Demand that the Colombian government take immediate action to sever the active ties between the paramilitaries, military and police force, as such ties are being demonstrated in Barrancabermeja. *Request consistent and reliable protection for community leaders such as Mr. Vera, who wish to return to their homes and remain in Barrancabermeja.   Threatened Community Leaders from Comuna 7, Barrancabermeja Andres Manuel Aldana Berrio Angel Miguel Solano Orostegui Benjamin Ortega Perez Omar Vera Luna Julian Penaloza Centero Flor Maria Solano Orostegui Olga Maria Tolosa Hernandez   Who to contact: (In Colombia) * President Andres Pastrana Phone: (1) 284-3300 Fax: (1) 286-7434 (1) 286-6842 * Vice-President Gustavo Bell Phone: (1) 341-8364 * General Fernando Tapias Stahelin Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares Phone (1) 222 2935 Fax (1) 222 2935 e-mail: mapi_7@mixmail.com * Major Augustin Rodriguez Comandante de la Flotilla Fluvial del Magdalena Medio (Barrancabermeja) Phone: (7) 620-9271 Fax: (7)620-9266 * Col. Hernan Dario Moreno Belez Comandante Bat. Nueva Granada (Barrancabermeja) Phone: (7)622-3348 Fax: (7) 622-9425 * Ten. Col. Jose Miguel Billar Jimenez Policia Nacional (Barrancabermeja) Phone: (7) 621-3780 Fax: (7) 622-9553   (In the US) * Secretary Colin Powell Secretary of State Phone: (202) 647-6575 Fax: (202) 647-7120 * Ambassador Anne Patterson U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Phone: (1) 315-2112 Fax: (1) 315-2038 e-mail: pattersonaw@usembassy.gov   Colombia Support Network P.O. Box 1505 Madison, WI 53701-1505 608/257-8753 (voice) 608/255-6621 (fax) e-mail: csn@igc.org END top