Colombian trade unions under renewed attack

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday January 01, 2003 00:24 by sean smyth - ctusc

STOP THE HARASSMENT OF SINTRAEMCALI.

the workers of SINTRAEMCALI, especially the union's executive members, continue to be victims of persecution from state forces

URGENT ACTION - STOP THE HARASSMENT OF SINTRAEMCALI
The Association for Research and Social Action NOMADESC and the other organisations belonging to the National and International Human Rights Campaign Against Privatisation, Corruption and the Criminalisation of Social Protest "Never Forget" denounce the serious incidents which show that the workers of SINTRAEMCALI, especially the union's executive members, continue to be victims of persecution from state forces
The Events
1. At 2:45 p.m. on 22nd December 2002, a call was received at the union headquarters from an unidentified person who said "You lot will be blown into a thousand pieces".
2. At 4:30 p.m. the same day several police officers arrived at the union headquarters with an order to drive away vehicle 138, because according to them someone from this vehicle had shot at agents of SIJIN (the political police). However the DAS (state security department) member * who drives vehicle 138, who was in front of the union building, told them that they were mistaken given that he had been in charge of the vehicle. That same day there had been a phone call at 2:45, p.m., in which the union was warned that in the next few days a bomb was going to be placed. These threats show the type of persecution imposed on the social, popular and workers organisations who struggle for peace with social justice.
3.- Next when union president LUIS HERNANDEZ left the union headquarters at about 6:00 p.m., a few blocks from the building he was detained by members of the police and driven to Fray Damian police station, where the police commander stated that his protection vehicle would stay decommissioned, as well as the arms and the security items used by this three bodyguards.
SINTRAEMCALI's president communicated with NOMADESC human rights organisation, which immediately informed the national authorities. NOMADESC was told by the official in charge at DAS that the protection vehicle and protective arms would be decommissioned.
LUIS HERNANDEZ, decided to leave the police station in a public vehicle, but before doing so insisted with the assistance of NOMADESC that the Metropolitan Police and the Valle branch of DAS sign a statement that they would be responsible for any form of physical or psychological attack on him. The police commander then decided to return the vehicle and the security items to the bodyguards.
Note that this incident is a clear indication that the protection measures agreed for the SINTRAEMCALI executive, and specifically its president who is most at risk, are not being fulfilled.
4. On 20th December 2002, at about 4:30 p.m. SINTRAEMCALI leaders LUIS HERNÁNDEZ, RUBEN DARIO GONZÁLEZ, Adviser and OSCAR FIGUEROA Treasurer, together with the union's lawyer Doctor DANNY JARAMILLO RAMOS were waiting outside Villa Hermosa prison in Cali for the exit of RICAURTE MARTINEZ MILLAN, one of OSCAR FIGUEROA's bodyguards.
When RICAURTE MARTINEZ, came out the group noticed the presence of several armed men in civilian clothes in a vehicle, filming and taking photos of them. The vehicle was a new model, coloured green with dark windows. The trade unionists' bodyguards move to the vehicle to ask the occupants who they were and why were they filming. At this point the watching group drove off, abandoning one of their team who had stepped out the vehicle. The man left behind was CARLOS GIOVANNI CALBACHE who identified himself as a member of SIJIN, and stated that by order of a high ranking officer he had to stay there taking photos of whover left the prison.
SIJIN agent, CARLOS GIOVANNI CALVACHE FIERRO, identified by Citizen ID Card No. 12.999.050 from Pasto, after much insistence showed his ID card of this intelligence body.
The trade unionists noted that he was carrying a advance technology digital camera. The SIJIN agent refused to show the images he had already taken. In the face of repeated requests from LUIS HERNÁNDEZ, OSCAR FIGUEROA and RUBEN DARIO GONZÁLEZ he had to show them on the camera's high resolution screen. The photos had been taken over sevreal days, as marked by date and hour. The first ones were of RICAURTE MARTINEZ coming out of the prison and marked 5:00 p.m. 20th December. On these photos OSCAR FIGUEROA, LUIS HERNÁNDEZ, RUBEN DARIO GONZÁLEZ, DANNY JARAMILLO, WILMAN CASTILLO and RICAURTE MARTINEZ were all clearly shown.
Other photos taken at 3:20 p.m. were of DANNY JARAMILLO and OSCAR FIGUEROA, leaving the prison after their visit. Other photos showed their entry into the prison at 2:00 p.m. Photos taken that morning from outside the officers of the Attorney General showed LUIS HERNÁNDEZ, OSCAR FIGUEROA, DANNY JARAMILLO, WILMAN CASTILLO and Luis's bodyguards. There were many other similar photos of these same people performing their trade union activity.
Meanwhile the bodyguards of RUBEN DARIO GONZÁLEZ had followed the green vehicle, catching up with it after six blocks. When he realised that he was about to be stopped, the green vehicle's driver accelerated, the occupants started shooting at the SINTRAEMCALI bodyguards and the vehicle turned the wrong way up a one-way street. Under these circumstances, and in bad light, the bodyguards decided to call off the chase. They contacted their leaders, who immediately ordered the bodyguards to return to the prison to collect them.
Requested Action
On the basis of the above report, and given the seriousness of the situation, we ask you to direct a preventative action to the Colombian government and the state's control bodies. We ask that you demand that the Colombain government:
1. Ceases the persecution of SINTRAEMCALI.
2. Carries out an exhaustive investigation of the state security agents who have been following SINTRAEMCALI union leaders and advisers. And that there be an explanation for their persecution.
3. Investigates state security agents who are committing abuses of authority against SINTRAEMCALI members.
[* Translator's Note: DAS - Department of Adminstrative Security. As a result of pressure from the unions and a case taken to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, the Colombian government agreed a security scheme for trade unionists under threat of assassination. The scheme is limited, and does not address the union's central demand for those responsible for the murders to be prosecuted. Nonetheless some union leaders have had their own bodyguards trained and awarded the status of an official DAS agent. It is precisely this limited protection that the authorities are now trying to remove from SINTRAEMCALI. ]
Direct your protests to:

Presidencia de Colombia
Alvaro Uribe Vélez
Correo_E: [email protected]. Carrera 8 n. 7-26 Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Teléfono. +57.1.5629300 ext. 3550 (571 ) 284 33 00. Fax (571 ) 286 74 34 - 286, 68 42 -284 21 86. Página Web: http://www.presidencia.gov.co/

Vicepresidencia de Colombia
( Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos)
FRANCISCO SANTOS
[email protected]. Calle 7 No 6-54 Piso 3- Bogotá. Telefax: +57.1.337.1351

Defensoría del PuebloEDUARDO CIFUENTES MUÑOZ
Correo_E: [email protected]. Calle 55 n. 10-32, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.346.1225
Ministerio de Defensa
MARTHA LUCÍA RAMíREZ DE RINCÓN
Correo_E: [email protected]. Avenida El Dorado con carrera 52 CAN-Bogotá. Télex: 42411 INPRE CO; 44561 CFAC CO Tel-fax: +57.1.222.1874
Ministerio del Interior
FEDERICO LONDOÑO HOYOS
Correo_E: [email protected]. Carrera 8 # 8-09 - Bogotá. Fax: 0057-1-286.80.25

Fiscalía General dela Nación
LUIS CAMILO OSORIO
Diagonal 22 B n. 52-01 Bogotá. Tel fax: +57.1.570.2022.
Dirección General de la Policía Nacional
Gral (RE) TEODORO CAMPO
Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.428.7634 - +57.1.315.9527
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
CAROLINA BARCO
Fax: +57-1-341.6777
Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares
JORGE ENRIQUE MORA RANGEL
Avenida el Dorado con Carrera 52-Bogotá. Telefax. 57-1-2222935
Comandante del Ejército Nacional
CARLOS ALBERTO OSPINA OVALLE
Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.221.9111. Página Web: www.fuerzasmilitares.mil.co
Alto Comisionado para la Paz Fax
LUIS CARLOS RESTREPO
Tel : +57.1.560.9946

WITH COPIES TO

Colombian Embassy (UK): [email protected]
Bill Rammell MP Under Secretary of State Foreign Office [email protected]
CUT Human Rights Department: [email protected]
Colombia Solidarity Campaign (UK) [email protected]