>From: "Jon Corlett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L > >--------------------------------------------------- > >13 June 2000 > >UA 158/00 'Disappearance' / Fear for Safety > >COLOMBIA >Gilberto AGUDELO MARTINEZ - Trade Unionist >Workers and students of the National University in Antioquia > > >Gilberto Agudelo Martinez, president of a university workers' trade >union, 'disappeared' about two weeks ago while he was traveling on >union business. Paramilitaries have reportedly claimed responsibility. >Staff and students at the university he works at are believed to be in >danger. > >Gilberto Agudelo Martinez, who works at the National University in >Medellin, Antioquia Department, is the National President of the >Sindicato de Trabajadores y Empleados Universitarios de Colombia >(SINTRAUNICOL), Colombian University Workers and Employees >Union. He is also a leader of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores >(CUT), Trade Union Confederation. When he 'disappeared' he was on >his way from the capital, Bogota, to Bucaramanga, Santander >department. > >Last year pamphlets threatening a paramilitary offensive against the >National University were distributed on its campuses at Bogota and >Medellin. Since then a student has been killed, as has a professor. >Gunmen attempted to kill university professor Eduardo Pizarro, who >was shot several times but survived, in December 1999. > >According to the Federacion Colombiana de Educadores (FECODE), >Colombian Federation of Educators, and the Federacion Nacional de >Profesores Universitarios, National Federation of University >Professors, 15 teachers have been killed so far this year. > >BACKGROUND INFORMATION >For many years the security and armed forces and their paramilitary >allies have accused trade unionists, human rights workers, members >of legal opposition groups and popular activists of being guerrilla >sympathizers or auxiliaries. The people they have accused have >frequently been harassed, tortured and killed, often by paramilitaries. >The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Annual Survey >for 1999 recorded that during the previous year more than 90 trade >unionists had been murdered in Colombia. > >Amnesty International has documented systematic persecution of >trade unionists in Colombia. Seven trade union leaders were shot >dead during the 1998 national strike, including CUT vice-president >Jorge Ortega Garcia >(UA 274/98 issued 21 October 1998, and re-issued 24 November >1998). None of these crimes has been resolved and those >responsible have not been brought to justice. > >RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send >telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters: > - expressing concern for the safety of Gilberto Agudelo Martinez, >National President of SINTRAUNICOL, who has not been seen in two >weeks; >- urging a full and impartial investigation to establish his whereabouts, >and that, if in detention, efforts should be made to ensure his >immediate release; >- urging that those responsible for his apparent abduction are brought >to justice; >- expressing concern for the safety of workers and students of the >National University in Antioquia; >- urging the authorities to take all measures deemed necessary by >those at risk to guarantee their safety; >- calling for a full and impartial investigation into links between the >security forces and paramilitary groups operating in the department of >Santander, urging that the results are made public and those found >responsible for supporting and participating in such groups be >brought to justice; >- urging that the authorities take immediate action to dismantle >paramilitary groups, in line with stated government commitments and >recommendations made by the UN and other intergovernmental >organizations. > >APPEALS TO: >President of the Republic: >Senor Presidente Andres Pastrana Arango >Presidente de la Republica >Palacio de Narino >Carrera 8 No.7-26 >Santafe de Bogota >Colombia >Telegrams: President Pastrana, Bogota, Colombia >Faxes: 011 57 1 286 7434/287 7939/284 2186/289 3377 >Salutation: Dear President / Excmo. Sr Presidente > >Minister of Interior: >Senor Humberto De La Calle >Ministro del Interior >Ministerio del Interior >Palacio Echeverry >Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o. >Santafe de Bogota >Colombia >Telegrams: Ministro Interior, Bogota, Colombia >Fax: 011 57 1 286 8025 >Salutation: Dear Sir / Sr. Ministro > >Governor of the Antioquia Department: >Dr. Alberto Builes Ortega >Gobernador del Departamento de Antioquia >Gobernacion de Antioquia >Calle 42B, # 52-106 >Medellin, Antioquia >Colombia >Telegrams: Gobernador de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia >Fax: 011 574 381 1342 >Salutation: Sr. Gobernador / Dear Governor > >COPIES TO: >Sindicato de Trabajadores y Empleados Universitarios de Colombia >(SINTRAUNICOL) >Universidad de Antioquia Bloque 6-135 >Medellin, Antioquia >Colombia > >Trade Union Confederation: >Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT) >Apartado Aereo 221, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia > >Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno >Embassy of Colombia >2118 Leroy Pl. NW >Washington DC 20008 > >Please contact your Representative and/or two Senators and ask >them if they were aware of this case and what they can do for those >affected (threatened/attacked, etc). You may point out that any US >aid package has to ensure that such incidents stop altogether or such >a package is not worth supporting. > >Senate offices are: The Honorable (full name) > United States Senate > Washington, DC 20510 > >House offices are: The Honorable (full name) > United States House of Representatives > > Washington, DC 20515 > >Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office >between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if >sending appeals after July 25, 2000. > > >This information is from Amnesty International's research >headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide >movement working for the international protection of human rights. It >seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color, >sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not >used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of >conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political >prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without >charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions >(political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel, >inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners >without reservation. Amnesty International promotes awareness of >and adherance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and >other internationally recognized human rights instruments, the >values enshrined in them and the indivisibility and interdependence >of all human rights and freedoms. > >Please do not repost this appeal to any part of the Internet >without prior permission from Amnesty International. Thank you for >your help with this appeal. > >Please read the monthly Urgent Action Network Newsletter posted on >the web at: http://www.amnesty-USA.org/urgact/newslett.html > >Urgent Action Network >Amnesty International USA >PO Box 1270 >Nederland CO 80466-1270 >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgact/ >Phone: 303 258 1170 >Fax: 303 258 7881 > >________________________________________________________________ >**************************************************************** >* CLM-NEWS is brought to you by the COLOMBIAN LABOR MONITOR at * >* http://www.prairienet.org/clm * >* and the CHICAGO COLOMBIA COMMITTEE * >* Email us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or * >* Dennis Grammenos at [EMAIL PROTECTED] * >* To subscribe send request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * >* subscribe clm-news Your Name * >**************************************************************** > > > > > >_______________________________________________________________________ > > >REVOLUTION, COMMUNIST & CONTINUOUS ! ! ! > > http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/macau/1178 > > >E Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To Subscribe or Unsubscribe; Click Reply in E Mail Program, > >enter 'Subscribe' or 'Unsubscribe' on Subject line and Send to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >If wish to receive only certain types of Revolutionary Communist Information >Please Specify. > > >_______________________________________________________________________ > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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