Colombia: Death threats against human rights defenders

Your Excellency

I am deeply concerned following information received concerning death threats against four human rights defenders during the month of March 2008: Isabelino Valencia, the legal representative for the region of Lower Naya, and Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero and Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz who work with the human rights organisation, the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz (Intereclesial Commission for Justice and Peace).

On 27 March 2008, at 11.04 am, the offices of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz in Popayán received a telephone call from a woman requesting the telephone numbers of Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero and Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz. The unidentified woman said: “I'm calling to warn you again, they have asked you nicely to leave, be careful to bear this in mind, this is real”, before hanging up the phone.

On 24 March 2008, at approximately 7.00 pm, Isabelino Valencia, along with Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero, Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz, and other members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz, were in the city of Cali when they received a call threatening them that “we know that you are in Cali...we are following you...Be careful what you say and do”. The phone call was reportedly made from a telephone booth in Sabaneta in the region of Antioquía.

On 20 March 2008, a threatening letter was found on the window of one of the buildings belonging to the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz, which ordered Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero and Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz to leave and warned them that if they returned they would be killed.

On 19 March 2008, at 1.00 am, a threatening letter was found in a building owned by the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz in the area of San Francisco Naya. The letter had been reportedly signed by the paramilitary group known as the Águilas Negras (Black Eagles). It began with a drawing of a skull and a gun and ended with a depiction of a tomb with a cross and ordered Isabelino Valencia and all members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz to leave the Naya region. That same day at approximately 10.00 am, members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz were taking part in a community workshop when a letter was found on the patio warning them that they would be killed if they continued to work in the area. The letter was signed by the Águilas Negras and also included a drawing of a skull.

I believe that the death threats against Isabelino Valencia and the members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz, including Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero, and Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz, are related to their work in defence of human rights. Before they were obliged to cease their activities in the Naya region as a result of death threats and acts of intimidation against them, the members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz defended the human rights of the afro-Colombian communities in the area, in particular their right to protect the land and natural resources from exploitation and to maintain humanitarian spaces in the context of conflict and violence. In spite of having left the area, the threats against them have continued and Front Line is extremely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Isabelino Valencia, as well as that of Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero, Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz and all members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz.

I urge the Colombian authorities to:

1.Initiate an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the death threats against Isabelino Valencia, as well as against Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero, Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz, and the other members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz;

2.Take necessary measures to guarantee the security and physical and psychological integrity of Isabelino Valencia, as well as that of Frank William Cayapur Delgado, Edward Mina Cuero, Yimi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz and all members of the Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz, in accordance with the Programme of Protection (Decree 2816/06) of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Colombia;

3.Take measures to put an end to all forms of intimidation against human rights defenders in Colombia, and ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fears of restrictions or reprisals, in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Yours sincerely