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Archived Urgent Action
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KAIROS is gravely concerned about death threats directed against Yolanda Becerra, President of the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), Popular Women's Organization, by the paramilitary group Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, (AUC), United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. The OFP is a long time partner of the Canadian churches and a highly respected organization which began its work with women in poor communities in 1972 under the auspices of the Diocese of Barrancabermeja. |
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Background Information |
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The Canadian churches have been accompanying the work of the OFP for many years. In August 2001, we supported and participated in the National and International Mobilization of Women against War in Barrancabermeja which was organized by the OFP and the Ruta Pacifica, a national women's peace network in Colombia. At that time the international delegates sent out a communique to the Colombian government and all armed actors, including the paramilitary, which stated that any attack or threat against the OFP would be considered an attacked on the international community. Since then we have issued three urgent actions for the OFP.
Recently, we have received disturbing reports that members of the Unión Sindical Obrera, (USO), Oil worker's Union, have been informed by credible sources of a plot to kill Yolanda Becerra. The OFP and the local police have reportedly received similar information from other sources. Yolanda Becerra has been threatened in the past and may have been targeted because her organization continues to denounce human rights violations committed by paramilitary groups, as they attempt to take control of the region.
Concerns for Yolanda Becerra's safety are heightened by the killing of Diofanol Sierra Vargas, leader of the food workers' union (SINTRAINAL) and OFP associate, who was shot outside his house by paramilitaries on April 8th, 2002.
Colombia security forces and their paramilitary allies have a policy of labeling human rights and social justice organizations as guerrilla collaborators or supporters making them into legitimate targets in the counter-insurgency war. Over 25 human rights defenders have been killed or disappeared in the last years. To better understand attacks against human rights organizations in Colombia, order KAIROS' video, The Hidden Story: Confronting Colombia's Dirty War. Yolanda Becerra of the OFP is interviewed in this video.
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Recommended Action |
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1. Please send a message to Colombian President Andres Pastrana (Presidente de la Republica, Palacio de Narino, Carrera 8, No. 7-26, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia; Fax: 011 57 1 566 20 71) denouncing the threats against OFP and urgently calling on the Colombian government to:
- take appropriate measures to guarantee the safety of Yolanda Becerra, President of the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), so she can continue her legitimate work for the defence and promotion of human rights;
- call for an immediate, impartial and full investigation into the reported threats to kill Yolanda and for those responsible to be brought to justice;
- adhere to its obligations regarding human rights defenders, as laid out in United Nation and Organization of American States declarations, and in line with the UN's repeated recommendations that they should take measures to guarantee the safety of human rights defenders; -take effective action against paramilitary groups in the Barrancabermeja area;
- implement a full and impartial investigation into links between the security forces and paramilitary groups operating in the department of Santander, urging that the results are made public, and that those responsible for supporting and participating in such groups are brought to justice.
2. Send a letter to Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham (Minister of Foreign Affairs, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON; Fax: 613-996-3443; E-mail: Graham.B@parl.gc.ca) also denouncing the threats. Urge the Canadian government to call on its Colombian counterpart to launch a thorough investigation and to provide real guarantees for the safety of Yolanda Bererra of the OFP. (See the letter that KAIROS sent.)
Send Copies to:
- Guillermo Rishchynski, Canadian Ambassador to Colombia (Fax: 011-571-657-9915; E-mail: guill.rishchynski@dfait-maeci.gc.ca)
- Fanny Kertzman Yankelevitch, Colombian Ambassador in Canada (Fax: 613-230- 4416; E-mail: embajador@embajadacolombia.ca)
Please send your messages immediately to protect the lives of our colleagues at the OFP. For more information, contact , 416-461-3634, ext. 242 or Bill Fairbairn, 416-463-5312 ext 224 (E-mail/Courriel à Bill Fairbairn). (Toll free number: 1 877 403 8933).
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Sample Letter to the Hon. Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
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May 15, 2002
Hon. Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive Ottawa, Ontario
Fax: 613-996-3443
Dear Mr Graham,
I am writing to you on behalf of the member churches of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives to express our deep concern over the ongoing death threats directed against the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), Popular Women's Organization, a long time partner of the Canadian churches. The OFP is a highly respected organization which began its work with women in poor communities in 1972 under the auspices of the Diocese of Barrancabermeja.
We are particularly concerned about the safety of Yolanda Becerra, President of the OFP, who has received recent death threats from the paramilitary group, Autodefensa Unidas de Colombia (AUC), United Self -Defense Fources of Colombia. Members of the Unión Sindical Obrera, (USO), Oil worker's Union, have been informed by credible sources of a plot to kill Yolanda Becerra. The OFP and the local police have reportedly received similar information from other sources. Yolanda Becerra has been threatened in the past and may have been targeted because her organization continues to denounce human rights violations committed by paramilitary groups, as they attempt to take control of the region.
Concerns for Yolanda Becerra's safety are heightened by the killing of Diofanol Sierra Vargas, leader of the food workers' union (SINTRAINAL) and OFP associate, who was shot outside his house by paramilitaries on April 8th 2002.
KAIROS has sent a letter to the Colombia government urging them to take appropriate measures to guarantee the safety of Yolanda Becerra, President of the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), so she can continue her legitimate work for the defense and promotion of human rights. We have also called on the Colombia government to adhere to its obligations regarding human rights defenders, as laid out in United Nation and Organization of American States declarations, and the UN's repeated recommendations to take measures to guarantee the safety of human rights defenders.
Given the horrendous record of attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia, we ask that the Canadian government do likewise and call on the Colombian authorities to launch a thorough investigation into these threats and to provide real guarantees for the safety of all members of the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), including Yolanda Becerra.
We anxiously await your response.
Yours sincerely,
Dennis Howlett
Acting Executive Director
c.c. Guillermo Rishchynski, Canadian Ambassador to Colombia
Fanny Kertzman Yankelvitch,
Colombian Ambassador in Canada
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