Protest Threats against Colombian Defender and her Family

April 16, 2008

Colombian human rights activist Ingrid Vergara has been subjected to intimidation through a particularly vulnerable target: her young daughter. On April 2, 2008, unknown persons outside her school reportedly told the 12-year-old girl, "We're going to kill you for the work your mother is doing."

Vergara works with victims of state crimes and recently helped organize a nationwide demonstration against paramilitary violence. This attack is particularly alarming because it focused on Vergara's young child, an example of the kind of threats that women human rights defenders frequently face.

This is not the first time that Vergara or her daughter have been threatened, in a clear attempt to deter her from performing vital human rights advocacy.

Please demand that the Colombian authorities provide adequate protection for Ingrid Vergara and her daughter and that it investigate the threats made against her.

Background

Ingrid Vergara is a leader of the National Movement for Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in the city of Sincelejo, Sucre department. On April 2, 2008, her 12-year-old daughter was approached by four unknown persons outside her school who threatened her before fleeing in a white truck.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights awarded Vergara protective measures in 2007 after she and her family repeatedly received threats, including from people reportedly driving the same white truck. Vergara's daughter had previously been threatened in the vicinity of her school. These protective measures awarded by the Commission require the government to adopt adequate mechanisms to protect the life of Vergara.

Vergara and her daughter immediately reported the threats to the Rapid Response Unit of the Attorney General's office in Sincelejo.

Violence and threats against human rights defenders spiked after a March 6 demonstration organized to protest paramilitary and government-sanctioned violence. 2007 Baldwin Award winner Ivan Cepeda, the national leader of MOVICE, is one of several defenders to come under attack. Vergara was an organizer of the demonstrations in Sucre.

This attack is particularly alarming because it focused on the young child of Ms. Vergara. It is an example of the gender-specific threats that women human rights defenders face. For more information about women human rights defenders, click here.

Sample Letter:

Dr. Mario Hernan Iguaran Arana
Fiscal General de la Nacion
Diagonal 22-B #52-01
Bogota
Colombia

Dear Attorney General Iguaran:

I am writing to express my grave concern about efforts to intimidate Ingrid Vergara through a death threat against her 12-year-old daughter. Ingrid Vergara is a leader of the National Movement for Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in Sincelejo, Sucre. On April 2, 2008, unknown persons approached Vergara's daughter outside her school and reportedly told her, "We're going to kill you for the work your mother is doing." I understand that the assailants subsequently drove off in a white truck.

Ingrid Vergara was a key organizer of the March 6 peaceful demonstrations against paramilitary and state violence.

The attack is particularly alarming because it focused on Vergara's young child. Threats to family members are one example of the gender-specific threats that women human rights defenders frequently face.

I am especially concerned because this is not the first time that Ms. Vergara and her family have received threats. In 2007 they were repeatedly threatened, in some cases by people reportedly driving the same white truck involved in the recent threat to Ms. Vergara's daughter. Moreover, Ms. Vergara's daughter has also previously been threatened in the vicinity of her school. Because of these threats, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights awarded Ms. Vergara protective measures in 2007. The threats are a clear attempt to deter Ms. Vergara from performing her vital human rights advocacy.

I therefore call on you to immediately, thoroughly, and impartially investigate this latest incident involving Ms. Vergara's daughter. I also call on the Interior and Justice Minister to provide Ingrid Vergara and her family with adequate protective measures, taking into account the specific gender specific risks that Ms. Vergara faces.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

cc.

Dr. Carlos Franco
Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos
Calle 7 No 6 - 54
Bogota D.C
Colombia

Dr. Rafael Bustamante
Human Rights Director, Ministry of Justice and the Interior
Calle 13 No 8-38
Bogota D.C
Colombia

http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/defenders/hrd_colombia/alert041608_Ing...

By buggy on Apr 22, 13:32 in Politics & the war.

lampltr says on Apr 23, 16:05:

WTF is Ingrid waiting for, her child to come up missing, then a telephone call or an evening threatening physical contact made by masked men, mama mia. If she has not had anyone act on this yet or they have no leads I would be very surprised if anything is done, but she is pretty popular and has some good recognition so there is a chance but.... Depending on how long this has been going on, I agree in not running but to hold steady and fight but if no assistance then it would be wise not to be stupid. Some may even need to vacate for awhile whether a new city or out of country, is a very sticky situation for sure. There is no assistance for some!

SiV says on Apr 23, 19:26:

She could easily get political refugee status for a while: I had a lawyer friend in Spain who suffered similar threats from the paramilitaries, and came from Medellin with the help of Peace Brigades International.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Mahatma Gandhi

slguy says on Apr 23, 21:56:

i must be VERY shallow. there is NO work important enouugh to me that i hang around in the face of threats made to my kids, at school, no less.

something about being named Ingrid causes terrminal stupidity? ;)

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

lampltr says on Apr 24, 02:11:

Amen sly...my thoughts exactly! The U.N. Refugee program is a farce in my books, this I know from personal experience.....Have physically gone to several other countries (No desire USA) with same results...Latest brief from the U.K. no more further threats in Colombia all major Para Group's disbanded, mama mia!!!! F....k them all, will take care of issues personally with other means.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Apr 24, 09:33:

bump

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

juancegomez says on Apr 28, 19:35:

As sad as even having to talk about this is...exile isn't the best solution, but if things have in fact reached such a level of imminent threat...moving to another city and, if possible, out of the country is extremely reasonable.

slguy says on Apr 28, 22:50:

i have a very good friend who for years was a fairly prominent leftist activist in bolivia. her adult children operated her restaurant and electrical contracting companies - very nice family businesses.

some year or so prior to evo's election, my friend's electrical company was burned to the ground. at that point, my advice was "why not try keeping your pie hole shut for a while?" she of course ignored the gringo's advice. a month or so later, her rest. went up in flames, too. she got the same advice from again-same result. Then her home, which they shared.

today she lives here in the US illegally, working for peanuts, off the books. her kids are fortunate to have found jobs, but their lifestyles have changed dramatically. but she knows better than sing the blues to me. once, she tried expressing sorrow over the changes in her childrens' lives.

my response? "you could have shut up and been left alone. you chose not to." she started in on how important her work was, blah blah blah. "important enough to destroy your kids' birthright? you must not love them much, if you'd sacrifice their futures...". the subject asn't come up again.

i honestly believe that her political passions are heartfelt, as i do ingrids betancourt & vergara. but don't try to convince me that anyone who puts themselves, much less their kids, at risk, aren't operating on WAY too much ego.

i hope the vergara story has a happier ending.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab