---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: KillerCoke.org <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Jun 10, 2005 12:17 AM Subject: URGENT ACTION: FOUR STUDENTS KIDNAPPED (In English & Espa�ol)
Campaign to Stop Killer Coke Alert URGENT ACTION: 4 STUDENTS PROTESTING COCA-COLA KIDNAPPED IN COLOMBIA At around 7.30 pm on 3 June 2005, as SINALTRAINAL's protest against Coca-Cola for its policies of environmental destruction was ending (5 June being world environment day) just two blocks from the Barranquilla bottling plant, agents belonging to paramilitary groups carrying firearms, forced four students to get into a gray van. The students are LIZANDRO PERRIL, OMAR PERRIL, WALTER CARCAMO and BERNARDO CHARRIS, from Atl�ntico University and Pestazzi College. They had been demonstrating their solidarity with the Coca-Cola workers who mounted a protest outside the bottling plant beginning at 9 am. Other students managed to escape by throwing themselves out of the car and taking refuge in the 'Las Nieves' neighourhood. Inside the vehicle, the students were forced to bend their heads face down and threatened with guns. The paramilitaries said that the Coca-Cola workers are guerrilla chiefs. They accused the students of being guerrillas since they had helped the protest and attended it. They stated that the zone was under paramilitary control and they would not allow any protests there. They knew the students attended Atl�ntico University and had their home addresses. The paramilitaries ordered the students to leave the city that day or be assassinated. After facing these threats, torture and a drive round the city that lasted about 45 minutes, the students were thrown out of the vehicle near the national police school, situated in Serri neighbourhood. The paramilitaries could not "disappear" the students thanks to the rapid protests by the comrade responsible for Human Rights in the CUT, as well as the local and national leadership of SINALTRAINAL and the pressure that was exerted by the workers and social organisations to get immediate intervention by the security bodies, the vice-President of the Republic and the DAS [security police]. The students reappeared alive and the paramilitaries did not achieve their objectives. Once again, this incident occurs at the time when we are presenting our annual negotiating position to Coca-Cola on the north coast region [where Barranquilla is located]. And as the facts have demonstrated, the government of President ALVARO URIBE VELEZ is lying to the world, given that this band of criminal paramilitaries continues assassinating, massacring, disappearing, torturing, forcibly displacing and terrorising the population. The State is affording these paramilitaries protection with the deceitful negotiations seeking to pardon and forgetting human rights violations. The trade unions and social movements seek peace with justice and democracy that resists the authoritarianism and militarism of the government. We demand that the Government of President �lvaro Uribe V�lez investigates and punishes those responsible for this macabre incident, that it guarantees union activity and protects the lives of the workers, students, communities and trade unionists. Yours faithfully, LUIS JAVIER CORREA SUAREZ President SINALTRAINAL * * * * * * NUEVOS ATENTADOS DEL PARAMILITARISMO EN BENEFICIO DE LA TRANSNACIONAL COCA COLANUEVOS ATENTADOS DEL PARAMILITARISMO EN BENEFICIO DE LA TRANSNACIONAL COCA COLA EL 3 de junio de 2005 siendo aproximadamente a las 7:30 P. M. en momentos en que termino la protesta nacional de SINALTRAINAL contra coca cola por la pol�tica de destrucci�n del medio ambiente, recordando que el 5 de Junio es el d�a mundial del medio ambiente, en la calle 30 con carrera 18 a dos cuadras de la embotelladora de coca cola unos sujetos pertenecientes a grupos paramilitares con arma de fuego en mano obligaron a la fuerza subir a una camioneta de color gris a LIZANDRO PERRIL, OMAR PERRIL, WALTER CARCAMO, BERNARDO CHARRIS estudiantes de la Universidad del Atl�ntico y del colegio Pestazzi que estaban brindando la solidaridad a los trabajadores de coca cola en su protesta que inicio en la ciudad de Barranquilla frente a la embotelladora de coca cola desde las 9:00 A. M., y otros dos estudiantes lograron escaparse arroj�ndose del carro y se refugiaron en el barrio las nieves. Dentro del carro fueron obligados a tenderse boca abajo, los intimidaron y los amenazaron con las armas dici�ndoles que dijeran quien de los trabajadores de coca cola era el jefe de la guerrilla y acusaban a los estudiantes de guerrilleros; que cuanto les pagaban por apoyar la protesta y por que estaban all�, que esa zona era de su control y que no iban a permitir que siguieran realizando protestas en el lugar, que sab�an que eran estudiantes de la Universidad del Atl�ntico y ten�an las direcciones de sus casas que ten�an plazo hasta hoy para abandonar la ciudad o los asesinaban. Despu�s de soportar las amenazas, la tortura y un recorrido por la ciudad de aproximadamente 45 minutos los fueron arrojando del carro cerca a la escuela de la polic�a Nacional ubicada en el barrio Serri. No lograron desparecerlos gracias a la denuncia r�pida y la acci�n del compa�ero responsable de Derechos Humanos de la CUT, la Junta Directiva Nacional y seccional de SINALTRAINAL y la presi�n que se hizo por parte de los trabajadores y las organizaciones sociales, se logro la intervenci�n inmediata de los cuerpos de seguridad, la vicepresidencia de la rep�blica y el DAS para que los compa�eros aparecieran con vida y los paramilitares no lograran su objetivo de desaparecerlos definitivamente y asesinarlos. Este hecho se presenta una vez mas en momentos en que nos encontramos en la negociaci�n del pliego de peticiones presentado a coca cola en la Costa Norte y que as� como lo ha demostrado las estad�sticas, el gobierno de ALVARO URIBE VELEZ y los paramilitares est�n minti�ndole al mundo ya que esta banda de criminales sigue asesinando, masacrando, despareciendo, torturando, desplazando y aterrorizando, a la poblaci�n con la complacencia del estado que les esta otorgando mas protecci�n con el mentiroso proceso de negociaci�n que adelantan, para imponer el perd�n y olvido y aniquilar al movimiento sindical y social que busca la paz con justicia social, la democracia y se resiste al autoritarismo y militarismo de este gobierno. Exigimos del Gobierno de �lvaro Uribe V�lez investigar y castigar a los responsables de este macabro hecho, garantizar la actividad sindical y proteger la vida de los trabajadores, estudiantes, comunidades y sindicalistas. Atentamente, LUIS JAVIER CORREA SUAREZ Presidente * * * * * * * * Send immediate protests to: Presidencia de la Rep�blica Dr. �lvaro Uribe V�lez, Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio de Nari�o, Santa fe de Bogot�. Colombia Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [OR to better send e-mail to Uribe login to http://www.presidencia.gov.co and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page. Para enviar correo al Sr Presidente, dirmjase a la pagina Web: http://www.presidencia.gov.co y haga clic en ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE ubicado en la parte inferior, al final de la pagina.] Vicepresidencia de la Rep�blica Dr. Francisco Santos E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the U.S.: Colombian Embassy 2118 Leroy Place, NW Washington, DC 20008 Tels: (202) 387-8338 Fax (202) 232-8643 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In Canada Colombian Embassy 360 Albert St., Suite 1002 Ottawa, ON. - K1R 7X7 Tels: (613) 230-3760 / 1 Fax: (613) 230-4416 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the UK: Colombian Embassy Flat 3A, 3 Hans Crescent, London SW1X 0LN. Tel: 020 7589 9177 Fax: 020 7581 1829 Colombian Embassy (UK): [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bill Rammell: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In Mexico: Colombian Embassy Paseo de la Reforma 1620, Colonia lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico D. F Telephone: 009 52 5 2027299 Fax: 009 52 5 5209669 In Bolivia: Consulate of Colombia in La Paz, Bolivia 9 No. 7835 Street, Calacoto, La Paz, Bolivia, Telephone:(591) 2 -786841/784491 Fax: (591) 2 -786510 In Brazil: Consulate of Colombia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Praia Do Flamengo, 284, Office 101, Manaos CEP 22210 - 030 R.J. Brasil Rio de Janeiro Telephone: 55 - 21 - 5525048 / 5526248 Sao Paulo Fax: 55 - 21 - 5525449 Tabatinga Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In Australia: Consulate Honorary of Colombia in Melbourne, Australia 36 First Street, Black Rock VIC 3193 Telephone: (03) 9589 3701 Fax: (03) 9589 0696 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In Italy: Embassy of Colombia in Holy See, Italy Cola di Rienzo, 285 00192 Rome, Italy Telephone: 009 39 06 3211681 Fax: 009 39 06 3211703 ### Campaign to Stop KILLER COKE We are seeking your help to stop a gruesome cycle of murders, kidnappings, and torture of union leaders and organizers involved in daily life-and-death struggles at Coca-Cola bottling plants in Colombia, South America. "If we lose the fight against Coca-Cola, we will first lose our union, next our jobs and then our lives." SINALTRAINAL VIce President Juan Carlos Galvis________________________________ Please donate to the Campaign. ________________________________ Learn the truth about The Coca-Cola Co. "We believe the evidence shows that Coca-Cola and its corporate network are rife with immorality, corruption and complicity in murder." Campaign to Stop Killer Coke/Corporate Campaign, Inc. Director Ray Rogers Visit www.KillerCoke.org
