Colombia - Paramilitaries are threatening student leaders in University of Atlantico

by ACEU Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 at 5:54 PM
derechoshumanos@aceucolombia.org

The Secretary of Human Rights of the ACEU (Colombian Association of University Students) denounces these facts that are putting in danger the physical integrity of the leaders of the University of the Atlantico.

The Secretary of Human Rights of the ACEU (Colombian Association of University Students) denounces these facts that are putting in danger the physical integrity of the leaders of the University of the Atlantico.
Facts.
1. On December 14 2006 was received threats in the form of a letter, from paramilitary groups that call themselves the « águilas negras » (Black Eagles), adressed to the student and social leaders of the University of the Atlantico and of Barranquilla on the Costa Norte of Colombia.
2. The intimidation letter is entitled “For an Atlantico without Terrorists” and begins it’s fist paragraph by the following: “A whish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the members of the guerilla at the University of the Atlantico, social organizations of here and of the other neighborhoods: Don Bosco IV, la Cangrejera, la Concepción, el Bosque, la Cordialidad, los Olivos, los Nieves, lawyers and defenders of the guerrilleros, unionists of Barranquilla y Soledad. »
3. Are specifically menaced by name: Jesús Tovar, Euripide Yance, Campo Quintero, Henry Gordón, Gastón Tesillo, Carlos Hernández, Walter Salas, Guido Niebles, Javier Bermúdez, Walberto Torres, José Rodríguez, Moisés Sade, Hernando Romero, Gustavo López, Tomas Ramos, Limberto Carranza, Daniel Gaviria, Humberto Lara, Deniris Polo, Israel Barreiro, Antonio García, Juan Carlos Sandoval, Adolfo Llanos, Ricardo Villegas, Henry Molina, Sara Acosta, José Valbuena “tingo o el indio”, Jair Jiménez, Gilma Rurizo, Bernardo Charris, José Gabriel Pacheco, Lisandro Cerril, Julio Casas, Nevis Niño, Néstor Brujes, Saskia del Río, Daniela Castro, Enrique Olaya, Brenda Blanco, Ciro Becerra, Franklin Castañeda, Miguel Castillo, Walter Carcomo, Rodrigo Navarro, Javier Hebrad, Alfonso Montalvo.
4. The threats are also specifically aimed against the following student organizations: the members of the FEU (Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios), Dignidad Estudiantil, Visión Democrática, FUN Comisiones (Federación Universitaria Nacional) and the ACEU (Asociación Colombiana de Estudiantes Universitarios).
PETITION
We repeat to the Colombian Governement to guarantee the rights of the student leaders of the University of the Atlantico to life and political oppposition.