COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA

URGENT ACTION: CONTINUING PERSECUTION OF MINERS

(Note from Colombia Solidarity (UK), 2 May 2007

1. This is a follow up to Super Urgent Action sent out on 28 April. There is clearly a concerted attack on the miners leadership now in full train.

2. On e-mail addresses. We've had lots of reports of bounced back e-mails from the last action. Sorry about the e-mail addresses, we are sent them from groups in Colombia. It could be that the authorities are deliberately closing down this communication. )

THE OFFICIAL POLICIES OF EXTERMINATION CONTINUE AGAINST FEDEAGROMISBOL

Also action against two international delegates

The organisations that are signatories to this document denounce to national and international public opinion the following which is evidence of the continued persecution against the inhabitants of Sur de Bolívar, especially the leaders of the Agro-mining Federation of Sur de Bolívar, Fedeagromisbol and accompanying organisations only three days after the arbitrary, unjust and illegal detention of TEOFILO ACUÑA.

1. On Satuday April 28 at approximately 14:30 EMILIANO GARCÍA, lawyer of the Agromining Federation of Sur de Bolívar, OMAR NUÑEZ, president of the Communal Action Committee of the village called Mina Pista in the San Pedro Frío district of Santa Rosa, ORLANDO ROA AMAYA, president of the Communal Action Committee of Mina Mocha and two international delegates were arrested and detained by the military at San Luquitas.

2. The above detentions were carried out by Sergeant Vargas of the Batallón Nueva Granada who justified the action by saying it was a routine procedure ordered by Captain Cruz. Sergeant Vargas demanded their identity papers and they were noted in a log book at the Nueva Granada Battalion, part of the fifth brigade of the national army, before they were allowed finally to continue on their way.

3. Subsequently Sergeant Vargas ordered ORLANDO ROA to present himself at the military base as soon as possible because Captain Cruz required his presence there.

4. Today on April 28 members of the Nueva Granada Battalion under the command of Captain Cruz arrived at Mina Vieja in San Pedro Frío with a person in civilian clothing who identified himself to the Communal Action Committee as a sergeant of the army. This person asked those present if they had participated in the leadership meeting in Santa Rosa on April 26. The military proceeded to take photos of the town hall and left at mid-day.

5. The group of leaders had travelled to the urban district of Santa Rosa to participate in the dialogue panel with the national government held on April 26. These leaders were heading back to the district of San Pedro Frío in the company of two international delegates when they were detained by the army. It is important to put on record that minutes before the meeting of April 26 TEOFILO ACUÑA, the president of the Agromining Federation, was arrested and detained.

6. Members of the army have declared to the community that the 32 head of cattle stolen from EFRAIN RAMOS on April 9 by the national army will be moved to the Nueva Granada Battalion military base in the urban district of Santa Rosa.

Demands:

We request that national and international organisations write to the Colombian government demanding:

a) that the rights to freedom, life and personal integrity of the members of the Agromining Federation of Sur de Bolívar be respected along with freedom of association, putting an end to the acts of persecution against its members.

b) that the events denounced here be fully investigated by the national public prosecution office and the attorney general to establish due sanction for those responsible.

c) that the right to freedom of the leader and president of the Agromining Federation of Sur de Bolívar - who remains in detention - be re-established.

Bogotá April 27 2007

Signed by:

Federación Agrominera del Sur de Bolívar, Equipos Cristiano de Acción por la Paz, Corporación Sembrar , Red Europea de Hermandad y Solidaridad con Colombia , Red de Hermandad Colombia, Coordinador Nacional Agrario, Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Comité de Solidaridad con los presos Políticos , DH Colombia