Message

Dear Ambassador,

On 12th August 2010 the 'Bloque Capital' of the 'Aguilas Negras' paramilitary group sent an e-mail death threat to several human rights defenders in the Colombian capital Bogota. Among them was Alfonso Castillo who is the president of the human rights organisation ANDAS and also a member of the organising committee of the National Movement of Victims -- Colombia's principle human rights coalition. The threat told Mr Castillo that he must leave Bogota or he would be killed.

I am deeply concerned by a recent investigation by Human Rights Watch (available on their website) which alleges that the Colombian National Police collaborate with the 'Aguilas Negras' paramilitaries and I would therefore urge you to request that the Colombian authorities take the following actions to safeguard Mr Castillo's life and to shut down the operations of the paramilitaries:

• Ensure that the Interior Ministry urgently provides suitable physical protection to Mr Castillo possibly including bodyguards, a bullet proof car and the like, in order to guarantee his life;
• Ensure that the Attorney General's office instigates an investigation into the origin of the threats against Mr Castillo and that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice;
• Ensure that a high-level official investigation, including participation by independent human rights investigators and members of the diplomatic community in Bogota, is opened to examine the alleged links between the 'Aguilas Negras' and the Colombian National Police.

I would appreciate hearing from you as to what security measures have been implemented to safeguard Mr Castillo's life and what action has been taken by the Colombian authorities to bring those responsible for the threats to justice and to severe the links between the public security forces and the paramilitaries.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]