COLOMBIA:Three Indigenous Awa persons die in antipersonnel landmine accident

July 9th, 2008

in:

Colombia

CPTnet

July 2008

COLOMBIA:Three Indigenous Awa persons die in antipersonnel landmine accident

For the past two years, CPT has accompanied the indigenous Awa people in the province of Nariño. In May of 2008, CPT organized an international delegation to the zone in solidarity with the Awa and with Afro-Colombians. As a continuation of this accompaniment, the Colombia team is relaying an urgent action issued by the Organization of Indigenous Unity for the Awa People (UNIPA) on 30 June 2008, in which they report the deaths of three members, all minors. The Colombia team urges you to accompany UNIPA in their struggle "for respect of life, of autonomy and of the cultural identity and defense of the territory of the Inkal Awa people."

Urgent Action

The indigenous Inkal Awa people of the province of Nariño make known with grave concern before national and international public opinion the deaths of three minors (two children and a teenager) of Planadas Telembi, an indigenous reservation associated with UNIPA and located in the municipality of Samaniego. When killed, these three young people were out hunting and fishing for food to sustain themselves and their family.

The victims are Dumar Alexander Pai Nastacuas, fifteen-years-old; Leibar Pai Nastacuas, twelve- years old; and Jose Edilmer Pai Nastacuas, eight years old. They all belonged to one nuclear family and studied at the educational center Las Planadas. The three were walking along the Telembi River on the evening of 27 June when they met the end of their lives by stumbling into a minefield installed by illegal armed groups. The explosion caused their immediate deaths.

In the face of this lamentable tragedy, the Awa people of UNIPA mourn with the parents and family of these three young brothers. UNIPA offers our profound sorrow and condolences for the irreparable loss of our companions who had only begun to live and to construct with us a better future for our people.

We also stand in solidarity with Mr. Efrain Villota Cortes, fifty-one-years-old, who on 28 June lost his right foot, to a landmine in the same region.

Because of the gravity of these events and the constant repetition of similar tragedies, we request that the national and international community contact the responsible state institutions to demand the following:

1) Fulfillment of Resolution 53 in Defense of Human Rights, drawn up by the Human Rights Ombudsman on 5 June 2008.

2) Investigation of these recent tragedies, assessing the situation of the affected population.

3) Guarantee of physical and psychological integrity and reparations to the families of the victims.

4) That the necessary measures be taken to prevent the repetition of such a lamentable tragedy, with the goal that these measures protect and further the comprehensive Plan of Life for the indigenous Awa people.

We urge all governmental and non-governmental entities-especially the Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation, the Human Rights Ombudsman, the Attorney General of the Nation, the Colombian Institute for Familial Well-being, the International Red Cross, and all other responsible and sympathetic organizations-to take whatever measures are necessary to quickly resolve this grave situation.

Please direct your communications to the following institutions:

Presidencia de la República (President of Colombia)

Doctor Álvaro Uribe Vélez, presidente de Colombia

Carrera 8A No. 5-57, Santafé de Bogotá

Fax: 57 1 566 2071

Correo electrónico: auribe [at] presidencia [dot] gov [dot] co

Vicepresidencia de la República (Vicepresident of Colombia)

Doctor Francisco Santos Calderón, Vicepresidente de la República

Carrera 8A No. 5-57, Santafé de Bogotá

Tel.: (571) 334 4507

Correo Electrónico: fsantos [at] presidencia [dot] gov [dot] co

Correo Electrónico: buzon1 [at] presidencia [dot] gov [dot] co

Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario (Presidential Program for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law)

Doctor Carlos Franco

Calle 7 No. 5 - 54, Santafé de Bogotá

Fax: 57 1 337 4667

Correo Electrónico: cfranco [at] presidencia [dot] gov [dot] co

Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (National Ministry of Defense)

Doctor Juan Manuel Santos; Ministro de Defensa

Avenida el dorado Cra 52 CAN, Santafé de Bogotá

Fax: (571) 222 1874

Correo Electrónico: siden [at] mindefensa [dot] gov [dot] co

infprotocol [at] mindefensa [dot] gov [dot] co

mdn [at] cable [dot] net [dot] co

Fiscalía General de la Nación (Prosecutor General)