Colombia: Openly Gay Political Candidate Attacked
03/13/2002
SUMMARY
An openly gay candidate in Parliamentary elections in Colombia, Mr. Manuel Velandia Mora, received several death threats during the campaign. Most seriously, on March 1, his home was attacked with a grenade. Mr. Velandia Mora denounced the attack to local authorities, who claim they have opened an investigation.
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) shares with local activists a grave concern that this response may be inadequate. Mr. Velandia Mora enjoyed police protection for two days after the attack but has since been left unguarded. IGLHRC urges letters calling on authorities to launch a genuine investigaton and to ensure Mr. Velandia's safety, as well as his freedom to participate in the political process.
ACTION
IGLHRC asks for letters to Colombian authorities demanding an immediate and thorough investigation of the attack, as well as full protection of Mr. Velandia Mora if such protection is needed.
Please write today to:
- Defensoría del Pueblo (Office of the Ombudsperson of Colombia):
- defensor@defensoría.org.co,
pagaviria@defensoria.org.co - Procuraduria General de la Nacion (Office of the Attorney General of Colombia):
- pgnau@col1.telecom.com.co,
anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co - Ministerio del Interior (Ministry of Internal Affairs of Colombia):
- sisint@anticorrupcion.gov.co
And please send a copy to Mr. Velandia Mora at:
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Sir,
We write to express our concern about the reported March 1, 2002 attack against the residence of Manuel Velandia Mora, an openly gay candidate running for a Parliament seat on behalf of Solidaridad Comunitaria.
Mr. Velandia Mora also lodged complaints about death threats that he received both at his home (Calle 55 Nro. 14-85, Bogota) and at Solidaridad Comunitaria's headquarters (Carrera 13, Nro. 35-41, Suite 201), after the attack. Those threats raise fears that new attacks might take place at any moment.
Police protection was granted to Mr. Velandia Mora for two days after the attack. We fear this is inadequate and we urge you to discuss with Mr. Velandia Mora his needs for further protection.
The organization Solidaridad Comunitaria has a history of fighting for those who face discrimination and exclusion in Colombia--among them sexual minorities, people living with HIV/AIDS, internal migrants, single mothers and sex workers--as well as of condemning all forms of hatred and violence. An openly gay candidate, Mr. Velandia Mora makes a powerful statement for the inclusion of minorities in the public and political life of Colombia, as a step towards peace and true democracy.
Political participation is a fundamental right protected by international treaties Colombia has ratified, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights. Colombian authorities must thus ensure that all Colombians can take part in the country's public and political life. That right must be exercised in safety. Death threats and violence must not be the consequence of political action.
We urge you to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack and threats against Mr. Velandia Mora, to convey the message that such actions will not be tolerated.
Sincerely,
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 1, 2002, at 12.03 a.m. a grenade was thrown against the house where Manuel Velandia Mora lives and where the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organization Solidaridad Comunitaria meets on some occasions. No one was injured but the property was seriously damaged.
Mr. Velandia Mora denounced the attack to the offices of the Attorney General and the Ombudsperson of Colombia. The latter has notified Mr. Velandia Mora in writing that an investigation has begun. For two days, police guards were placed both at his personal residence and at Solidaridad Comunitaria's headquarters. After that, though, the guards were removed.
In the wake of the attack, several anonymous death threats were received by Mr. Velandia Mora at home and at the organization's offices.
The Colombian gay and lesbian movement has been actively involved in campaigning for peace in Colombia's civil war. On the very day that Mr. Velandia Mora's house was attacked, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender leaders from throughout the country--among them Mr. Velandia Mora himself-- joined a meeting of Planeta Paz, a peace project coordinated by community leaders and involving women's, indigenous, peasant, youth, sexual minorities and other social movements.
The civil war has seen extensive violence by both the opposition Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the US-supported government and military, as well as right-wing paramilitary groups. Attacks on election officials and assaults on candidates--including kidnapping--were blamed on FARC and other paramilitary groups during the campaign which ended on March 10, while observers also accused the military of intimidating voters.
IN THE LAW
The rights to life and to the security of the person are affirmed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in its Article 3, by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in its Articles 6 and 9, and by the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights (IACHR) in its Articles 4 and 7.
The right to participation in political life is affirmed by the UDHR (Article 21), by the ICCPR (Article 25) and by the IACHR (Article 23).
The United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the "Declaration on Human Rights Defenders," G.A. res.53/144, annex, 53 U.N. GAOR Supp., U.N. Doc. A/RES/53/144, 1999) mandates States to "take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise" of their human rights.
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