Student Murdered by Police in Cali, Colombia

international | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Friday September 23, 2005 23:07 by Colombia Solidarity Network - Colombia Solidarity Network colombia at lasc dot ie

Student murdered in protest against free trade agreement

Colombia's infamous riot squad ESMAD murdered another student in the university of Valle, Cali in a protest against the free trade agreement.

The student was shot dead in cold blood.

Student Killed and Many Injured and Arbitrarily Detained by Police at the
Universidad del Valle, Cali

22nd of September 2005, Cali Colombia.

The organizations listed below and the UK delegation of students and
academics currently in Colombia researching the critical human rights
situation within the university community denounce the tragic death of JHONY
SILVA ARANJUREN and the injury and arbitrary detention of students at the
University of Valle. We demand that those responsible are brought to
justice.

As a demonstration of solidarity, students at the Universidad del Valle held
a protest against the brutal treatment of the population in the neighborhood
of Candelaria who have been protesting in response to now week long the cut
off of water in the area.

Students blocked the Paso Ancho, a road outside the university before being
pushed into the campus by riot police (ESMAD - Mobile Anti-Disturbances
Squadron) who proceeded to launch teargas onto the campus until dark. At
approximately 7pm police entered the campus in a riot vehicles (No. 24027)
and on foot, firing teargas, rubber bullets and live ammunition, and
attacking the students remaining with truncheons.

In the attack, twenty one year old chemistry student Johny Silvia Aranjuren
was shot police and died on the way to the Valle de Lili Hospital where
German Perdomo amongst other students gravely injured by police are
currently being treated. According the current information students Andres
Payan, Juan Pablo Aponte, Jairo Andres Valaquez and Monica Oliva are
currently being detained at the Limonar police station.

The members of ESMAD that that entered the university today have previously
intimidated and threatened human rights defenders of the Union for
University workers in Colombia. One of the ESMAD members, (no. 006-21) was
firing tear gas directly at groups of students, and later said to a
representative of Sintraunicol [University Workers Union] ?you?ll see, you
wont be able to get out of this?, as he tried to get information regarding
several students who had been beaten and forced into the riot vehicles.

Furthermore, numerous students were harassed by riot police who demanded to
see the Identity cards of everyone who had been involved in the
demonstration.

It is important to note that this tragedy occurs at a time when a delegation
of 13 students and academics from the UK are in Cali to research and
highlight situation of pubic higher education in Colombia.

Please send messages of protest to the following (sample message below)
demanding:

1. That all of the members of ESMAD who were involved in this operation
against the University are fully investigated, and that those found to be
responsible for the violent attacks against the students are brought to
justice.

2. That both the individual who shot and killed JHONY SILVA ARANJUREN and
whoever gave the order to fire against the students are arrested and charged
with the murder of Jhony and the attempted murder of other students.

3. That those students who were arrested and detained inside tank no 24027
are immediately released.

4. That the freedom, physical integrity and the lives, are assured, of those
students who were illegally and arbitrarily harassed by the ESMAD riot
police.


Dear Sirs
I am writing to express my disgust at the recent attack by members of the
ESMAD riot squad against students from the University of Valle. I am
particularly angered that this violence culminated in the killing of student
JHONY SILVA ARANJUREN, who was shot by a member of the police.

I urge you to fully investigate this situation, and to bring to justice both
the officer who killed Jhony, and also the officer who ordered the ESMAD
members to open fire against the students.

I further demand that those students detained by ESMAD officers are
immediately released, and that their future safety is guaranteed.
Yours


Please send Messages to:

Iván Enrique Ramos Calderón, Vice Cahcellor (Rector), Universidad del Valle:
rector@univalle.edu.co
Martha Cecilia Gómez de García, Pro-Vice Chancelor (Vicerectora),
Universidad del Valle: viceacad@univalle.edu.co

Oscar López Pulecio, Secretary General, (Secretario General) Universidad del
Valle: sec-gral@univalle.edu.co
Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidencia de la República Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio
de Nariño,
Bogotá, D.C. Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co ;
[OR to better send e-mail to Uribe login to
http://www.presidencia.gov.co
and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page.
Dr. Francisco Santos Vicepresidencia de la República
E-mail:fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Jorge Alberto Uribe Ministerio de Defensa Nacional El Dorado con
Carrera. 52 CAN, Bogotá, D.C.
Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74
E-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co, infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ,
mdn@cable.net.co

Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón Procuraduría General de la Nación
Carrera 5 No. 15-80 Bogotá, D.C.
Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
E-mail: reygon@procuraduria.gov.co ;
anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Carlos Franco Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de
Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Calle 7 N° 5-54
TEL: (+571) 336.03.11 FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
E- mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co; E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio Fiscalía General de la Nación Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
Bogotá, D.C. Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co ; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co

Unidad de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario
E - mail: elbsilva@fiscalia.gov.co
Dr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz. Defensoría del Pueblo Calle 55 No.
10-32Bogotá, D.C.
Fax: (+571) 640 04 91
E-mail:secretaria_privada@hotmail.com

Dr Michael Frühling Oficina en Colombia del Alto Comisionado de Naciones
Unidas para los Derechos Humanos Calle 114 No. 9-45 Torre B Oficina 1101.
Edificio Teleport Bussines Park. Bogotá, D.C.
Teléfono PBX (57-1) 629 3636 Fax (57-1) 629 3637
E-mail:oacnudh@hchr.org.co.



Cali, 22 September 2005.

CAMPANA PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR
CAMPANA PARA QUE LA UNIVERSIDAD VIVA
SINTRAUNICOL
ASOCIACION NOMADESC
COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN
DELEGATION OF STUDENTS AND ACADEMICS FROM THE UK.