URGENT ACTION! - ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP DAUGHTER OF CUT HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR

The CUT's National Human Rights Team, denounces before national and international public opinion the attempt to kidnap ANA PAULINA TOVAR GONZALEZ, daughter of DOMINGO TOVAR ARRIETA Director of the Human Rights Department.

EVENTS


A 6.20 a.m on 21st March ANA PAULINA was heading towards the Hospital in the city of Barranquilla to carry out her University work. She was intercepted by two perosns who were travelling in a green renault. One of them tried to take her by grabbing her handbag and pushed her into the vehicle, thumping her several times. ANA PAULINA managed to pull herself away, she took a bus, then a taxi and she arrived at the Hospital.



This is not the first time that an incident like this has happened. ANA and her sister had been follwed a few days before, and on 17th January anothre group of individuals in a white Rodeo tried to put her in the vehicle, but she was helped by a passerby in preventing the kidnap.



At 8:15 p.m. on 28th March DOMINGO TOVAR, received a call on his Avantel phone, from a woman wo told him "now you are feeling it, and you'll fell it more". It must be pointed out that days before comrade TOVAR had been denouncing a plan by paramilitary groups associated with common criminals to assassinate him.
These events occur within the framework of the plan for "democratic security" being advanced by the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez that has so far this year claimed the lives of 10 union leaders, the imprisonment of 8 leaders and the forced diplacment of more than a hundred. All these actions are proceeding most harshly in areas such as Arauca Department where the workers confront neoliberal policies, teh alliance between multinationals and paramilitary groups seeking to destroy the social and trade union movement as the only way of imposing these policies.


We point out that the most critical zones in terms of human rights violations are those where North American, British and Spanish multinationals operate.

WE SEEK:



That demands are made on the Colombian Government to apply the contistutional principles that guarantee the reality and respect of the human righst of our leaders and their families, respect for the Protection measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the application of recommendations of teh Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia.



That demands are made on the Colombian Government to adopt the security measures necessary to guarantee the protection of the life and physical well being of DOMINGO TOVAR ARRIETA and his family.


Please direct your petition to:


DR.. ÁLVARO URIBE VÉLEZ
Presidente de la República
Carrera 8 No.7-26 Palacio de Nariño
Teléfono. +57.1.5629300 ext.3550 (571) 2843300
Fax (571) 2867434 - 2866842 - 5662071
 auribe@presidencia.gov.co

FRANCISCO SANTOS
Vicepresidente de la República
Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos
Calle 7 No.6-54 Piso 3
Bogotá D. C.
Telefax +57.1.337.1351
 fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y DIH
 rdh@presidencia.gov.co

DIEGO PALACIOS
Ministro del Interior y Justicia
Carrera 8 No.8-09 Bogotá
Fax 0057-1-286.80.25
 mininterior@myrealbox.com  ministro@minjusticia.gov.co

MARTHA LUCIA RAMÍREZ DE RINCÓN
Ministra de Defensa
Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
Avenida El Dorado con Carrera 52 CAN Bogotá
Teléfono 42411 INPRE CO; 44561 CFAC CO
Fax +57.1.222.1874
 infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co

Procurador General de la Nación
Carrera 5 No.15-80 Bogotá
Tel - fax: +57.1.342.9723, +57.1.281.7531

EDUARDO CIFUENTES MUÑOZ
Defensor del Pueblo
Defensoría del Pueblo
Calle 55 No.10-32 Bogotá
Fax: +57.1.346.1225

Alcalde del Distrito de Barranquilla - Capital del Departamento del Atlántico


With copies to :

C. C. CUT Nacional  derechoshumanos@cut.org.co


BY THE CUT HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM:


FRANCISCO RAMÍREZ CUELLAR President SINTRAMINERCOL (Mineworkers)
FERNANDO RAMÍREZ Responsible for Human Rights
ALFONSO NARANJO Responsible for Human Rights ANTHOC (Healthworkers)
WALTER JARAMILLO Responsible for Human Rights SINTRAELECOL NAL. (Electricity Workers)
GONZALO QUIJANO Responsible for Human Rights SINALTRAINAL (Food and Beverage Workers)
FERNANDO RAMÍREZ USO Human Rights Commission (Oilworkers)
BETSSY PERTUZ Responsible for Human Rights SINTRAUNICOL (University Workers)
YULY GONZALEZ Human Rights Secretary, CUT Bogotá
TOMAS RAMOS Human Rights Secretary, CUT Atlántico
GIL FALCON Responsible for Human Rights CUT Bolívar
SAMUEL MORALES President CUT Arauca

Bogotá, D. C. 29th March 2003