COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT BOMBING SAN JOSE PEACE COMMUNITY - URGENT ACTION PLEASE
Jenny James | 18.11.2005 21:03 | Anti-militarism | Repression | Social Struggles
We have just received the following horrifying news from the Peace Community of San Jose, Northern Colombia, which I have translated (very quickly). Letters of protest will at least let the extremely violent Colombian State know they are being watched… Also if you cc. any letters you send to the San Jose offices, your solidarity will give heart… 
cdpsanjose@hotmail.com and anthyma@telefonica.net Please return their bombing with a bombardment of letters! Thankyou. Below this is a suggested letter of protest in Spanish to the President of the Republic, composed by the San Jose community. Rather than me waste time in this urgent situation translating it, please accept that it says all the right things and send it off! (Addresses at end of letter.) Love to everyone, and thanks, Jenny James
cdpsanjose@hotmail.com and anthyma@telefonica.net Please return their bombing with a bombardment of letters! Thankyou. Below this is a suggested letter of protest in Spanish to the President of the Republic, composed by the San Jose community. Rather than me waste time in this urgent situation translating it, please accept that it says all the right things and send it off! (Addresses at end of letter.) Love to everyone, and thanks, Jenny James
URGENT NEWS: THE COLOMBIAN ARMY ARE ATTACKING US
Arlen Salas, Coordinator of the ‘humanitarian zone’ has been wounded
The Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado urgently begs for national and international solidarity: the Colombian army has today carried out indiscriminate bombing in Arenas Altas and Arenas Bajas, and ground troops of the army have launched grenades against the civilian population in our ‘humanitarian zone’.
One of the grenades was thrown at Arlen Salas David, coordinator of the region, who was working in the countryside and he is seriously injured. A rescue group from the community left at 2.0 p.m. for Arenas Altas to bring him to safety, but we don’t know if he can be saved as he is badly injured.
The indiscriminate bombing is continuing. Please take urgent action to ensure that the rescue group, the 42 families of the region and the families in Arenas do not continue being massacred as is happening now.
On top of this, the Army is once again lying, as the People’s Attorney, when he complained about what was happening, was told by the army that it was ‘just’ a Guerrilla soldier with a gun that had been killed – a pure invention.
For several weeks now we have been reporting threats and acts of aggression being carried out by the army against our region. The Italian commission that visited us were witness to this – one of them had spoken to Arlen about the situation.
COMUNIDAD DE PAZ DE SAN JOSE DE APARTADO
Noviembre 17 de 2005
Doctor
ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
Presidente de la Repùblica de Colombia
Casa de Nariño, Bogotàa D. C.
Nos dirigimos al señor Presidente de Colombia para manifestarle nuestra gran preocupación por las denuncias sobre bombardeos indiscriminados en las veredas de Arenas Altas y Arenas Bajas, que hacen parte de la Comunidad de Paz de San Josè de Apartadó. Igualmente, de acuerdo a la denuncia que nos ha sido enviada, tropas terrestres del ejército, han lanzado granadas contra la población civil, hiriendo gravemente al señor ARLEN SALAS, coordinador de la Zona Humanitaria de la vereda Arenas Bajas, hacia donde el día de ayer se dirigió una comisión de la Comunidad de Paz con el propósito de llevar al campesino herido hacia el hospital de Apartadó.
Este tipo de acciones, que constituyen un dramático atentado contra el Derecho Internacional Humanitario y una negación de los principios del estado de derecho, no favorecen la normalización de la resquebrajada confianza de la población civil afectada en la institucionalidad del estado colombiano que en vez de defender los derechos de la población civil, los conculca de manera muy grave. Cuando todavia persiste la duda sobre la autoría militar de la masacre de ocho personas de la Comunidad de Paz el pasado 21 de febrero (sobre la cual, la comunidad nacional e internacional espera aún los resultados de las investigaciones oficiales que identifiquen a los reales autores materiales e intelectuales), observamos, con desolación, que, desde su gobierno, se siguen verificando altos niveles de violencia directa que victimizan a esta comunidad campesina.
Las Zonas Humanitarias promovidas por la Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartadó, han recibido el apoyo de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos
Humanos, que las reconoce como un mecanismo legítimo de protección de la
población civil en contexto de conflicto armado.
Solicitamos con carácter de urgencia al señor Presidente, intervenir de manera inmediata para que se suspendan los bombardeos y el lanzamiento de granadas contra la población civil, asi como que se practiquen las diligencias necesarias para que los autores e instigadores de esas fechorías sean puestos a disposición de los tribunales. La lucha contra los actores armados ilegales, no justifica en ningún modo, exponer y agredir a la población civil, máxime, cuando esta ha declarado públicamente su decisión inquebrantable de no intervenir directa o indirectamente en la guerra, de ser neutral frente a los actores del conflicto y fiel a sus principios de noviolencia.
Atentamente
PRESIDENTE DE LA REPÚBLICA
DR. ÁLVARO URIBE VÉLEZ
EMAIL : auribe@presidencia.gov.co
ADDRESS :PALACIO DE NARIÑO
CARRERA 8 N° 7-26 TLF 5629300 FAX 5662071
VICEPRESIDENCIA DE LA REPUBLICA
DR. FRANCISCO SANTOS
ADDRESS: Carrera 8 A # 7 - 57
FAX : 011 57 1 565 7682
Email : fsantos@presidencia.gov.co
FISCAL GENERAL
MARIO IGUARAN ARANA
EMAIL : contacto@fiscalia.gov.co
denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
Address: Diagonal 22B # 52-01
Bogota
Fax 011 571 570 2000
Procurador General de la Nacion
Dr. Edgardo Maria Villazon
reygon@procuraduria.gov.co
dgil@procuraduria.gov.co
Fax 00571 2431629
Defensor Nacional del Pueblo
Dr. Wolmar Antonio Perez Ortiz
Consuleo Rivera Pineda – Secretaria Privada
asuntosdefensor@defensoria.org.co
00 571 6400491
Defensor Comunitario
Ruben Dario Diaz Lotero
rubendiaz@edatel.net.co
uraba@defensoria.org.co
Alcalde de Apartadò
Dr.Phidalgo Banguero
Asesor Administrativo Orlando Jaramillo Velasquez
( el cual recibio en la casa municipal de Apartadò la Delegacion de la Red Italiana el 9.11.05)
aparal01@edatel.net.co
tel. Fax 00574 8280175
Arlen Salas, Coordinator of the ‘humanitarian zone’ has been wounded
The Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado urgently begs for national and international solidarity: the Colombian army has today carried out indiscriminate bombing in Arenas Altas and Arenas Bajas, and ground troops of the army have launched grenades against the civilian population in our ‘humanitarian zone’.
One of the grenades was thrown at Arlen Salas David, coordinator of the region, who was working in the countryside and he is seriously injured. A rescue group from the community left at 2.0 p.m. for Arenas Altas to bring him to safety, but we don’t know if he can be saved as he is badly injured.
The indiscriminate bombing is continuing. Please take urgent action to ensure that the rescue group, the 42 families of the region and the families in Arenas do not continue being massacred as is happening now.
On top of this, the Army is once again lying, as the People’s Attorney, when he complained about what was happening, was told by the army that it was ‘just’ a Guerrilla soldier with a gun that had been killed – a pure invention.
For several weeks now we have been reporting threats and acts of aggression being carried out by the army against our region. The Italian commission that visited us were witness to this – one of them had spoken to Arlen about the situation.
COMUNIDAD DE PAZ DE SAN JOSE DE APARTADO
Noviembre 17 de 2005
Doctor
ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
Presidente de la Repùblica de Colombia
Casa de Nariño, Bogotàa D. C.
Nos dirigimos al señor Presidente de Colombia para manifestarle nuestra gran preocupación por las denuncias sobre bombardeos indiscriminados en las veredas de Arenas Altas y Arenas Bajas, que hacen parte de la Comunidad de Paz de San Josè de Apartadó. Igualmente, de acuerdo a la denuncia que nos ha sido enviada, tropas terrestres del ejército, han lanzado granadas contra la población civil, hiriendo gravemente al señor ARLEN SALAS, coordinador de la Zona Humanitaria de la vereda Arenas Bajas, hacia donde el día de ayer se dirigió una comisión de la Comunidad de Paz con el propósito de llevar al campesino herido hacia el hospital de Apartadó.
Este tipo de acciones, que constituyen un dramático atentado contra el Derecho Internacional Humanitario y una negación de los principios del estado de derecho, no favorecen la normalización de la resquebrajada confianza de la población civil afectada en la institucionalidad del estado colombiano que en vez de defender los derechos de la población civil, los conculca de manera muy grave. Cuando todavia persiste la duda sobre la autoría militar de la masacre de ocho personas de la Comunidad de Paz el pasado 21 de febrero (sobre la cual, la comunidad nacional e internacional espera aún los resultados de las investigaciones oficiales que identifiquen a los reales autores materiales e intelectuales), observamos, con desolación, que, desde su gobierno, se siguen verificando altos niveles de violencia directa que victimizan a esta comunidad campesina.
Las Zonas Humanitarias promovidas por la Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartadó, han recibido el apoyo de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos
Humanos, que las reconoce como un mecanismo legítimo de protección de la
población civil en contexto de conflicto armado.
Solicitamos con carácter de urgencia al señor Presidente, intervenir de manera inmediata para que se suspendan los bombardeos y el lanzamiento de granadas contra la población civil, asi como que se practiquen las diligencias necesarias para que los autores e instigadores de esas fechorías sean puestos a disposición de los tribunales. La lucha contra los actores armados ilegales, no justifica en ningún modo, exponer y agredir a la población civil, máxime, cuando esta ha declarado públicamente su decisión inquebrantable de no intervenir directa o indirectamente en la guerra, de ser neutral frente a los actores del conflicto y fiel a sus principios de noviolencia.
Atentamente
PRESIDENTE DE LA REPÚBLICA
DR. ÁLVARO URIBE VÉLEZ
EMAIL :
auribe@presidencia.gov.co ADDRESS :PALACIO DE NARIÑO
CARRERA 8 N° 7-26 TLF 5629300 FAX 5662071
VICEPRESIDENCIA DE LA REPUBLICA
DR. FRANCISCO SANTOS
ADDRESS: Carrera 8 A # 7 - 57
FAX : 011 57 1 565 7682
Email :
fsantos@presidencia.gov.co FISCAL GENERAL
MARIO IGUARAN ARANA
EMAIL :
contacto@fiscalia.gov.co denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co Address: Diagonal 22B # 52-01
Bogota
Fax 011 571 570 2000
Procurador General de la Nacion
Dr. Edgardo Maria Villazon
reygon@procuraduria.gov.co dgil@procuraduria.gov.co Fax 00571 2431629
Defensor Nacional del Pueblo
Dr. Wolmar Antonio Perez Ortiz
Consuleo Rivera Pineda – Secretaria Privada
asuntosdefensor@defensoria.org.co 00 571 6400491
Defensor Comunitario
Ruben Dario Diaz Lotero
rubendiaz@edatel.net.co uraba@defensoria.org.co Alcalde de Apartadò
Dr.Phidalgo Banguero
Asesor Administrativo Orlando Jaramillo Velasquez
( el cual recibio en la casa municipal de Apartadò la Delegacion de la Red Italiana el 9.11.05)
aparal01@edatel.net.co tel. Fax 00574 8280175
Jenny James
e-mail:
atlantiscol@hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://afan.org.uk
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
We the People
18.11.2005 22:41
I beg of the world that this simple message of universal concern be worthy of more than just the first amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, but command necessary support and publication.
I assert that we will end terrorism when we end suppression. I assert that suppression is poisonous to democracy and peace, in that it propagates grievances and spawns terrorism.
Is anyone with me, so far?
We the People
Are we to believe that one who is falsely labeled a terrorist could be free to broadcast his grievance without being tracked down and destroyed by selfish interests?
How are we to have peace if interests are using force to silence each other, while others are using force to get attention?
How ignorant is our technology of peacemaking? How ancient?
How about satellite international court? How about some answers, and how about now?
Locus standi…
Tell us Administrators; is the Fifth Amendment your advantage over the First Amendment? Or will you call forth the military to suppress the insurrection herein?
We the People
richard kobzey
'A community of peace' attacked
18.11.2005 22:50
It looks like these people have made themselves a sitting target-
"The civilian population committed itself :
* Not to participate in the war in direct or indirect form
* Not to carry arms
* Not to manipulate or give information to any of the parties involved in armed conflict
* Not to ask any of the parties to solve conflicts
* Each one commits him/herself to search for a peaceful solution and to a dialogue for solving the conflict of the country "
and now they are being bombed for being neutral.
See also :
Columbian Embassy
3 Hans Crescent
London SW1X 0LN
Telephone: 020 7589 9177
Danny
Chomsky on San Jose
19.11.2005 10:39
"That's really hard to say. The people I find impressive are mostly not intellectuals. For example, Father Javier Giraldo, the Jesuit priest who runs the [Intercongregational Commission for Justice and Peace] in Colombia, which is the major human rights center there. Colombia has by far the worst human rights record in the hemisphere and of course is the leading recipient of U.S. military aid. Those two things correlate very closely. You know, especially the military and the paramilitaries have been carrying out hideous massacres and so on. Father Giraldo is exposed to a lot of them and has in some cases forced people to accept international investigation. And he provides protection to people, he's in great danger. He's under constant death threats ...
"Last time [I saw him], he brought to see me a leader of a town, San Jose, that had a strong peace community, that was the first of the peace communities that declared themselves zones of peace. They don't want to be bothered by the military ... He brought the leader of the group to see me in Bogota, which was dangerous; the town was at that time under military siege and had been for several months. [The leader] was describing to me how they were starving, children were starving; every once in a while the military or paramilitary would come into town and just shoot people just to show them they were still there. And he was pleading for help, he said do something about it, help us. Anyway, just a few months ago, the military went in and he was murdered, along with several others. But Father Giraldo is still there. He's not the only one. But there are people like that all over the world."
Danny