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Urgent Action
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KAIROS is gravely concerned about the imminent threat to the freedom and human rights of our partner Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas, a church leader, pacifist and social activist well known both in Colombia and here in Canada. We have received information from reliable sources that the Colombian authorities are planning the arrest of Ricardo Esquivia on fabricated charges that he is a member of Colombia’s main guerrilla organization, the FARC, thus keeping him from his work and putting his life in grave danger. We urge you to participate in the following urgent action to denounce these activities, calling on the Colombia authorities to guarantee the liberty and rights of our partner and brother, Ricardo Esquivia. |
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Background Information |
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KAIROS has worked in partnership with Ricardo Esquivia on various initiatives for human rights and peace over a number of years, and over this period we have witnessed very directly his commitment as a Christian to non-violence and his work for peace in Colombia.
Ricardo’s involvement in the human rights and peace work of the churches in Colombia is vast and impressive. He is a long time member of the Mennonite Church, director of JUSTAPAZ, the Christian Centre for Justice, Peace and Non-violent Action of the Mennonite Church on Colombia. Furthermore, he is national coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace (formerly the Human Rights and Peace Commission) of the Evangelical Council of Churches of Colombia (CEDECOL) as well as being vice-president of CEDECOL. Since 2000, KAIROS has contributed financially to the human rights and peace work of the CEDECOL and JUSTAPAZ through our program with the Canadian Government’s International Development Agencies (CIDA).
Ricardo Esquivia is known to the churches and the broader NGO community in Canada. He was here in Canada in October 2001 on a KAIROS tour which included meetings with churches, NGOs and the Canadian government. He is profiled in the KAIROS video, The Hidden Story. Ricardo is a partner, a friend and an important social leader in Colombia.
The imminent threat to the liberty of Ricardo Esquivia is symptomatic of what is currently happening in Colombia with the criminalization of dissent and the mass arrests of opposition to the current government. It is similar to the course of action taken by Colombian authorities against many leaders of social movements, unions and NGOs who are now under arrest, preventing these legitimate organizations from carrying out their work. The threat of arrest of Ricardo Esquivia is indicative of how far the Colombia government is prepared to go under the guise of the “war on terror”. These actions completely contradict the commitments that the Colombian government has made to human rights, both nationally and internationally.
KAIROS has sent a letter to the Colombian government calling on
them to respect and guarantee the liberty and rights of leaders
of social movements and churches engaged in the legitimate work
of human rights and peace in Colombia and, in particular, to respect
and guarantee the liberty of our partner and brother, Ricardo Esquivia.
We have also written a letter a letter to Minister Bill Graham urging
the Canadian government to hold the Colombian government accountable
for the mass arrests which are currently taking place in Colombia.
Click here to see KAIROS letters.
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Recommended Action |
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We ask that you:
| 1. | Share this information with your churches, organizations and communities and hold the matter in your prayers |
| 2. | Send/ fax an urgent action letter to the President of Colombia, ALVARO URIBE VALEZ, with copies to the Colombian and Canadian authorities listed below. A sample letter is also included below. |
| 3. | In addition, please send / fax urgent action letters to your Member of Parliament and Honorable Minister Bill Graham The Minister of Foreign Affairs with a note of explanation, asking that they also apply pressure on Colombian authorities. If you do so, please indicate in your letters to the Colombian officials that you are copying your elected government representatives (cc: Minister of Foreign Affairs, your M.P). |
| 4. | Finally, we would appreciate receiving an email copy of your letter at justapaz and rwarden You can insert these addresses in the “BCC” section of your note’s address, or you can forward your copies to us in a separate message. |
THANK YOU for your support. Your voice makes a difference.
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Sample Letter |
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ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
President of Colombia
Cra. 8 N. 7-26, Palacio de Nariño
Bogotá
Fax: 011 (571) 337-5890 or 011 (571) 342-0592
Dear Mr President,
I write with grave concern for the freedom and human rights of RICARDO
ESQUIVIA, well-known and respected church leader and peace activist.
I have received information that Colombian authorities are planning
to arrest RICARDO ESQUIVIA on fabricated charges that he is a member
the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) by using persons
who have demobilized from armed groups to provide false testimony
against him.
Through his partnership with KAIROS, Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, I am well-aquainted with RICARDO ESQUIVIA and I am know of his commitment as a Christian to non-violence and his work for peace in Colombia. I am fully convinced that what Colombian authorities are planning, if they indeed are doing so, is a perverse fabrication totally devoid of truth.
RICARDO ESQUIVIA, is a member of the Mennonite Church of Colombia and vice-president of CEDECOL. He is also director of JUSTAPAZ, the Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Non-violent Action of the Mennonite Church in Colombia. KAIROS supports the human rights and peace work of the CEDECOL and JUSTAPAZ and has contributed financially to this work through its program with the Canadian Government’s International Development Agencies (CIDA).
I view any threat to the liberty of RICARDO ESQUIVIA in the context of mass arrests presently taking place in Colombia. Colombian authorities have acted directly and indirectly against many other leaders of social movements, unions and NGOs who are now under arrest, preventing these legitimate organizations from carrying out their work. These actions completely contradict the commitments that the Colombian government has made to human rights, both nationally and internationally.
Given this grave situation, I urge the Colombian government to respect and guarantee the liberty and rights of leaders of social movements and churches involved in the legitimate work of human rights and peace in Colombia. In particular, I call on you to respect and guarantee the liberty of our partner and brother, RICARDO ESQUIVIA.
Sincerely,
Cc:
SABAS PRETELT DE LA VEGA, Minister of the Interior
Av. Jimenez no. 8-89
Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: 011 (571) 560-4630
GUILLERMO ENRIQUE BARRERA HURTADO, Admiral
Comandante Fuerza Naval del Atlántico
Bocagrande Av San Martin
Base Naval Arc Bolivar
Cartagena, Bolívar
Fax: 011 (575) 665-5917
CARLOS FRANCO ECHAVARRIA
Director of Presidential Program for Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law
Cra 8A no. 7-57
Bogotá, Colombia
Fax: 342-9355, 571 566-2387
JORGE NOGUERA COTES
Director of the Department of Security Administration (DAS)
Cra. 28 no. 17A-00 Paloquemao
Bogotá, Colombia
Telefax: 011 (571) 408-8460 (request fax line)
Colombian Ambassador to Canada
Fax: 1-613-230-4416 E-mail: embajador@embajadorcolombia.ca
For Canadian authorities: add a note requesting that the Canadian government pressure the Colombian authorities to protect the life and liberty of KAIROS partner, RICARDO ESQUIVIA B and send your urgent action letter to:
HONOURABLE BILL GRAHAM, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fax: 1-613-996-3443 E-mail: graham@parl.gc.ca
HIS EXCELLENCY JEAN-MARC DUVAL, Canadian Ambassador to Colombia
Fax: 011 (571) 657-9910. E-mail: jean-marc.duval@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
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