Dear Friends,
Each one of you can help in saving these lives; it would take 3 minutes of your time. Fill in the RED parts and send this Urgent Action to the eMails suggested below. Please take action now!!
Toronto, July 23, 2013
Mr. César Felipe González Hernández
Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Colombia
E-mail: [email protected]
The Honourable John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Email: [email protected]
CC: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]; [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] ,[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]
RE: Threats against community leader and member of the Colombian Oil Workers’ Union (USO) in Puerto Gaitán (Meta, Colombia)
I/The (Union or personal name) am/is gravely concerned about the safety and security of Mr. Sanchez and his spouse Costeña and their 3 year old son Juan David because of death threats they received on July 16th, 2013, at 7:00pm. The threats, found in an envelope with a cross, left at the entrance of the family's home contained the following message:
‘‘Rest in peace, Juan David and Costeña. We see every step you make with your family. It’s good that you look for help, but it won’t be useful at all. We also know that you're going to work. Don’t ask for a stupid death, the same for your wife and child. Sincere condolences for the loss of your wife and your child. Don’t leave them behind as orphans and a widow and don’t become a widower yourself.’’
Mr. HÉCTOR SÁNCHEZ is a community leader and member of the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO). He is from El Porvenir county in Puerto Gaitán (Meta department), where the oil fields of the multinational Pacific Rubiales Energy are located. As a result of his leadership and community work.
Mr. Sánchez organized and convened community meetings, held between June 21st , 2013, where the USO and other organizations invited local residents to the 'Popular Tribunal on Extractive Policies in Colombia'. This event was held on July 13th and 14th , 2013 and coordinated with the participation of various social, student, peasant, union, indigenous, environmental and women organizations that denounced the consequences of oil development in the region and formulated proposals to attain more dignified living conditions.
Mr. Héctor Sánchez took part in this event as a witness, discussing the criminalization of protest against oil workers in the region. We thus believe that the recent threats to his life, and to the lives of his family, are a form of direct retaliation for his participation in the event.
Therefore and taking in consideration the imminent danger to the lives and safety of those threatened, which includes a minor, we urgently request that you undertake a meaningful, thorough and impartial investigations to identify and punish the authors of the above alleged threats and immediately implement effective measures to protect the lives and safety of those in risk.
I/We appreciate your attention; I/We will be attentive of your response and duties.
Sincerely,
NAME
ORGANIZATION
eMAIL
CITY, Canada
Mr. César Felipe González Hernández
Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Colombia
E-mail: [email protected]
The Honourable John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Email: [email protected]
CC: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]; [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] ,[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]
RE: Threats against community leader and member of the Colombian Oil Workers’ Union (USO) in Puerto Gaitán (Meta, Colombia)
I/The (Union or personal name) am/is gravely concerned about the safety and security of Mr. Sanchez and his spouse Costeña and their 3 year old son Juan David because of death threats they received on July 16th, 2013, at 7:00pm. The threats, found in an envelope with a cross, left at the entrance of the family's home contained the following message:
‘‘Rest in peace, Juan David and Costeña. We see every step you make with your family. It’s good that you look for help, but it won’t be useful at all. We also know that you're going to work. Don’t ask for a stupid death, the same for your wife and child. Sincere condolences for the loss of your wife and your child. Don’t leave them behind as orphans and a widow and don’t become a widower yourself.’’
Mr. HÉCTOR SÁNCHEZ is a community leader and member of the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO). He is from El Porvenir county in Puerto Gaitán (Meta department), where the oil fields of the multinational Pacific Rubiales Energy are located. As a result of his leadership and community work.
Mr. Sánchez organized and convened community meetings, held between June 21st , 2013, where the USO and other organizations invited local residents to the 'Popular Tribunal on Extractive Policies in Colombia'. This event was held on July 13th and 14th , 2013 and coordinated with the participation of various social, student, peasant, union, indigenous, environmental and women organizations that denounced the consequences of oil development in the region and formulated proposals to attain more dignified living conditions.
Mr. Héctor Sánchez took part in this event as a witness, discussing the criminalization of protest against oil workers in the region. We thus believe that the recent threats to his life, and to the lives of his family, are a form of direct retaliation for his participation in the event.
Therefore and taking in consideration the imminent danger to the lives and safety of those threatened, which includes a minor, we urgently request that you undertake a meaningful, thorough and impartial investigations to identify and punish the authors of the above alleged threats and immediately implement effective measures to protect the lives and safety of those in risk.
I/We appreciate your attention; I/We will be attentive of your response and duties.
Sincerely,
NAME
ORGANIZATION
CITY, Canada