Dear friends,

The following information comes from a number of Colombian unions through the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, based in England. The assassination attempt follows several high profile killings of Colombian labor leaders in the state of Arauca. The attempt against Francisco Ramirez was in Bogota. Besides the immediate human rights concern for the life of Francisco Ramirez, there is also the context of the attempt on his life. His union, Sintraminercol, is involved in the struggle against privatization and the handing over of the country's resources to foreign corporations.

At the end of this message, I am pasting the letters which I sent to Colombian President Uribe and the Swiss Ambassador in Bogota. Feel free to use the same letters or compose your own. I sent my messages by fax.

The fax number to President Uribe which worked for me is 011-571-337-5890. If you prefer to send an email, the way to send one to Uribe is to go to his website and click on ESCRIBA AL PRESIDENTE. It's best to write in English unless you are fluent in Spanish.

The fax number for the Swiss Embassy in Bogota is 011-571-235-9803. I do not have an email address for the Ambassador. A letter by regular mail can be sent to Embajador de Suiza, Sr. Victor Christen, Carrera 9a No. 74-08 piso11, Bogota, Colombia.

Best wishes, Patrick Bonner

KILLERS TRY TO ASSASSINATE FRANCISCO RAMIREZ THE PRESIDENT OF SINTRAMINERCOL

EVENTS:

1.- Francisco Ramirez Cuellar, the president of mining union Sintraminercol left his home with his girls to take lunch at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday 10th October. On arriving at the corner of 49th Street and 5th Avenue in the Palermo district of Bogota, he spotted a red and black high cylinder motorbike ridden by two people and coming towards him. The passenger was looking at him fixedly and had a pistol in his right hand resting on his leg. Francisco immediately got behind electricity and telephone cabinets denying the killers a target to shoot at. At that moment the traffic lights that were red changed to green and on the insistence of the vehicles behind then, the motorcyclists took off taking the road to the south.

2.-Francisco Ramirez noted that the motorcycle did not have number plates and that the two riders were not wearing the legally required reflective jackets or helmets. That day as in previous days watchers had been seen around Francisco Ramirez's home, and it is presumed that these two men had been waiting for him to come out and then followed him.

BACKGROUND:

1. For the last six months persons have seen, apparently members of state security organizations, snooping on Francisco's home, the union offices and the places that he frequents such as churches, organizations, and universities where he has presented the results of his investigations into mining and multinationals in Colombia.

2. The work of harassment and intelligence has extended to others such as Ludivia Giraldo, in charge of Sintraminercol's human rights department and the legal representative of the organization, "Ecate" - Association for Integral Social Development Desarrollo Social Integral - that has its office in the Sintraminercol headquarters. The most worrying incident occurred on Wednesday 29 September 2004 when four young men dressed in civilian clothes traveling in a yellow public service taxi followed her movements from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. through the districts of San Antonio Sur, Restrepo and Alqueria in Bogota. The situation obliged her to go to the human rights section of the National Police to ask for help.

3. The workers at state mining corporation Minercol, trade unionists and defenders of human rights have been attacked when they carried out peaceful protests opposite the plants of Holcim corporation. They have been filmed, photographed and attacked with streams of high pressure water, dogs and security personnel who also verbally assaulted the women protesters. The destination and use of photographs taken by the Consular Police at between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m on 8th June 2004 in the entrance to the Swiss Embassy is not known. Sintraminercol and the other signing organizations state our concern that these films and photographs might fall into the hands of military-paramilitary groups who are directly responsible for the repression and extermination of trade unionists and social leaders.

4. On May 2, 2004 two explosive devices were placed and detonated at Sintraminercol's headquarters.

5. This new attempt, from which Francisco Ramirez fortunately emerged unhurt, occurs in the midst of the union's fight against the liquidation of the state mining corporation Minercol. This has been ordered by the government of Alvaro Uribe Velez to implement the demands of the multilateral banks and of Swiss, Canadian, UK and US multinational corporations whose lawyers have elaborated and advised on rewriting the Mining Code legislation to include articles liquidating Minercol and attacking human rights, the environment and the existence of peasant, mining, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.

We are urged to contact Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez and Swiss Ambassador Victor Christen with the following requests:

The Colombian State to adopt the measures necessary to guarantee the life and security of Francisco Ramirez Cuellar, president of Sintraminercol.

The Colombian Government and representatives of the multinational companies that exploit the mineral resources of Colombia to meet together with Sintraminercol in seeking ways to stop the repression and alternatives to the liquidation of Minercol.

The Swiss diplomatic representatives to state the destination of the photographs and films taken of Francisco Ramirez Cuellar, and of the human rights defenders, Minercol workers, and trade unionists, who participated in the meetings and protests opposite the companyis headquarters and the Swiss Embassy in Bogota.

================ Sample Letters: ================
Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez Presidente de la Republica Palacio de Narino Cra. 8 No. 7-26 Santafe de Bogota COLOMBIA

Dear President Uribe:

I write to you because I am very concerned about the safety of Francisco Ramirez Cuellar, president of Sintraminercol. He narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday, October 10. This follows six months of harassment and surveillance of Mr. Ramirez and other Sintraminercol leaders, such as Ludivia Giraldo. Ms. Giraldo was stalked on September 29 by four young men who followed her in a taxi. Following that incident, she requested help from the human rights section of the National Police.

Members of Sintraminercol, while carrying out peaceful protests in front of the plants of the Holcim corporation, have been subjected to attacks with high pressure water, dogs, and verbal assaults. They were also photographed, which is a clear act of intimidation in Colombia's violent climate. In addition, on May 2, two explosive devices were detonated at the Sintraminercol headquarters.

I urge the following: First, that you take all steps necessary to guarantee the safety of Francisco Ramirez Cuellar and other Sintraminercol leaders. Second, that your government meet with the leadership of Sintraminercol to work out ways to stop the repression and find alternatives to the liquidation of Minercol.

Sincerely,

====================

Embajador de Suiza Sr. Victor Christen Carrera 9a No 74-08 piso 11 Bogota, Colombia

Dear Ambassador Christen:

I am very concerned at the report of violent attacks as well as filming and photographing of peaceful protesters outside the Holcim plant and the Swiss Embassy in Bogota.

The protesters were workers at the state mining corporation, Minercol, trade union members, and human rights defenders.

There is particular concern about the film and photographs taken by Consular Police in front of the Swiss Embassy on June 8 between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The concern rises from uncertainty as to the purpose of the photographs since members of the Sintraminercol union have been recent targets for surveillance and attacks. On October 10, Francisco Ramirez Cuellar, President of Sintraminercol, narrowly escaped an attempt on his life.

I therefore call upon you to clarify the purpose and destination of the film and photographs that were taken of Francisco Ramirez Cuellar and the human rights workers, Minercol workers, and union members who participated in meetings and protests in front of the Holcim company's headquarters and the Swiss Embassy in Bogota.

Sincerely,

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