Peace and Justice for Colombia

“In rejection of the persecution against the political opposition
in Colombia through the liberation of the political prisoners and
for the humanitarian exchange”

Justification

The Colombian State has historically and systematically violated Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, through the implementation of strategies and/or policies of war that look for whatever means to put an end to free thinking in our country.  From the physical extermination and disappearances forced on the political opposition in the years of the 70s, 80s and 90s to the accusations, persecutions, fabrications of testimony and the incarceration of all persons who raise their voices in protest.

There exist more than 7,200 persons deprived of their liberty for political motives, that is to say, for having exercised their political opposition to the current regime or for the simple act of living in zones highly affected by the internal armed conflict; these persons are political prisoners, whether it be due to conscience, war, or judicial frame-ups, who for many years have been unrecognized by the Colombian State, with the object of denying the existence of a social, political, and armed conflict, and evading its responsibility to seek a political and negotiated end to the conflict.

In the development of the policy of Democratic Security by its standard-bearer, President Alvaro Uribe Velez, and in his eagerness to show “positive” results, the Colombian state has violated the right to life of more than 1,171 persons who are victims of extrajudicial executions attributed to the national army, and also the right to freedom of thought, increasing the political persecution and incarceration without just cause against intellectuals, teachers, students, unionists, defenders of human rights, among others.  In this way whoever dares to express their critical thinking and opposition is repressed with the tool of the jail. As an example of this we call attention to the unjust detentions and submissions to the judicial processes of the sociologist and Colombian National University professor MIGUEL ANGEL BELTRÁN VILLEGAS, Colombia National University sociologist and defender of human Rights LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, the graduate in Social Sciences from the National Pedagogical University and social activist WILLIAN JAVIER DÍAZ RAMIREZ, and hundreds of teachers, university students, journalists and members of the Colombian opposition presently linked to penal investigations with the object of generating terror and exterminating critical thinking.

In rejection of the previous, we invite the National and International Community to take to the streets on the 1st of October, 2009 to celebrate the existence of those who dare to think differently, and to say:  no to more judicial frame-ups, no to the criminalization of critical thinking and social protest, yes to the humanitarian accord and freedom for all the Colombian political prisoners.

General Objectives:

• To denounce the grave crisis the country is suffering in the matter of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
• To reject the criminalization of critical thinking and the persecution against the political opposition in Colombia.
• To make visible the existence of the Colombian political prisoners and to restore them as social activists.
• To demand of the Colombian state the approval of the humanitarian accord and the liberty of all the political prisoners.

Methodology

The 1st of October, 2009, in a simultaneous manner there will take place political-cultural activities at a local, national, and international level.

At the international level:

Different international organizations in Solidarity with Colombia will hold autonomously organized high impact activities in the following cities and countries: Argentina; Australia; Canada; Washington, DC, Tucson, and Chicago, USA; France; and Mexico City, Mexico. (List will be updated as new cities are added).

Equally, the international organizations will publically pronounce their Solidarity with the political prisoners and their families.

At a national level:

There will occur a cultural demonstration in front of the Attorney General of the Nation, the 1st of October, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., in the cities of Armenia, Cali, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Medellín; by means of diverse social and political sectors they will make visible the policies of persecutions and criminalization of the opposition  in Colombia and the problem of the political prisoners, understood to include the prisoners of conscience, victims of judicial frame-ups and arbitrary detentions, and prisoners of war.

Typical cases of the Colombian political prisoners will be made visible in a symbolic manner.

In Bogotá: The meeting place will be at 9:30 a.m., in the principal building of the Attorney General of the Nation located at Diagonal 22B No. 52-01 (ciudad salitre), where it will remain from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. This will be followed by a rally to the “Che” plaza at the National University.

In Armenia, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga y Medellín: Meeting places will be determined autonomously by the regional coordinators, and at 9:30 a.m., will begin the movement to the principal seat of the respective Sectional Directorate of the Attorney General, where it will remain from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

At the local level:

In the city of Bogotá, D.C., the persons deprived of their liberty for political motives, will realize simultaneous recreational and cultural activities in the following detention facilities:  La Picota Penitentiary, La Modelo Jail, and the Buen Pastor Women’s Penitentiary.

Likewise, the political prisoners will draw up a communication to be distributed for the public opinion, in support of the Carnival for the Defense of Critical Thinking.

CONVENERS:

National Organizacions

- Campaña Permanente de Solidaridad con las y los Detenidos Políticas “Traspasa Los Muros”

- Campaña TJER Libertad – Por la Libertad de William Javier Díaz

- Campaña por la Libertad de Miguel Ángel Beltrán Villegas

- Campaña por la Libertad de Liliany Obando

- Cruz Negra Anarquista – CNA

- Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios – FEU

- Mandato Estudiantil por el Acuerdo Humanitario

- Colectivo de Estudiantes de la ESAP

- Colectivo Juana Julia de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia

- Asociación de Profesores Universitarios – ASPU

- Federación de Profesores Universitarios – FENALPROU

- Unión Sindical Obrera – USO

- Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la USO

- Comité Permanente para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos

- Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria – FENSUAGRO

- Coordinación Nacional Agraria y Popular – CONAP

International Organizaciones

International Network in Solidarity with Colombia’s Political Prisoners (International)

Freedom for Liliany Campaign (Australia)

Campaign for Labor Rights (USA)

Alliance for Global Justice (USA)

Colombia Action Network (USA)

Peace and Justice for Colombia, PJFC (Australia)

Central America Solidarity Coalition (Canada)

Colombia Solidarity Campaign (Canada)

Latin America Solidarity Coalition (USA)

Organizations Behind Bars

- Colectivo de Prisioneras Políticas “Traspasa los Muros” – Reclusión de Mujeres el Buen Pastor de Bogotá

- Colectivo de Prisioneros Políticos “Traspasa los Muros” – Cárcel Nacional la Modelo de Bogotá – Alta Seguridad

- Colectivo de Prisioneros Políticos “Traspasa los Muros” – Establecimiento Carcelario y Penitenciario La Picota de Bogotá

written by admin