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Oct
24
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TO ALL DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE LOVING PEOPLE
Peace and Justice for Colombia (PJFC) calls on you to protest recent actions by Australian and Colombian police agencies that violated the human rights and prisoner conventions of labour activist and political prisoner, Liliany Obando. We denounce the attempts by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to obtain information on organizations and individuals that Ms Obando met while touring Australia. This is an attempt to internationalize the so-called FARC-Politics and criminalize international solidarity.
On 2nd September 2009, prison guards told Liliany Obando that social services wanted to interview her. Once at the interview room she was informed the interview would be with personnel from the Colombian General Prosecutor’s office. In the room she found a woman and two men, one of whom appeared to be a foreigner, waiting.
Ms Obando asked their identities. One introduced himself as Juan Carlos Cortés and said the other two were from the Australian Embassy. Liliany asked to see their identification and a judicial order. As they were unable to produce either, Cortés then said he was a member of the Colombian Judicial and Investigative Police (DIJIN). The other man identified himself as David Nelson of the Australian Federal Police. They proceeded to ask Liliany about organizations and persons she had met in Australia in 2005 and 2007 during which she represented FENSUAGRO, the largest Colombian union of farmers and farm workers. When Liliany refused to answer because her lawyer was not present and there was no interrogation order, Cortés claimed her lawyer was waiting outside. He failed however to name her counsel and Liliany continued to insist her rights be respected and chose not to answer. The interview was terminated.
The following day Ms Obando issued a complaint and in doing so discovered that Cortés was really Oscar Leonel Ochoa and the woman was Diana Marlene Plaza, both employees of Colombian national intelligence agency (DAS). The identity of Australian Federal Police Officer David Nelson was confirmed.
It is shameful to see this cooperation between the Australian Federal Police and the intelligence agency (DAS) of the Uribe regime renowned for its engagement in illegal wiretaps and surveillance of hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, trade unionists, political opposition and Supreme Court judges. We find it disturbing that the Australian Federal Police is complicit with DAS by investigating the political opposition and vilifying a trade unionist, single mother of two who has been incarcerated for more than 14 months most of it without charge for solely denouncing human rights abuses and expressing her opposing views.
Peace and Justice for Colombia believes that the use of Australian tax payers money by the AFP in this particular matter, not only violates the rights of a Colombian citizen which are guaranteed in the Colombian constitution but it also supports the Uribe regime’s attacks on the Colombian people in particularly the political opposition. This action attempts to criminalize the international solidarity expressed by Australian trade unionists, individuals and religious and community organizations.
PJFC requests that you and your organisation write to the Australian authorities to demand:
- The AFP explains the basis for cooperation with the Uribe administration and its national intelligence agency (DAS).
- The Australian Government and the AFP investigate and take action against alleged agent David Nelson for breaches of international conventions.
- The Australian Government suspends its involvement with the Uribe regime until such time human and trade union rights are protected in Colombia.
Post or fax your messages and letters to:
Hon Brendan O’Connor MP
Minister for Home Affairs
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel:Â (02) 6277 7290 orFax: (02) 6273 7098
Tony Negus APM
Commissioner of the AFP
PO Box 401
Canberra City ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6223 3000
Copy your letters to:
Peace & Justice for Colombia,
Email: pjfcolombia@gmail.com
Yours in solidarity,
Peace & Justice for Colombia, PJFC-Australia
