[ENS] Urgent Action: Student Killed, UK student witness - Take action now

[sparta at riseup.net]

Hello all,

Following is a press release concerning the murder of Jhony Silva, a
student at Cali university in Colombia, by the riot police.
On the 22nd of Sept, the delegation and I were inside Universidad del
Valle, and witnessed the events that took place leading up to the murder
of Jhony Silva. In the events leading up to the murder, I, along with
other students, had teargas and small explosives shot directly at us by
the riot police. The use of teargas and explosives, given the fence
seperating students and police, was excessive in itself.
Even harder to understand from the situation is why riot police stormed the
university, and why live ammunition was used to kill Jhony Silva, a
student in no way involved in the earlier events. I have a small amount of
footage and photos of the buildup to the murder, which I can show on my
return, to illustrate the excessive force of the police.
The situation in Colombia is dire, I ask you to take special action on
this issue, and to show your solidarity against what is a brutally
repressive regime where 95% of murders recieve impunity. Along with
sending the letters, could people get a motion into their unions
denouncing the murder of Jhony Silva, and raise awareness through all
possible resources.
Please forward this to everyone you know, support is desperately needed.
Uribe has already taken responsibility for illegaly sending the riot
police into the uni, and has announced that he is prepared to do it again.
Yesterday, around 3000 students mobilised a peaceful march through the
center of Cali, with much support from bystanders. This morning, hundreds
of students turned up to Jhony´s funeral in solidarity. Despite these
signs of popular protest, those who murdered Jhony are likely to go
unpunished.


--------------

22nd of September 2005, Cali Colombia.

The organizations listed below and the UK delegation of students and
academics currently in Colombia researching the critical human rights
situation within the university community denounce the tragic death of JHONY
SILVA ARANJUREN and the injury and arbitrary detention of students at the
University of Valle. We demand that those responsible are brought to
justice.

As a demonstration of solidarity, students at the Universidad del Valle held
a protest against the brutal treatment of the population in the neighborhood
of Candelaria who have been protesting in response to now week long the cut
off of water in the area.

Students blocked the Paso Ancho, a road outside the university before being
pushed into the campus by riot police (ESMAD - Mobile Anti-Disturbances
Squadron) who proceeded to launch teargas onto the campus until dark. At
approximately 7pm police entered the campus in a riot vehicles (No. 24027)
and on foot, firing teargas, rubber bullets and live ammunition, and
attacking the students remaining with truncheons.

In the attack, twenty one year old chemistry student Johny Silvia Aranjuren
was shot by police and died on the way to the Valle de Lili Hospital where
German Perdomo amongst other students gravely injured by police are
currently being treated. According the current information students Andres
Payan, Juan Pablo Aponte, Jairo Andres Valaquez and Monica Oliva are
currently being detained at the Limonar police station.

The members of ESMAD that that entered the university today have previously
intimidated and threatened human rights defenders of the Union for
University workers in Colombia. One of the ESMAD members, (no. 006-21) was
firing tear gas directly at groups of students, and later said to a
representative of Sintraunicol [University Workers Union] ?you?ll see, you
wont be able to get out of this?, as he tried to get information regarding
several students who had been beaten and forced into the riot vehicles.

Furthermore, numerous students were harassed by riot police who demanded to
see the Identity cards of everyone who had been involved in the
demonstration.

It is important to note that this tragedy occurs at a time when a delegation
of 13 students and academics from the UK are in Cali to research and
highlight situation of pubic higher education in Colombia.

Please send messages of protest to the following (sample message below)
demanding:

1.        That all of the members of ESMAD who were involved in this
operation
against the University are fully investigated, and that those found to be
responsible for the violent attacks against the students are brought to
justice.

2.        That both the individual who shot and killed JHONY SILVA
ARANJUREN and
whoever gave the order to fire against the students are arrested and charged
with the murder of Jhony and the attempted murder of other students.

3.        That those students who were arrested and detained inside tank
no 24027
are immediately released.

4.        That the freedom, physical integrity and the lives, are assured,
of those
students who were illegally and arbitrarily harassed by the ESMAD riot
police.


Dear Sirs
I am writing to express my disgust at the recent attack by members of the
ESMAD riot squad against students from the University of Valle. I am
particularly angered that this violence culminated in the killing of student
JHONY SILVA ARANJUREN, who was shot by a member of the police.

I urge you to fully investigate this situation, and to bring to justice both
the officer who killed Jhony, and also the officer who ordered the ESMAD
members to open fire against the students.

I further demand that those students detained by ESMAD officers are
immediately released, and that their future safety is guaranteed.
Yours


Please send Messages to:

Iv?n Enrique Ramos Calder?n, Vice Cahcellor (Rector), Universidad del Valle:
rector at univalle.edu.co
Martha Cecilia G?mez de Garc?a, Pro-Vice Chancelor (Vicerectora),
Universidad del Valle: viceacad at univalle.edu.co

Oscar L?pez Pulecio, Secretary General, (Secretario General) Universidad del
Valle: sec-gral at univalle.edu.co
Dr. ?lvaro Uribe V?lez, Presidencia de la Rep?blica Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio
de Nari?o,
Bogot?, D.C. Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
E-mail: auribe at presidencia.gov.co ;
[OR to better send e-mail to Uribe login to <http://www.presidencia.gov.co>
http://www.presidencia.gov.co
and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page.
Dr. Francisco Santos Vicepresidencia de la Rep?blica
E-mail:fsantos at presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Jorge Alberto Uribe Ministerio de Defensa Nacional El Dorado con
Carrera. 52 CAN, Bogot?, D.C.
Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74
E-mail: siden at mindefensa.gov.co, infprotocol at mindefensa.gov.co ,
mdn at cable.net.co

Dr. Edgardo Jos? Maya Villaz?n Procuradur?a General de la Naci?n
Carrera 5 No. 15-80 Bogot?, D.C.
Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
E-mail: reygon at procuraduria.gov.co ;
anticorrupcion at presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Carlos Franco Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de
Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Calle 7 N? 5-54
TEL: (+571) 336.03.11 FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
E- mail: cefranco at presidencia.gov.co; E-mail: fibarra at presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio Fiscal?a General de la Naci?n Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
Bogot?, D.C. Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
E-mail: contacto at fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie at fiscalia.gov.co

Unidad de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario
E - mail: elbsilva at fiscalia.gov.co
Dr. Volmar Antonio P?rez Ortiz. Defensor?a del Pueblo Calle 55 No.
10-32Bogot?, D.C.
Fax: (+571) 640 04 91
E-mail:secretaria_privada at hotmail.com

Dr Michael Fr?hling Oficina en Colombia del Alto Comisionado de Naciones
Unidas para los Derechos Humanos Calle 114 No. 9-45 Torre B Oficina 1101.
Edificio Teleport Bussines Park. Bogot?, D.C.
Tel?fono PBX (57-1) 629 3636 Fax (57-1) 629 3637
E-mail:oacnudh at hchr.org.co.



Cali, 22 September 2005.

CAMPANA PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR
CAMPANA PARA QUE LA UNIVERSIDAD VIVA
SINTRAUNICOL
ASOCIACION NOMADESC
COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN
DELEGATION OF STUDENTS AND ACADEMICS FROM THE UK.