Martes 14 de junio de 2011

African descent and indigenous organizations, as well as the four platforms of Human Rights, Peace and Development, and representatives of social sectors, suspended the implementation of the thematic commitment differential approach to demand the government and control agencies and research by breach of the commitments made in this process to protect the life and physical integrity of the defenders, advocates and community leaders.

They blame the government for the death of Ana Fabricia Cordoba murdered in Medellin just 6 days ago but the government had implemented mediated concerted and appropriate protection that might have saved her life. During the course of 2011, more than 20 human rights defenders have been killed and nearly 100 threatened.

Therefore suspended the dialogue in the national process with national government guarantees that had been developing since 2009 until they are implemented immediately requested protective measures, individually and collectively for the defenders, social leaders and communities afros, indigenous, rural, community, women and others. This decision was made taking into account the following situations:

1. After nearly two years of discussion in these committees, leaders, advocates, continue to be murdered, threatened, harassed, judicially and disappeared without their effective and concrete measures by the colombian government to ensure legal and legitimate exercise of defending human rights.

2. Requests made by organizations around the officials involved in the illegal wiretapping by the DAS, have not advanced in identification and prosecution of high instigators of these crimes. Officials such as the current director of the agency, who is being investigated by this scandal even still in office.

3. The national government has no clarity in the forms of dialogue with civil society organizations and human rights. Each government agency has its own policy of dialogue with civil society and the dynamic efforts and fragments dispersed actions.

4. The Colombian State has not yet delivered results in the investigations of crimes against human rights defenders and social leaders, or on the numerous threats against him. Impunity levels continue to rise. On the other hand, many advocates are still victims of unfounded criminal proceedings.

5. A year ago, the Alvaro Uribe government, through Decree 1740 of Ministry of Interior and Justice Protection Programme changed substantially reducing protective measures that were being implemented for social leaders and human rights defenders, trade unionists , indigenous, Afro, displaced women and other populations at risk.

Since this process the National Guarantee Commitment , was designed to provide sufficient guarantees fundamental and necessary for the full implementation of the work of defending human rights and repeatedly all situations of many attacks were carried

Bureau Guarantees, without concrete results:

We demand an immediate audience with the president Juan Manuel Santos, in his capacity as head of state only, respond swiftly and take effective measures to protect the life and social leaders, rights defenders Colombia’s human.

We value highly the role played by the OHCHR, UNDP as Technical Secretary of the process and the strong involvement of the members of the international community and call on their willingness to continue to assist in this effort to life and full respect for human rights in Colombia.

Platforms Human Rights, Peace and Development Social Organizations National Guarantee Process

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