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From: Your Name <you@example.com>
To: AmbassadorB@state.gov
Subject: Recent Attacks against Family Members of Victims of Extrajudicial Executions
Your Personal Statement
Dear Ambassador William R. Brownfield,
I am writing to you to express my grave concern regarding the recent attacks against family members of victims of extrajudicial executions in Colombia, and I would like to urge you to immediately take action by publicly denouncing these attacks and demanding a response from Colombian officials.
It is my understanding that early this month there was an assassination attempt against Mr. Jose Wilson Giraldo, a key witness in the trial against some of the army officers believed involved in the death of Jose Orlando Giraldo, Jose Wilson's brother. Jose Wilson was leaving his house with his wife when he was shot in the head by unidentified men. He remains in a critical condition.
In their report on the assassination attempt, the United Nations highlighted the fact that Mr. Wilson Giraldo had been a key witness throughout the investigation into his brother's death and would be a principal witness in the trial that began five days before the assassination attempt.
Mr. Jose Orlando Giraldo, was killed on March 11, 2006 allegedly by members of the Third High Mountain 'Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo' Battalion. The soldiers present at the crime scene reported the death was the result of an official military operation against the FARC and they described Mr. Giraldo as a FARC militant killed in combat. The Giraldo family has strongly denied these accusations, stating that Mr. Giraldo was a very well known community member. Official investigations have shown that Mr. Giraldo's body presented signs of torture and the crime scene was tampered with presumably by the army personnel standing guard at the scene of the crime.
Since the murder of Mr. Giraldo his family has been under unauthorized surveillance and constant harassment by unidentified people they believe are connected to the army.
In another similar and very troubling case, Mayerli Alejandra Legarda Quilque, the 12-years-old daughter of Edwin Legarda, who was killed by the army last year, was threatened by armed gunmen. Edwin Legarda was an indigenous leader and also the husband of Aida Quilque, the leader of the Indigenous Regional Committee of Cauca (CRIC). In November 2008 Mr. Legarda was assassinated by members of the third brigade of the army on December 16, 2008 when he was traveling from Toroto to the Municipality of Inza in the Department of Cauca in a medical mission. His death still remains in impunity, as of yet none of the officers captured have been prosecuted for this crime.
On May 11, 2009, four unidentified men pointed their guns at Mayerli Alejandra while she was in front of her house located near the Municipality of Popayan in the Department of Cauca. Mayerli ran inside the house and the armed men fled the area after they noticed that the indigenous guard was present in the house. The day beforehand unidentified individuals tried to gain access to her school claiming to be officials from the government and then they followed Mayerli home where she was interrogated without her mother being present and without her consent. On April 2009 the car that was assigned to Mayerli for her protection, was followed and detained by a police patrol. They demanded for the vehicle to be inspected but the indigenous guard that was accompanying her refused, after getting in touch with the police commander of Cauca the officers agreed to let them through. All of the events have been reported to the Colombian government.
I urge you to help us bring these urgent cases to the attention of the Colombian Government, to guarantee the safety for the victims' families, and ensure a fair and timely trial. I ask you to please contact the Colombian government to urge that:
1. An independent and expedited investigation be completed that can determine the intellectual and material authors of the threats against Mayerli Alejandra Legarda and the assassination attempt against Jose Wilson Giraldo Barrera.
2. Guarantee that all those responsible for the death of Edwin Legarda and Jose Orlando Giraldo are brought to justice.
3. Urge the Colombian government to respond to and guarantee the special protection measures given by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Mrs. Aida Quilque and her daughter Mayerli Alejandra.
4. Similarly, guarantee the protection of Jose Wilson Giraldo Barrera and Martha Lucia Giraldo Villano, as well as the other six civilian witnesses in this trial.
Thank you very much for your attention to this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
--
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To: AmbassadorB@state.gov
Subject: Recent Attacks against Family Members of Victims of Extrajudicial Executions
Your Personal Statement
Dear Ambassador William R. Brownfield,
I am writing to you to express my grave concern regarding the recent attacks against family members of victims of extrajudicial executions in Colombia, and I would like to urge you to immediately take action by publicly denouncing these attacks and demanding a response from Colombian officials.
It is my understanding that early this month there was an assassination attempt against Mr. Jose Wilson Giraldo, a key witness in the trial against some of the army officers believed involved in the death of Jose Orlando Giraldo, Jose Wilson's brother. Jose Wilson was leaving his house with his wife when he was shot in the head by unidentified men. He remains in a critical condition.
In their report on the assassination attempt, the United Nations highlighted the fact that Mr. Wilson Giraldo had been a key witness throughout the investigation into his brother's death and would be a principal witness in the trial that began five days before the assassination attempt.
Mr. Jose Orlando Giraldo, was killed on March 11, 2006 allegedly by members of the Third High Mountain 'Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo' Battalion. The soldiers present at the crime scene reported the death was the result of an official military operation against the FARC and they described Mr. Giraldo as a FARC militant killed in combat. The Giraldo family has strongly denied these accusations, stating that Mr. Giraldo was a very well known community member. Official investigations have shown that Mr. Giraldo's body presented signs of torture and the crime scene was tampered with presumably by the army personnel standing guard at the scene of the crime.
Since the murder of Mr. Giraldo his family has been under unauthorized surveillance and constant harassment by unidentified people they believe are connected to the army.
In another similar and very troubling case, Mayerli Alejandra Legarda Quilque, the 12-years-old daughter of Edwin Legarda, who was killed by the army last year, was threatened by armed gunmen. Edwin Legarda was an indigenous leader and also the husband of Aida Quilque, the leader of the Indigenous Regional Committee of Cauca (CRIC). In November 2008 Mr. Legarda was assassinated by members of the third brigade of the army on December 16, 2008 when he was traveling from Toroto to the Municipality of Inza in the Department of Cauca in a medical mission. His death still remains in impunity, as of yet none of the officers captured have been prosecuted for this crime.
On May 11, 2009, four unidentified men pointed their guns at Mayerli Alejandra while she was in front of her house located near the Municipality of Popayan in the Department of Cauca. Mayerli ran inside the house and the armed men fled the area after they noticed that the indigenous guard was present in the house. The day beforehand unidentified individuals tried to gain access to her school claiming to be officials from the government and then they followed Mayerli home where she was interrogated without her mother being present and without her consent. On April 2009 the car that was assigned to Mayerli for her protection, was followed and detained by a police patrol. They demanded for the vehicle to be inspected but the indigenous guard that was accompanying her refused, after getting in touch with the police commander of Cauca the officers agreed to let them through. All of the events have been reported to the Colombian government.
I urge you to help us bring these urgent cases to the attention of the Colombian Government, to guarantee the safety for the victims' families, and ensure a fair and timely trial. I ask you to please contact the Colombian government to urge that:
1. An independent and expedited investigation be completed that can determine the intellectual and material authors of the threats against Mayerli Alejandra Legarda and the assassination attempt against Jose Wilson Giraldo Barrera.
2. Guarantee that all those responsible for the death of Edwin Legarda and Jose Orlando Giraldo are brought to justice.
3. Urge the Colombian government to respond to and guarantee the special protection measures given by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Mrs. Aida Quilque and her daughter Mayerli Alejandra.
4. Similarly, guarantee the protection of Jose Wilson Giraldo Barrera and Martha Lucia Giraldo Villano, as well as the other six civilian witnesses in this trial.
Thank you very much for your attention to this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
--
Delivered by CitizenSpeak!
Report abuse to abuse@citizenspeak.org [1638]
