----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2000 5:06 AM Subject: [STOPNATO] Fwd: san: Urgent Action: Threats to Francisco Ramirez and Colombian Trade (f... STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM In a message dated 30/05/00 8:20:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 05:47:23 +0000 From: Canadian Colombian Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Amigos de Colombia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Urgent Action: Threats to Francisco Ramirez and Colombian Trade Urgent Action RENEWED THREATS AGAINST COLOMBIAN TRADE UNIONIST May 29, 2000 >From the Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America, and MiningWatch Canada The Inter-church Committee on Human rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA) has just received disturbing news of renewed threats against Francisco Ram�rez Cuellar, Presdient of the Union of the State Mining company of Colombia (SINTRAMINERCOL). Francisco Ram�rez toured Canada in April and May 2000, participating in a series of events organized by MiningWatch Canada, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the Canadian Autoworkers (CAW) and ICCHRLA. According to the information we have just received, since returning to Colombia a few weeks ago, Francisco Ram�rez' car has been followed on two occasions by a van carrying six men. When the Colombian authorities (DAS) were notified, they said that Mr. Ram�rez "should be careful" and that they had learned that "there were 200 members of a paramilitary death squad presently in Bogota to assassinate trade union leaders". Last year more than 90 trade unionists were murdered in Colombia according to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICTFU). Francisco Ram�rez himself has survived several assassination attempts. REQUESTED ACTION Please send urgent messages to express your concern over these latest developments to the following authorities. Urge that measures be taken to ensure the safety of Francisco Ram�rez and the other members of SINTRAMINERCOL and other trade unions at risk. Urge that the Colombian government take immediate measures to dismantle the paramilitary groups and sever all ties between these groups and the state security forces. SEND YOUR MESSAGES TO: Se�or Gustavo Bell Lemus, Vice President of Colombia, Fax 011-571-337-1351. Ambassador Jos� Mar�a de Guzman, Ambassador of Colombia to Canada, Fax 1-613-230-4416 or e-mail address [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please send copies of your messages to Canada's Ambassador to Colombia. Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski. Fax: 011-571-657-9910, e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] Urge the Canadian Embassy to closely monitor this case and express the deep concern of Canadians over the safety of Mr. Ram�rez and the members of his union to the Colombian authorities. ________________________________________________________________________ Jamie Kneen Communications Coordinator tel. (613) 569-3439 MiningWatch Canada fax: (613) 569-5138 Suite 508, 880 Wellington St. e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ottawa, Ontario K1R 6K7 Canada URL: http://www.miningwatch.ca >> ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com
