UA May 15, 2009

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
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15 May 2009

UA 127/09 Fear for safety

COLOMBIA

Aida Quilcue (f), leader of Indigenous rights organization Consejo Regional Indigena del Cauca (CRIC),
Cauca Indigenous Regional Council
Her daughter, aged 12
Other CRIC members

Indigenous leader Aida Quilcue, who has been receiving protection ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights since her husband was killed by soldiers in December 2008, is still in grave danger. Her 12-year-old daughter was threatened at gunpoint outside her house on 11 May. She, her daughter and other members of the organization she leads, the Consejo Regional Indigena del Cauca (CRIC), Cauca Indigenous Regional Council, are in grave danger.

Aida Quilcue’s daughter was standing outside her house, in the hamlet of Clarete, municipality of Popayan, in the south-western department of Cauca, when she saw a car slowly approaching her. The car, with four men inside wearing civilian clothes, stopped in front of her. The man in the passenger seat pointed a gun at her; the driver told him to put the gun away because people were looking. Aida Quilcue’s daughter ran into the house to tell the members of the Indigenous Guard, who were keeping watch on her, what happened. The Indigenous Guard are a non-violent, organized group of Indigenous volunteers in charge of organizing the protection of Indigenous communities from armed actors. The car then slowly moved off and stopped 30 meters away: the men inside looked back at the house, and then the car sped away.

Aida Quilcue’s husband, Edwin Legarda, was fatally wounded when soldiers fired at the vehicle he was traveling in to collect her from the city of Popayan in Cauca Department. Edwin Legarda died in hospital: 17 bullet holes were found in the car. Aida Quilcue had been returning from Geneva, after attending the Human Rights Council’s (HRC) Universal Periodic Review session on Colombia. At the HRC she had publicly raised concerns about human rights violations against Indigenous Peoples, including killings by the Colombian security forces. In Colombia, she had also played a prominent role in recent demonstrations by Indigenous People in support of land rights and in protest at human rights violations.

In April 2009 seven soldiers, including two junior officers, were arrested by judicial police investigating the killing of Edwin Legarda.

In response to the killing of Edwin Legarda, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States issued an order to the Colombian authorities on 14 January to provide protection to Aida Quilcue and 32 other members of the CRIC. The Colombian authorities have provided Aida Quilcue with security measures. Despite this, she and her family, and the other members of CRIC, are still in danger. Men have been seen watching and following them.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Colombia is home to dozens of distinct Indigenous Peoples. They are at particular risk from human rights abuses associated with Colombia’s long-running armed conflict, including threats, killings and forced displacement. They are particular risk of attack largely because many .live in areas where the conflict is most intense and which are rich in biodiversity, minerals and oil. Many Indigenous leaders have been threatened and killed by the parties to the conflict – the security forces, paramilitaries and guerrilla groups.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling on the authorities to take effective action to protect Aida Quilcue, her daughter and other members of the Consejo Regional Indigena del Cauca, in accordance with their wishes;
- calling on the authorities to order full and impartial investigations into the 11 May threat against the life of Aida Quilcue’s 12-year-old daughter, publish the results and bring those responsible to justice;
- calling on them to continue with the investigation into the killing of Edwin Legarda, making sure that it is thorough and independent, identifies all those responsible and brings them to justice;
- calling on the authorities to produce policy and plans, in conjunction with human rights defenders, to guarantee their safety according to the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and to make these plans public.

APPEALS TO:

Vice-President
Dr. Francisco Santos Calderon
Vicepresidencia,
Carrera 8A No 7-27,
Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 011 57 1 565 7682 (Ask: “me da tono de fax por favor”)
Salutation: Dear Vice-president Santos/Estimado Sr. Vicepresidente Santos

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia
Dr. Jaime Bermudez Merizalde
Calle 10 No 5-51,
Palacio de San Carlos,
Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 011 57 1 562 7822
Salutation: Dear Dr Bermudez/Estimado Dr. Bermudez

Attorney General
Dr. Mario German Iguaran Arana
Fiscal General de la Nacion,
Fiscalia General de la Nacion
Diagonal 22B (Av. Luis Carlos Galan No. 52-01) Bloque C,
Piso 4,
Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 011 57 1 570 2000 (A message in Spanish will ask you to enter extension 2017)
Salutation: Dear Mr Iguaran/Estimado Sr. Fiscal

COPIES TO:

Colombian Indigenous NGO
Consejo Regional Indigena del Cauca (CRIC)
Calle 1 No4-50, Popayan
Departamento del Cauca
Cauca, COLOMBIA

Ambassador Maria Carolina Barco Isakson
Embassy of Colombia
1101 17th St, NW
Washington DC 20036
Fax: 1 202 332 7180
Email: cwashington@cancilleria.gov.co

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 26 June 2009.

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