Two human rights defenders are in danger after receiving death threats, apparently from paramilitaries, in Colombia’s Pacific Coast city of Buenaventura, department of Valle del Cauca.

 

URGENT ACTION

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS GET DEATH THREATS

Human rights defender Danelly Estupiñán received a text message death threat on her mobile phone in the afternoon of 23 November, which appeared to come from a paramilitary: “Danelly, you are very close to the end“ (Danelly esta [sic] muy cerca del final). She works with the Process of Black Communities (Proceso de Comunidades Negras, PCN). That evening, while she was speaking to a friend on her phone, a voice interrupted the conversation: “We know where you are, we know where you are” (Sabemos dónde estás, sabemos dónde estás).

The PCN and other organizations had visited the La Inmaculada district of the city of Buenaventura, in the department of Valle del Cauca on 22 November. On 20 November, district community leader Rocío del Pilar Segura was also threatened after she took down a street banner which had been hung up on 19 November in the neighbourhood on behalf of the container port company TCBuen. Three young men of the neighbourhood came to her house on 20 November with two people who said they worked for TCBuen. Rocío del Pilar Segura was not at home at the time but a relative heard one of these people tell the young men that they “Must make Rocío pay for the street banner” (Deben hacer que Rocío pague el pasacalle).

Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:

 Calling on the authorities to take all measures deemed appropriate by Danelly Estupiñán and Rocío del Pilar Segura to guarantee their safety;
 Calling on them to order full and impartial investigations into the threats against Danelly Estupiñán and Rocío del Pilar Segura, publish the results and bring those responsible to justice;
 Urging them to take decisive action to dismantle paramilitary groups operating in the city and break any links with the security forces.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 8 JANUARY 2016 TO:

President
Juan Manuel Santos
Presidente de la República
Casa de Nariño
Salutation: Dear President Santos/ Excmo. Sr. Presidente Santos
Minister of Interior
Juan Fernando Cristo
Salutation: Dear Minister/
Estimado Sr. Ministro

And copies to:
NOMADESC
Carrera 4-53,
Barrio San Antonio
Cali, Colombia

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:

Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

URGENT ACTION
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS GET DEATH THREATS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Over recent years many people living in Buenaventura neighbourhoods earmarked for the construction of tourist and port infrastructure projects have been killed or subjected to enforced disappearance by paramilitary groups operating in the city, including in the La Inmaculada district, despite the strong presence of the security forces.

The La Inmaculada neighbourhood is right next to the TCBuen container port facilities, and people living there have complained that several houses in the area have been damaged by the vibrations caused by containers being moved. The Afro-descendant community living in La Inmaculada have joined PCN in making repeated requests to the government not to allow further development of the port facilities until the community’s right to a meaningful consultation is respected, before giving their free, prior and informed consent, to be provided with housing and health services and for the damaged houses to be repaired.

Human rights defenders exposing the human rights crisis in the region have faced repeated death threats as a result.

Names: Danelly Estupiñán, Rocío del Pilar Segura
Gender m/f: f

UA: 269/15 Index: AMR 23/2946/2015 Issue Date: 27 November 2015