The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your VERY URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.

Description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT is deeply concerned about the information received from reliable sources concerning the murder of a 17-year-old girl, Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano, and the alleged rape of another 14-year-old girl, by members of the Colombian army in the rural area of the municipality of Argelia, East of Antioquia Department.

According to the information received, on February 15, 2006, around 12.30 p.m., a group of soldiers from the battalion "Juan del Corral" of the Colombian regular army's Fourth Brigade, based in Medellin, and commanded by an adjutant named Rios, turned up in the set of houses "El Plan" of the above mentioned municipality, in pursuit of an alleged "subversive" (member of the guerrilla) whose name has not been disclosed yet, and whom they killed.

Later on the soldiers entered the Galeano Galeano family's house which is located in the same set of houses and came across two underage girls: a 14-year-old, whose name has not been disclosed yet, and a 17-year-old called Susana Patricia, whom they shot dead. The soldiers reportedly tried to convince her family that Susana Patricia had been shot by the "subversive". As the family denied this version of the facts, the soldiers ordered them to "(...) tell the authorities the girl had been shot by the guerrilla (...)". They also allegedly threatened members of the family so that they would not relate these facts as they really happened.

According to the information the corpse of Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano was left in a pasture near the house until the following day. Then some soldiers moved it to the municipality of Sonson in order to carry out the corresponding legal proceedings, claiming the office of the public prosecutor had entitled them to do so, even though the administrative district of "El Plan" lies within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Argelia. Moreover Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano's relatives are frightened and fear for their lives and their own integrity for having exposed facts involving law enforcement officers.

According to the information such a serious fact is but one more violent act perpetrated by the army against the civilian population in the rural area of the municipality of Argelia. Some days before, on February 12, 2006, in the set of houses called "Gitana", a soldier went into the house of a peasant family, whose name has not been disclosed yet, and demanded that their daughter, a 14-year-old girl, be handed over to him. The parents refused but the soldier took her away by force and allegedly raped her. According to the information received the underage girl's parents were also physically assaulted when they tried to prevent their child from being attacked.

The International Secretariat of OMCT condemns these utmost violent acts and urges the Colombian authorities to take the necessary measures to guarantee the security as well as the physical and psychological integrity of all members of Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano's family and of the 14-year-old allegedly raped girl's family in "Gitana", Argelia. OMCT also requests the government to order a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of all these exposed acts.

Moreover OMCT requests the Colombian government to order the competent authorities to ensure the protection of the peasant population in this area, thus abiding by the Principle of Distinction set out in International Law and particularly by the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

The International Secretariat of OMCT recalls that Colombia is a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which, in its article 6, states that "every child has the inherent right to life" and that "States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child". According to its article 37, Colombia is bound to make sure that "no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. (...)". And article 38 stipulates that "1. States Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for rules of international humanitarian law applicable to them in armed conflicts which are relevant to the child, and (...) 4. In accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population in armed conflicts, States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure protection and care of children who are affected by an armed conflict."

Furthermore OMCT recalls that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in its article 4 (c), stipulates States should "Exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons", which includes violence against girls.

Action requested:

Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:

1. immediately take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the minor Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano's family, as well as of the family of the 14-year-old girl, allegedly raped in "Gitana";
2. order a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the murder of Susana Patricia Galeano Galeano, and the alleged rape of the other 14-year-old girl in "Gitana", both reportedly committed by forces of the regular army, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. immediately comply with the recommendations by international and regional human rights agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;
4. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards, in particular the Convention Against Torture and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both ratified by Colombia, as well as the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
   
   

Addresses:

1. Mision Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra. Chemin du Champ d'Anier, 17-19, 1209 Ginebra. FAX : + 41.22.791.07.87; TEL.:+ 41.22.798.45.55. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
2. S.E. Alvaro Uribe Velez, Presidente de la Republica, Cra. 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Narino, Santa Fe de Bogota.Fax:+57.1.566.20.71 Francisco Santos, Vicepresidente: E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co, buzon1@presidencia.gov.co
3. Programa DDHH de Vicepresidencia: ppdh@presidencia.gov.co
4. Observatorio DDHH de Vicepresidencia: obserdh@presidencia.gov.co
5. Doctor Volmar Antonio Perez Ortiz, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogota. Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91 E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com ; agenda@agenda.gov.co
6. Doctor Mario Hernan Iguaran Arana, Fiscal General de la Nacion, Diagonal 22-B # 52-01, Bogota. Fax: +57.1.570.20.00 E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
7. Doctor Edgardo Jose Maya Villazon, Procurador General de la Nacion, Cra. 5 #. 15-80, Bogota. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; E-mail: webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co; cap@procuraduria.gov.co; reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
8. Dr. Camilo Ospina Bernal, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Bogota. Fax: +57.1.222.18.74; E-mail : siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co; mdn@cable.net.co
9. Dr. Carlos Franco, Director del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. E-mail : cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
10. Dr. Fernando Ibarra, Asesor del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Tel.: +57.1.336.03.11 Fax : +57.1.337.46.67 E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co
    

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Colombia in your respective countries.

Geneva, 21 February 2006.