URGENT ACTION TO PROTEST AGGRESSION DIRECTED AT CALI'S DISPLACED COMMUNITIES


EVENTS

At at 5:00 a.m.on Wednesday 19th March 2003, the Colombian police attacked the displaced communities in the Barrio of los Lagos I (Commune 13), in the urban and marginalized district of Aguablanca, near to Cali.

Anti-riot police arrived with tank Number 028, and several police trucks with Numbers: 598, 910, 579. They were accompanied by two other suspiciously unmarked vehicles, one red with number plates NVL - 654 and another white with number plates: CEN-432. They attacked violently with batons and smashed up all the temporary housing that had been set up to protect the community from the harsh winter. These temporary dwellings were the only thing that these people had, and many of them were women, among them some were pregnant, some children, some pensioners. The state forces gathered together the little resources they had such as mattresses, clothes, wood, plastic, and cooking implements and burned them publicly.


Police Inspector ALEYDA ROSERO explained that they were carrying out orders from the Police Station Fray Damián, after a petition by Mr. Nelson Holguín, president of the Asociación Daniel Guillard, who had initially allowed them to stay there until they were relocated elsewhere.


Also present were LUZ MARITZA SANTACRUZ and BERTHA LUCY MIRANDA, delegates of the Human Rights Department of the Municipalities Ombudsmen who passively allowed the burning of the displaced communities possessions. At no time did they consult with the leadership of FUNDESCO*, nor did they allow for them to explain the legal standing of their case.


The communities are in a profound state of anxiety and fear due to their violent dislodgement and for the uncertainty that they now face in preparing food and resting at night, as the location has been completely destroyed.


BACKGROUND


All the displaced families who are currently part of the occupation of the Association Daniel Guillard and have not been offered either the possibility to relocate within the city or to return to their homes with the necessary guarantees.


Displaced people that arrive in the city are not offered efficient humanitarian aid which according to law has to be provided by the national government via institutions that form part of the Social Security Network (Red de Seguridad Social) for displaced Colombians.


The communities that are occupying the Association Daniel Guillard, declare that they are tired of the lack of provision, the failure of the Municipality to implement the legal decisions carried out in favour of their claims, of the poor service provided by public officials, at the lack of clarity and explanations offered to account for local policy towards displaced communities, at the lack of plans and strategies to resolve either their urban relocation or their return to their homes with adequate guarantees.

At present they are forced to live in inhumane conditions without minimal provisions necessary for human dignity.


On 2nd January 2003 approximately 700 people including women and children proceeded to occupy land in the city of Cali on the road Via Navarro, reclaiming their right to a dignified dwelling. They were violently dislodged by Agents of the Public Forces.


The communities declare that the order to dislodge them was given directly by Mr. Jorge Ivan Ospina, Government Secretary for the city of Cali.

DEMANDS


That there is an immediate halt of aggression by the Public Forces and the Local Government against the communities located in the Association Daniel Guillard.

That the reasons for the Judicial Dislodgement, ordered by Mr. Nelson Holguín, are investigated.

Call for the permanent presence of delegates from Human Rights Organizations to verify the situation and accompany the communities affected by the dislodgements.



Urgent Immediate Attention to resolve the food and shelter problems of the communities.

The immediate presence of a Local Government Health team to verify, address and guarantee decent conditions for the affected communities.

Solidarity in the form of food and goods for the families affected by the forced dislodgement.

That members of the media come to the location and inform the public of the events taking place.

Call for Solidarity and Accompaniment from Human Rights Organizations, Social and Popular Groups towards the Displaced Communities.
* The majority of displaced people that are involved in the occupation state that they are members of the Foundation For Displaced Colombians (FUNDESCO), which was created three years ago. The following groups who have arrived in the city of Cali over the last 4 years denounce the above events: The Displaced Communities from the Municipalities of Puerto Asís; Campo Alegre village, El Jordán in Municipio de Orito; Puerto Guzmán; the district of el Tigre; El Placer in Municipio La Hormiga, Putumayo Department; the village of Iscuande in Santa Bárbara, Nariño Department; Tumaco; from the district of Valparaíso, Playa Rica, El Diamante village, Caquetá Departament; De Suárez, Caloto, Silvia, from the Palo district of Caloto, de Cajibio; the villages of Santa Anita, San Juan in Micay Municipality in Tambo; Cedal village in Buenos Aires district, Puracé district; from the Municipality of Argelia; San Francisco in Timbiqui, Cauca Departament; from Bajo Anchicayá in Buenaventura; 12 de Octubre village in Calima Darién, Valle del Cauca Departament; from the Playa de Oro district of Municipio de Sado in Choco Departament; from San Luis, Antioquia; from Las Brisas villagein el Boque in Sur de Bolívar; from San Vicente de Chucury in Magdalena Medio.

Santiago de Cali, March 19th, 2003

National and International Human Rights Campaign Against Privatization, Corruption and the Criminalization of Social Protest.

Association For Social Research and Action NOMADESC, Trade Union of Colombian University Workers SINTRAUNICOL, Trade Union of the Municipal Enterprises of Cali SINTRAEMCALI, Central Unitary of Workers CUT - VALLE DEL CAUCA and many others.


Send Letters and Messages To:

- Álvaro Uribe Vélez www.presidencia.gov.co
- Luis Eduardo Cifuentes, Defensor del Pueblo secretaría_privada@hotmail.com
- Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación  contacto@fiscalia.gov.co
- Martha Lucía Ramírez, Ministra de Defensa comunicación@mindefensa.gov.co
- Luis Fernando Londoño, Ministro del Interior  mininterior@gov.co

with copies to  colombia_sc@hotmail.com and  dhintegralsuroc@yahoo.com