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Mark Thomas presents a benefit for Colombia Solidarity Campaign

fisheye | 09.08.2004 12:18 | Social Struggles | London

Party and raise money for the oppressed workers of Colombia!

Mark Thomas and The Colombia Solidarity Campaign present:

JAH LION MOVEMENT SOUND SYSTEM.

Reading's Roots Ambassadors, playing revive, UK roots and dub.
Featuring Skully Roots and Dub D at the control desk.

Tues, 17th August, 11pm til 5am

THE BONGO CLUB (venue 143)
37 Holyrood Road.

Door tax £6
All proceeds to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign


Below is an email I receieved this morning with news of the latest tragedy in Colombia.


>SUPER URGENT ACTION
>
>Colombian Army executes three leaders in Arauca (Colombia)
>
>Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro Detained
>
>
>FACTS:
>Humanidad Vigente Corporacin Jurdica denounces and energetically condemns the extrajudicial execution of HCTOR ALIRIO MARTNEZ, LEONEL GOYENECHE and JORGE PRIETO at the hands of the Colombian Army. These three historic leaders were under the protective measures scheme of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission.
>
>Alirio Martnez was president of the National Peasants Association ADUC- Asociacin Nacional de Usuarios Campesinos, Leonel Goyeneche was a member of the Executive Committee of United Confederation of Colombian Workers -CUT Arauca and Jorge Prieto belonged to the Executive Committee of the National Association of Hospital Workers -ANTHOC and the CUT. The three leaders were assassinated in an operation carried out this morning by the Revis Pizarro Battalion of the Colombian Army in the hamlet of Cao Seco, in Saravena municipality.
>
>SAMUEL MORALES, Presidente of the CUT in Arauca, and RAQUEL CASTRO, a member Arauca Teachers Association -ASEDAR were both detained in the same operation.
>
>These leaders have been spokesmen for the araucana community in the numerous mobilisations, marches, civil stoppages that have taken place in the face of military and paramilitary action against the population that has cost so many lives. At the same time they have led the continual and effective protests against the violation of human rights that took place in the bombing of the village of Santo Domingo in 1998.
>
>The initial versions by the Reveiz Pizarro Mechanised Group reported that the operation had "put down" three people and captured three others.
>
>Later, a few hours afterwards, the National Army claimed that the three leaders had attacked a military unit that was trying to rescue a kidnap victim and so they gave a military response, and the military claimed to have seized arms and munitions. They also signaled that they had started an investigation of the murder.
>
>We are enormously concerned by this account as well as the competency of the militray judicial jurisdiction to carry out the investigation, given that there are already multiple cases in Colombia and especially in Arauca, in which the military authorities manipulate the evidence to hide their responsibility and put blame on the victims.
>
>WE ASK:
>Because of the above, we ask that you send messages immediately to the people listed below demanding that the Colombian Government urgently forms a Verification Commission composed of government officials and Human Rights NGOs that goe sto Arauca on 6 August to verify the facts and avoid tampering with evidence, and to guarantee an effective investigation.
>
>- Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de DIH
>Dr. Carlos Franco
>Calle 7 N 5-54
>TEL: (+571) 336.03.11
>FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
>E- mail:  cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
>E-mail:  fibarra@presidencia.gov
>
>- Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
>Dr. Jorge Alberto Uribe
>El Dorado con Carrera. 52 CAN,
>Bogot.
>Tel. (57 1) 315 01 11
>Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74
>E-mail:  siden@mindefensa.gov.co,  infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co,  mdn@cable.net.co,
>
>- Procuradura General de la Nacin
>Dr. Edgardo Jos Maya Villazn
>Carrera 5 No. 15-80
>Santa F de Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 352 00 76
>Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
>E-mail:  anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
>
>- Fiscala General de la Nacin
>Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
>Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
>Santa fe de Bogot.
>Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
>E-mail:  contacto@fiscalia.gov.co;  denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
>
>-Defensora del Pueblo
>Dr. Wolmar Prez Ortiz.
>Calle 55 No. 10-32
>Santa Fe de Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 314 73 00
>Fax: (+571) 640 04 91
>E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
>
>- Presidencia de la Repblica
>Dr. lvaro Uribe Vlez,
>Cra. 8 No.7-26, Palacio de Nario,
>
>Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 562 93 00
>Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
>E-mail:  auribe@presidencia.gov.co
>
>UN Human Rights in Colombia
>-Oficina en Colombia de la ONU (Derechos Humanos), delegacin Nororiente colombiano.
>Dra. Karen Sherlock
>Tel: (57-7) 643 38 81, 657 26 47.
>Fax: 1-6293637
>
>Bucaramanga
>
>
>COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN ADDS:
>
>Please also demand the immediate release of Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro. In your message please express concern for their safety and that they are not being tortured.
>
>
>And, in the UK, send messages to :
>
>Colombian Embassy (UK):  mail@colombianembassy.co.uk
>
>With a copy to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign at  colombia_sc@hotmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>El Ejrcito ejecuta extrajudicialmente a tres lderes histricos en Arauca (Colombia)
>
>
>HECHOS:
>Humanidad Vigente Corporacin Jurdica denuncia y condena enrgicamente la ejecucin extrajudicial a manos del Ejrcito colombiano de Hctor Alirio Martnez, Leonel Goyeneche y Jorge Prieto, lderes histricos de Arauca. Los tres gozaban de medidas cautelares de proteccin dictadas por la Comisin Interamericana de Derechos Humanos-CIDH.
>Alirio Martnez ocupaba el cargo de presidente de la Asociacin Nacional de Usuarios Campesinos-ADUC, Leonel Goyeneche era miembro de la Junta directiva de la Confederacin Unitaria de Trabajadores-CUT Arauca y Jorge Prieto perteneca a la Junta directiva del la Asociacin Nacional de trabajadores/as hospitalarios de Colombia-ANTHOC y a la de la CUT.
>Los tres lderes fueron asesinados en el marco de un operativo que realiz esta maana el Batalln Revis Pizarro del Ejrcito colombiano en la vereda de Cao Seco, municipio de Saravena.
>
>En el mismo operativo, han sido detenidos los tambin lderes Samuel Morales, Presidente de la CUT, y Raquel Castro, miembro de la Asociacin de Educadores de Arauca-ASEDAR.
>
>Estos lderes han sido voceros de las comunidades araucanas en las numerosas movilizaciones, marchas, paros cvicos a los que se han visto avocadas ante el abandono estatal y el accionar militar y paramilitar contra los pobladores araucanos y que ha cobrado numerosas vidas. As mismo han asumido decididamente la denuncia permanente y efectiva de graves violaciones a derechos humanos como el bombardeo contra Santo Domingo, Arauca, en 1998.
>
>Las versiones iniciales del Grupo Mecanizado Reveiz Pizarro daban cuenta del operativo, de haber "dado de baja" a tres personas y de la captura de las otras dos.
>
>Posteriormente, pocas horas despus, el Ejrcito Nacional asegura que los tres lderes atacaron una unidad militar que intentaba rescatar un secuestrado y a ello obedeci la respuesta militar, asi mismo aseguran haber incautado armas y municiones. Asi mismo sealan que han asumido la investigacin del crimen.
>
>Nos preocupa enormemente esta versin as como competencia de la jurisdiccin penal militar para adelantar la investigacin, puesto son ya multiples los casos en Colombia y especialmente en Arauca, en los que autoridades militares manipulan las pruebas para ocultar su responsabilidad e inculpar a las vctimas.
>
>SOLICITUDES:
>Por lo sealado anteriormente, les solicitamos que llamen lo antes posible a las siguientes personas para solicitarles que el Gobierno colombiano conforme urgentemente una Comisin de verificacin -integrada por miembros del Gobierno y de organizaciones de DDHH- que maana mismo, viernes 6 de agosto viaje a Arauca para verificar estos hechos y evitar que se manipulen u oculten pruebas y garantizar una investigacin eficaz.
>
>- Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de DIH
>Dr. Carlos Franco
>Calle 7 N 5-54
>TEL: (+571) 336.03.11
>FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
>E- mail:  cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
>E-mail:  fibarra@presidencia.gov
>
>- Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
>Dr. Jorge Alberto Uribe
>El Dorado con Carrera. 52 CAN,
>Bogot.
>Tel. (57 1) 315 01 11
>Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74
>E-mail:  siden@mindefensa.gov.co,  infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co,  mdn@cable.net.co,
>
>- Procuradura General de la Nacin
>Dr. Edgardo Jos Maya Villazn
>Carrera 5 No. 15-80
>Santa F de Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 352 00 76
>Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
>E-mail:  anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
>
>- Fiscala General de la Nacin
>Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
>Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
>Santa fe de Bogot.
>Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
>E-mail:  contacto@fiscalia.gov.co;  denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
>
>-Defensora del Pueblo
>Dr. Wolmar Prez Ortiz.
>Calle 55 No. 10-32
>Santa Fe de Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 314 73 00
>Fax: (+571) 640 04 91
>E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
>
>- Presidencia de la Repblica
>Dr. lvaro Uribe Vlez,
>Cra. 8 No.7-26, Palacio de Nario,
>
>Bogot.
>Tel: (57 1) 562 93 00
>Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
>E-mail:  auribe@presidencia.gov.co
>
>UN Human Rights in Colombia
>-Oficina en Colombia de la ONU (Derechos Humanos), delegacin Nororiente colombiano.
>Dra. Karen Sherlock
>Tel: (57-7) 643 38 81, 657 26 47.
>Fax: 1-6293637
>
>
> Bucaramanga
>

fisheye
- e-mail: fisheye@circus2iraq.org


Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

PICKET COLOMBIAN EMBASSY - 3 Hans Crescent, 4-7pm, Aug 10th

09.08.2004 15:10

Please come along and mobilise as many people as possible. we need to keep pressure on the government to protect samuel and maria's lives and liberty. past action has proved to be successful, when Gilberto Torres was released from the hands of right wing paramilitaries.

I hope to see you there. Please pass message on, thanks

PICKET COLOMBIAN EMBASSY - NO MORE TRADE UNION EXECUTIONS!


4pm - 7pm Tuesday 10th August

3 Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, London - back of Harrods

FREE SAMUEL MORALES AND MARÍA RAQUEL CASTRO!

FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE ARAUCA ASSASSINATIONS NOW!

REMEMBER LEONEL GOYENECHE, JORGE EDUARDO PRIETO CHAMUSERO and HÉCTOR ALIRIO MARTÍNEZ
----------------
PICKET COLOMBIAN EMBASSY - NO MORE TRADE UNION EXECUTIONS!


4pm - 7pm Tuesday 10th August

3 Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, London -

In the morning hours of Thursday 5th August the Colombian army executed three trade union leaders. The triple assassination took place in a district of Saravena, in the oil rich province of Arauca. Commanders of the No. 18 Mechanised Group that carried out the killings claim that they were fired on first. And yet according to eyewitnesses the soldiers took the trade unionists out of the place they were staying and shot them in the street. This was another extra-judicial execution.

At the same time the army took into detention internationally known trade union and human rights activists SAMUEL MORALES and MARÍA RAQUEL CASTRO. The Army and Colombian government are already making inflammatory and unjustified accusations against these social leaders, prejudicing any possibility of a just hearing.

Arauca is a showcase of Uribe's security policy. In September 2002 it was declared a Zone of Rehabilitation and Consolidation, and has since suffered saturation military control. There were massive raids in November 2002 when two thousand people were interrogated in one operation. Ever since the trade unions and all forms of social organisation have been under constant attack. The Colombia Solidarity Campaign recently visited the region as part of the International Caravan to Save Life. In Saravena, where last week's assassination took place, our delegation witnessed military patrols on every street corner. We had to pass through 14 military roadblocks in one morning in order to reach the village of Pueblo Nuevo. There, in a gathering of some 600 hundred peasants and indigenous people who had come together for protection, we heard testimony from dozens of victims of army and paramilitary assassinations.

The murder of trade unionists in Colombia has to be stopped. We call on trade unionists, on all democrats and defenders of human rights to join our protest this Tuesday. We must keep up the pressure to prevent a state cover up of the crimes of the Colombian military, and to gain the release of Samuel and Maria.

Colombia Solidarity Campaign

London, 8th August 2004

If you cannot come to the picket send messages of concern to the Colombian Embassy  mail@colombianembassy.co.uk

Reference: Urgent Action 6th August 2004

Bob


What town???

10.08.2004 13:29

Hey,

Could someone say what town that benefit is in?? Perhaps I just missed it in the post but it just say holyrood road. Holyrood Rd where??

Why do people allways put up these advertising posts without actually telling anyone where the event is?

Stu.

Stu.


Athens of the North

10.08.2004 15:10

The event is in Edinburgh....the Athens of the North.

Thucycides


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