Open Letter to the Colombian Embassy in London (handed in on the 16th of November 2006).

We are writing to express our urgent concern regarding the grave deterioration of the human rights situation in Colombia and the precarious situation of the social movement. Taking into account detailed and confirmed reports of the escalating threats to life, we demand that President ALVARO URIBE VELEZ and Vice-president FRANCISCO SANTOS explain the reasons for the persecution of political opposition leaders, trade unionists, students and defenders of human rights.

We demand the Colombian Government takes urgent measures to guarantee the security and freedom of citizens exercising their constitutional right of opposition to its neo-liberal policies. We specifically demand:

* That Samuel Morales, Raquel Castro and all arbitrarily detained trade unionists be released immediately. We demand the Colombian Government takes urgent measures to guarantee the security and freedom of citizens exercising their constitutional right of opposition to its neo-liberal policies. We specifically demand:

* That Samuel Morales, Raquel Castro and all arbitrarily detained trade unionists be released immediately.

* That the security and the physical and psychological integrity, as well as the free exercise of their professions, be guaranteed for Berenice Celeyta, Alexander Lopez Maya, Carlos Gonzalez, Luis Hernandez, Martha Aschuntar and all those named in report “FGN CTI SIA 358 and 359”); t hat the National Attorney General (Fiscalia) be asked to publicly clarify the origin of the information contained in the document; that the relationship between this document and Operation Dragon be investigated and that those responsible are investigated and judged in an open and exemplary manner.

* That the Interior Ministry continues to comply with the protective measures awarded in favour of Francisco Ramírez Cuellar, Juan Carlos Galvis and all threatened social leaders in compliance with the cautionary measures decreed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and that all state authorities guarantee their security.

* That a prompt, efficient and transparent investigation is carried out in to the assassination of Julian Andres Hurtado in order to identify those responsible and to take appropriate legal action against them and that other students and family members of the Jhonny Silva Truth Commission be guaranteed their freedom and security to conduct investigations.

Some of the signatories so far:

Name

Position

Organisation

Tony Benn

Bernard Cassen

Director General

Le Monde Diplomatique

Michael Clapham

MP

Jean Lambert

MEP

John McDonnell

MP

Augusto Montiel

MP Venezuela

Claude Moraes

MEP

Tam Burke

Branch Organiser

National Library of Scotland PROSPECT

Ben Drake

Branch Secretary

York City UNISON

George Binette

Convenor/Joint International Officer

Camden UNISON

Liz Leicester

Chair/Joint International Officer

Camden UNISON

Frances Kelly

Steward (in Personal Capacity)

Manchester Unison

Agnes Lingaid

Branch Secretary

Harlow Trades Council

Anne McCormack

St Helens Met UNISON

Plymouth Trade Union Council

Plymouth UNISON

Mike Gaskog

Shop Steward

AMICUS

Mike Jones

PCS

Gloria Olaya

University of Edinburgh

Rachel Ray

Young Members Officer

UNISON

Rob Sewell

HOV/NUJ

Mark Story

Academic

Sussex University

Tony Staunton

Chair International Committee of South West UNISON

Mark Turner

Branch Secretary

Cardiff County UNISON Branch

Alan Woods

Hands Off Venezuela

Gladys Zuluago

Movimiento Indigena