PDA-Polo Bélgica: Statement rejecting the threats against the social and political leaders in Colombia and supporting the just social protest

lunes, 9 de septiembre de 2013

Statement rejecting the threats against the social and political leaders in Colombia and supporting the just social protest

A warm salute to everyone:

This statement is part of the public denunciation being brought forward in Colombia against the permanent persecution of the leaders and activists victimized for defending agriculture, industry, national production and also those who work in the defense of human rights.

As you well know, the solidarity manifest in the massive support for petitions and statements has saved the lives of hundreds of people throughout the world.

It is for this that we ask you to spread this statement among your contacts. Perhaps some of them might be motivated to join this campaign that ends on September 14, given the urgency and the gravity of the threats that we have mentioned so many times.

September, 03-2013, Brussels.

Statement rejecting the threats against the social and political leaders in Colombia and supporting the just social protest[1]

We, the undersigned, emphatically repudiate and condemn the serial threats by groups on the margins of the law, such as the self-styled “Rastrojos”, who take to violent methods to silence the denunciations by various leaders such as those of the Alternative Democratic Pole as also trade unions and social movements against the Santos government.

Though the Colombian government has rejected these threats and announced that it will reinforce security measures for those who have been threatened, there is no guarantee that these threats will not be carried out after President Juan Manuel Santos’ irresponsible declaration slandering Senator Jorge Enrique Robledo of the Alternative Democratic Pole, tagging him as being the promoter of the Great National Agricultural Strike and stigmatizing the just social protest without recognizing that this has been generated by the neo-liberal policies applied by the previous governments and continued by this one with the signing and implementation of more Free Trade treaties which go against the national economy.

As such, we reject the systematic obstruction of the work in opposition, the search for truth and reparation for the victims of paramilitarism by parliamentarians of the Alternative Democratic Pole such as Iván Cepeda and the political and judicial persecution against him by the Attorney General, Alejandro Ordoñez, marking him out as an objective for those who use violence.

From the various political parties and social movements, we call upon the Colombian government to provide protection and security to the democratic Opposition in Colombia so that they can continue exercising their inalienable right to denounce the neo-liberal policies that violate the human rights of the Colombian people.

This statement will be sent to the President of Colombia, the Interior Minister, the Attorney General, the Ombudsman and other governmental institutions.

Thanks for supporting this communication!

In support, sent an email to:

solidaridadvictimascolombia@gmail.com

Indicating your, name and residence.