ORGANIZACION FEMININA POPULAR THREATENED AGAIN

YOUR RESPONSE IS URGENTLY REQUIRED!

CSN-Madison, February 11, 2003

The Colombia Support Network has received a request from the Popular Women's Organization (Organizacion Feminina Popular, OFP) of Barrancabermeja to act upon the following situation: Beginning in the middle of last year, the coordinator of the Organizacion Feminina Popular in Cantagallo, Mrs. Marianela Mendez, received constant pressure from the paramilitaries to quit, which led to her resignation in December. Replacing her in the position as coordinator was Mrs. Cleotilde Moron, and two days later, at 8:00 AM on the main street of Cantagallo, close to the church, Mrs. Moron was intimidated by the paramilitary commander "Miguel", "Pablo's" second in command, who indicated that they already knew that she was the new coordinator of the OFP in Cantagallo, that this would cause problems for her, and that she would soon have to talk with "Pablo", the paramilitary chief, because the OFP was a leftist organization. These threats are in addition to those that Yolanda Becerra, General Coordinator of the OFP and Jackeline Rojas, Coordinator responsible for the Cantagallo area, have been receiving from these same Paramilitaries.

CSN asks that you join OFP in the following actions:

• Express concern for the safety of Cleotilde Moron and other human rights activists with the Organizacion Femenina Popular (OFP) in Cantagallo, Bolivar department following the most recent threats which were issued on Feb. 5
  
  
• Call on the Colombian authorities to investigate these threats fully and bring to justice those responsible.
  
  
• Express concern at the continued large-scale presence of army-backed paramilitary forces in Cantagallo and surrounding areas despite the heavy military presence in the area.
  
  
• Call for immediate decisive action to confront and dismantle these groups in line with repeated UN recommendations and governmental commitments.

Appeal to:

• Presidente de la Republica de Colombia
  
  Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez
  Palacio de Narino Carrera.
  8 No. 7-26
  Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
  
  Fax: +57 1 342 0592
  auribe@presidencia.gov.co
  
  
• National Advocate for the People:
  
  Sr. Eduardo Cifuentes Munoz
  Defensoria del Pueblo
  Calle 55, No 10-32/46 office 301
  Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
  
  Fax: +57 1 640 0491
  secretaria privade@hotmail.com
  
  
• Ministra de la Defensa
  
  Martha Lucia Ramirez de Rincon
  Ministerio de La Defensa Nacional
  Avenida El Dorado Carrera 52 CAN
  Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
  
  Fax + 57 1 2 22 18 74
  communicacion@mindefensa.gov.co
  
  
• Your Senator
  U.S. Senate
  Washington, D.C. 20510

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