Colombia Solidarity Campaign
14 MAY 2007
http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/component/content/article/25-news/118-paramilitaries-murder-francisco-puerta-of-the-peace-community-of-san-jose

In spite of the arrival of worldwide delegates to San Jose de Apartadó in late March, the Peace Community has suffered a further assassination at the hand of paramilitaries. Since then there have been several well publicized threats against the lives of the community members living in this humanitarian zone.
The murder follows a string of threats, arrests and violations of the physical and psychological well being of community members and associates in the preceding days. These acts were carried out by groups going under the name of Aguilas Negras (Black Eagles – a remobilized paramilitary group). All the occurrences are documented, dated and timed by the community and continue under impunity from the State both locally and nationally.

The Community sends the following message and call for action:

The continuous deaths, aggressions and threats against our process have not stopped. All the forms of destruction are utilized against us by paramilitaries in joint action with the police to exert pressure, threats and death. Our historic duty, in the search for respect of civilians in armed conflict, is to give testimony to the facts so that humanity is able to some day to judge these terrorist acts. Again we have to tell of a new murder in violation of the humanitarian zone and against our community:

– Today Monday, 14 May towards 7:00 am, FRANCISCO PUERTA (campesino leader and ex-coordinator of the humanitarian zone of La Vereda Miramar) was murdered in front of the Apartadó Bus Terminal by paramilitaries. Two paramilitaries approached him near the store in front of the Terminal where he was seated and shot him several times. They subsequently left in peace despite the police presence that surrounded the location.

– At 7:30 am today, a group of six paramilitaries in civilian clothing were seen with long weapons in El Mangolo. Another four civilian paramilitaries were found with short weapons in Tierra Amarillo. The Military and Police were found only two minutes from this paramilitary presence.

– On 13 May at 10:40am a trader from Apartadó arrived to San Josesito to buy some pigs. He conveyed a message that paramilitaries in the neighborhoods of Apartadó were saying that they were going to carry out a massacre in the Peace Community.

…These facts show the drive of paramilitary murderer that the government tries to hide. They give testimony to a new wave of murders against the leaders of the humanitarian zones and of community members.

This drive of extermination against the community from the Government has again failed since we do not retreat from our peace principles, we will continue firmer than ever. Alongside national and international solidarity we are further animated to continue in transparency to search for an alternative and just world. The work and memory of FRANCISCO gives us force to continue ahead, our greatest sympathy goes to his children and family.

PEACE COMMUNITY OF SAN JOSE DE APARTADO

Mayo 14 de 2007

Please direct denouncements to the following authorities demanding that the Colombian Government guarantees the right to life of the community members and recognizes it integrity. / Pueden dirigir comunicaciones a las siguientes autoridades exigir del gobierno garantizar el derecho a la vida de la comunidad y reconocer su integridad.

Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez – Presidente de la Republica
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.coThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Fax: 57 1 566 2071

Dr. Francisco Santos. – Vicepresidente de Colombia
E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.coThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dr. Carlos Franco – Director del Programa de Derechos Humanos de Vicepresidencia
E-mail: cefranco@prsidencia.gov.coThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ,
fibarra@presidencia.gov.coThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dr. Michael Frühling – Oficina del Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los derechos humanos.
E-mail: oacnudh@hcrh.org.coThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Fax: 57 1 6293637

COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN ADDS:

In the UK, also send your e-mail to Colombian Embassy: mail@colombianembassy.co.ukThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it with a copy to info@colombiasolidarity.org.ukThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

If you are in the USA, these are the Colombian Ambassador’s contact points in Washington, DC:

Sr. Luis Alberto Moreno
Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia
2118 Leroy Place NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Teléfono: +1 (202) 387 8338
Fax: +1 (202) 232 8643
E-mail: emwas@colombiaemb.orgThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it