Colombia - September 7th, 2022
APPEAL FOR THE FREEDOM OF POLITICAL PRISONERS AND JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE STRIKE ON 28 A
PUERTO RESISTENCIA- SILOE – LOMA DE LA DIGNIDAD, CALI, COLOMBIA
We the relatives and friends of the victims murdered, disappeared and imprisoned during the days of the national strike of 28 A, 2021, who fight tirelessly and continue to seek justice, truth and reparation for the deaths and human rights violations by the police, the ESMAD and parapolice forces, make here a call to set up a Fighting National Committee for justice for the murdered and injured comrades, for the appearance alive of the disappeared comrades and the immediate and unconditional freedom for all political prisoners.
At the end of April and beginning of May 2021, we took to the streets facing a labor and tax reform that meant an attack that would plunge us deeper into misery and labor exploitation. This precipitated an outbreak that culminated in the heroic days of the 28 A Strike that shook one of the most bloodthirsty regimes on the continent with Uribe's puppet Duque at its head. That is why the government launched a brutal repression against us.
We, the mothers, brothers and relatives want to denounce that we have had no justice and that if this is so it is because this repressive and murderous state intends to punish that brave youth of the Front Lines who heroically defended the popular struggle facing repression.
They couldn't allow us to rebel after long years of subjugation and massacre, looking for a change, for a fairer system. The only “crimes” committed were claiming a job, education, the illusion of retiring one day, which earned us the accusation of vandals and terrorists.
At that time, human rights organizations such as the NGO Temblores (Tremors) and the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz) reported 3,405 cases of police violence a year ago, 1,445 arbitrary arrests. Up to now, 44 comrades have been reported killed at the hands of the police with firearms, 207 injured with a high percentage of irreversible injuries, mainly to the face such as eye loss, plus 198 detainees and 60 under house arrest.
This criminal regime has not stopped and our yesterday's cry of "SOS Colombia, THEY ARE KILLING US" is still valid; although some comrades were released, especially minors, we must say that none of those responsible has yet paid for the serious outrages, abuses and psychological consequences the former are suffering.
The corpses of our comrades that watered the rivers of Colombia with their blood continue to cry out for justice...
The comrades of the First Line are still imprisoned in the country's dirty jails. The comrades of the Penitentiary Center of Palmira have started their fourth day of hunger strike while new arrests go on by the same "justice" of yesterday and today.
Now they tell us that it will be the Parliament that will review the situation of the 198 prisoners on a case-by-case basis. WE CANNOT ALLOW IT! There is nothing to probe, as THE COMRADES ARE INNOCENT!!! Those who committed these heinous crimes are the ones to be investigated, for which nobody has responded and those responsible still remain free. THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE!!!
One of the demands for which we took the streets more than a year ago was for the dismantling of ESMAD, the electoral campaign promise of Petro today president of the Republic, which not only has not been fulfilled, but this government also seeks to disguise it under a face of prevention and "dialogue" with future protesters.
That is why before the new government's promises, we cannot stop our claim and in order to join our forces is that from the families we call on all the workers' political organizations, trade unions, peasant, student, Human Rights and popular organizations, to be part of this Fighting National Committee to unify our struggle as the same struggle that mothers, brothers and sisters, relatives have been carrying out from different corners of the world against governments and murderous and oppressive regimes that kill, torture, imprison and disappear those of us who go out to demand our fair claims.
An injury to one is an injury to all… The same fight the same enemy!
We cannot be left isolated.
Trial and punishment of the murderers, and all those responsible for the massacre against the Colombian workers and common people!
Independent worker and popular commissions to judge and punish the murderers of the people.
Dissolution of the police and the ESMAD!
Immediate and unconditional freedom to all political prisoners!
Appearance Alive of the disappeared
We extend our demands to cover all those murdered, imprisoned and persecuted in the world.
¡No Justice, no peace!
Signatures:
"Flaco", delegate from the First Line of Siloé.
"Jota", delegate from the First Line of Loma de la Dignidad.
"Pao", spokeperson from de First Line of Loma de la Dignidad.,
Santi, Clau, from the First Line of Loma de la Dignidad.
Nena Nelly Sánchez Torres, mother of Cristian Javier Delgadillo Sánchez, young worker killed in Paso del Comercio, Cali on 06/04/2021.
Daniel Stewart Medina Muñoz, former political prisoner and one of the three young comrade underage detainees, in the Glorieta of Siloé in May 2021.
Pilar Muñoz, mother of Daniel Steward Medina Muñoz.
From Palmira’s jail:
David Alfonso Bernal Piamba
Yiduar Mondragón Paredes
Jhon Jairo Cambindo Moreno
Jhontan Vargas Cardona
Mauricio Tierradentro Sarmiento
Geison Andrés Ospina Monsalve
Víctor Andrés Blandon Preciado
Geison Andrés Caicedo Ortiz
Niver Vallejo Angulo
Kevin David Cerón Díaz
Dennis Daniel Pérez Grisales
Epifanio Domínguez
COMMITTEE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS OF THE SOCIAL OUTBREAK FROM THE PRISON OF PALMIRA (CPPESCPAL).
Relatives of political prisoners from the First Lines of Cali, detained in the Palmira prison.
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