URGENT ACTION
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13/10/08

URGENT ACTION : THREE FRENCH CITIZENS DETAINED IN PALMIRA - THE GOVERNMENT PREVENTS THE FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION ON THE SUGAR CANE WORKERS' STRIKE - CONTINUES THE PERSECUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

The organisation NOMADESC, the Campaign 'Forgetting is Forbidden' and all the other member organisations of the Colombia Friendship and Solidarity Network denounce the serious persecution of the international community, in particular against international monitoring and observation activities, in order to deny the right of freedom of expression, solidarity and to be informed and inform.
These events take place just as the government is vowing to strengthen public order measures against sugar cane workers who have been on strike since September 15 and court workers on strike since September 1, and at a time when the indigenous and farmers of the Cauca are meeting for the María Piendamo, a Gathering for Life, which has been taking place since October 12 where president ALVARO URIBE VELEZ has been summoned because of the serious threats and crimes against humanity the communities are facing.

THE EVENTS

1. At around 12.45 on October 13 2008 French citizens DAMIEN FELLOUS, with passport number 07CI42976, JULIEN DUBOIS with passport number 05EI56809, and JORIS PROT with passport number 07CP21469 were detained by members of DAS (Department of Administrative Security) whilst carrying out their journalistic duties at a gathering of sugar cane workers. The journalists had been checking conditions at the sugar cane refineries of Manuelita and Providencia, which they had photographed and noted.
DAMIEN FELLOUS, a journalist by profession, was working as a photographer in the country as a volunteer with the National Trade Union Institute (INS) to do research on the impacts of human rights violations in different regions of the country.

2. The three foreign citizens were detained in the Tumaco Central Refinery on the Palmira road next to the National University, forced into a four-door grey Nissan with registration CND 094 and taken to the DAS HQ in Cali without the trade unionists they were with being allowed to go with them.

3. The National Directors of the food workers trade union SINALTRAINAL, DIEGO RODRIGUEZ, GONZALO QUIJANO, EDGAR PAEZ, had to follow the DAS car according to the security arrangements of the Ministry of the Interior, and in Cali tried to inquire after the French citizens in the presence of a human rights lawyer but to no avail.

4. In the same way the organisations signed below tried to get in touch with DAS but all information was withheld, and we didn't get an answer from the emergency numbers of the Ministry of the Interior and the Peoples Defence Lawyer which are supposed to operate 24 hours a day.

5. Until now the whereabouts and condition of the French citizens are unknown.

6. This case and that of German citizen FRIEDERIKE MÜLLER clearly demonstrate the Colombian government's policy of impeding the work of Colombian nationals and internationals in verifying the serious human rights violations committed under the current government.


We therefore call on you urgently to contact the Colombian authorities and Foreign Offices of your countries, intergovernmental human rights bodies and Colombian embassies to demand:

As is public knowledge our social organisations and members based in Colombia, promote, defend and protect human rights, which we carry out on our own initiative across the country under the auspices of the constitution and legal system, with the aim of ensuring a life of dignity for all Colombians.

WE REQUEST

1. The immediate release of the French citizens DAMIEN FELLOUS, JULIEN DUBOIS and JORIS PROT.

2. The investigation of the DAS officials who participated in the illegal and arbitrary detention of the French citizens DAMIEN FELLOUS, JULIEN DUBOIS and JORIS PROT and other officials taking part in this arbitrary process.

3. An explanation from the national government of the policy being carried out against international individuals and organisations doing accompaniment and volunteer work.

Santiago de Cali, Ocober 13 2008

RED DE HERMANDAD Y SOLIDARIDAD - COLOMBIA
NOMADESC
CAMPAÑA PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR
FCSPP – FUNDACION COMITÉ SOLIDADARIDAD CON LOS PRESOS POLITICOS
CORPORACION SEMBRAR
ORGANIZACIONES SOCIALES DE ARAUCA
COSPACC – CORPORACION SOCIAL PARA LA ASESORIA Y CAPACITACION COMUNITARIA
CNA – COORDINADOR NACIONAL AGRARIO
INS – INSTITUTO NACIONAL SINDICAL
FEDEAGROMISBOL – FEDERACION AGROMINERA DEL SUR DE BOLIVAR
CISCA – COMITÉ DE INTEGRACION SOCIAL DEL CATATUMBO
CNA NARIÑO
CODHESEL
SINALTRAINAL

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1/10/08

DEPORTED FROM COLOMBIA:
CHRISTINA FRIEDERIKA MÜLLER A RESEARCHER WITH A MASTERS IN COMMUNICATIONS

We, the undersigned organisations, members of the Network of Solidarity and Friendship with Colombia denounce to the national and international community the deportation from Colombia of Christina Friederika Müller, a German citizen who was providing accompaniment to human rights organisations.

We categorically reject this arbitrary and unjust actions carried out by the Colombian Security Service (DAS) in the city of Cali.

Christina had participated in several accompaniments organised by COS-PACC, the organisation that invited her to Colombia. A delegation of nationals and internationals, including Christina, visited communities in the Provincia de la Libertad, Boyacá, in which Colombia's Vice-president and the Ombudsman office participated.

The Facts

1. On 1st October 2008, at 5.30pm Christina Friederika Müller, a German citizen was walking in the Plaza de San Francisco, in the city of Cali with a member of the Cali branch of the Solidarity Committee with Political Prisoners and a member of the Yumbo branch of Sintrametal, Union of Workers in the Metal Industry.
   
   
2. As they were about the leave the plaza she was approached by five people, who without showing any identification claimed to be employees of the Colombian Security Service (D.A.S.).  They interrogated her as to her reasons for her stay in our country. Immediately these people took her to the Security Services facilities.
   
   
3. The lawyers for NOMADESC (Association for the Investigation and Social Action) and for the Solidarity Committee with Political Prisoners went to the Social Services facilities in order to find out what was happening with Christina Friederica. The D.A.S. custody personnel initially denied that they were detaining her. Hours later, Jhon Mario Valencia, a D.A.S. employee informed them that the German citizen was indeed present in the facilities and her status in the country was being investigated in order to determine her entry in to the country. 
   
   
4. Later, Oscar Vasco, the D.A.S. employee in charge of her case arrived. He said that the Head of Immigration for the Security Services had declared that she could be detained for up to seventy two hours without being allowed any contact, including her right to an interview with her lawyer. Her mobile telephone was confiscated. D.A.S. personnel refused to accept documents which would require them to supply information as to the reasons for the deprivation of her liberty.
   
   
5. Finally on 1st October 2008, at 1:40pm the Security Services deported Christina Friederika Muller from Colombia. This deportation took place ignoring international laws:

• She was subject to the deprivation of her liberty, without a warrant.

• The Security Services refused to communicate between 30th September and the morning of 1st October.

• Christina Friederika was not allowed to have an interview with the lawyer

• Christina Friederika was subjected to extensive interrogation while detained by the Security Services without allowing her to be accompanied by her lawyer. 

• On1st October 2008 the Vice-President of Immigration for the Security Services, Lilia María Babativa Velásquez, ordered for Christina Friederika to be deported, without allowing her the right to a defence, nor to give any notice of appeal against this decision.

• Christina Friederika was only allowed an interview with her lawyer 15 minutes before being deported.