Press Release No. 001, 1/16/2009
The League of Displaced Women
and the Observatory for Gender Democracy and Human Rights
Reject statements made in the electronic version of the “El Tiempo” newspaper on January 20, 2009 in an article entitled “Intensified Threats in the Neighborhoods of Displaced Women in Cartagena”. The article discusses the fears felt by the League of Displaced Women following the murder of a social and community leader, Fernando Henry Acuña Reyes, which occurred three days after the issuance of Risk Report 001-09A.I, a report generated by the System of Early Alerts from the office of the Public Defender, in which warnings were made about the lack of protection and the vulnerability encountered by the social and community leaders in the Municipalities of Turbaco, Arjona and the District of Cartagena; which includes the social organization The League of Displaced Women. Participants of the League of Displaced Women have been threatened and attacked numerous times, yet an “authorized spokesperson from the office of Governor Bolivar”, shielded by anonymity (an improper act as a public servant dealing with the media), claims their fears to be unfounded for reasons including:
“The spokesperson of the Governors office alleges that the women of this sector suffer from emotional problems and psychosis as a consequence of having been pursued and attacked by violent forces and “many of the charges they make did not occur as they say”.”
The League of Displaced Women and the Observatory for Gender Democracy and Human Rights, faced with the groundless discriminatory acts of a public servant, have requested by means of the Right to Petition the Director of the System of Early Alerts of the Public Defenders Office, Dr. Jorge Enrique Calero Chacón, that the identity of the spokesperson be established and that a rigorous investigation be initiated by the District Attorney’s office and the Attorney General’s office for acts damaging the rights of the organization and the equality and credibility of the same.
The League of Displaced Women has received awards at the national and international levels for its peaceful resistance to violence; it was among the nominees for the National Peace Prize and received Special Mention in the King of Spain Human Rights Prize of 2007.
Immediate protection for the League of Displaced Women was requested of the Protection Program of the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, and the Public Defender’s office today, in accord with the Constitutional Court, Decrees 200 of 2007 and 092 of 2008, which follow the completion of Sentence T025 which established a ‘State of Unconstitutional Items’ as they apply to the displaced populations of Colombia.
The League of Displaced Women challenge the Office of Governor - Bolivar to produce (the alleged) proof of the emotional and psychiatric problems that affect the credibility of the 100 women of the organization who, along with their families, inhabit the ‘City of Women’ in the Municipality of Turbaco, Bolivar in Colombia.
Statement Given in Cartagena, Colombia on January 16, 2009
Related Notes:
Office of the Public Defender in Colombia warns about the continued
risk and vulnerability that exists for participants of the League of Displaced
Women and the City of Women.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
