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BOLIVIA
Adalberto Rojas, lawyer and President of Bolivian non-governmental
organization, the Asamblea Permanente en Santa Cruz de la Sierra (APDH),
Permanent Human Rights Assembly in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Santa Cruz
Department, has been threatened and intimidated. His life, and those of
others working for APDH, may be in danger.
Adalberto Rojas and members of the APDH have
been receiving threats and harassment since 2003 because of their legitimate
work in defence of human rights of peasants, indigenous peoples and other
members of the Santa Cruz de la Sierra community who face discrimination. In
recent months, these threats have worsened as different groups in Santa Cruz
Department struggle for power in the context of calls for regional autonomy. Adalberto Rojas and other members of the APDH have been accused of being
traitors to the development of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
On 21 January 2007, several members of the ComitÈ CÌvico Pro Santa Cruz, Pro
Santa Cruz Civic Committee, an elected committee in favour of regional
autonomy, entered the ADPH office, threatening staff and claiming that they
would come back with weapons and shoot at the building.
According to reports, on 7 December 2006 a group of approximately eight
people who identified themselves as members of the Union Juvenil CruceÒista,
the Youth Union of Santa Cruz, racially insulted Adalberto Rojas
and four members of the APDH in a street close to their office in Santa Cruz
de la Sierra. The Youth Union is a group linked to the Pro Santa Cruz Civic
Committee. One member of the group approached Adalberto Rojas,
pushed him and shouted "we know what time you start and finish [work],
we are going to kill you, you will not make it through the night, son of a
bitch" (sabemos a que horas entras y sales, te vamos a matar, de esta
noche no pasas, hijo de puta), before kicking him. Adalberto Rojas
reported the incident to the police and asked for police protection to be
placed at the entrance of the APDH office. The police provided this
protection, and several members of the APDH had been living in the office as
they were in fear for their safety in their own homes, but the authorities
stopped the police presence on 7 January, citing financial reasons. Adalberto Rojas has been forced to leave his home, fearing for his own
safety and that of his family.
RECOMMENDED ACTION : Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible, in Spanish or your own language :
- expressing concern for the safety of Adalberto Rojas and members of APDH in
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, who have been repeatedly threatened, and were
attacked on 7 December 2006 by a group who identified themselves as
members of the Union Juvenil CruceÒista ;
- urging the authorities to take immediate and effective
action to protect Adalberto
Rojas and members of APDH
in accordance with their wishes, thus enabling them to perform their
legitimate human rights work without fear of attack or harassment ;
- calling for a full and impartial investigation into the
attack and threats received by Adalberto
Rojas and members of the
Asamblea Permanente, with the results made public and those responsible
brought to justice ;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations to recognize
the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and their
right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of
reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and
Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote
and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental
Liberties.
APPEALS TO :
President of Bolivia
Excmo Sr. Presidente de la Republica de Bolivia
Sr. Evo Morales
Palacio de Gobierno, plaza Murillo, La Paz,
Bolivia
Fax : +5912 220 3303
Email : webmaster@presidencia.gov.bo
Salutation : Sr. Presidente / Dear President Morales
Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Ministra de Justicia y Derechos Humanos
Sra. Celima Torrico
Ministerio de Justicia, Piso 5
Av. 16 de Julio No. 1769 (al lado del Gran Hotel Plaza)
La Paz,
Bolivia
Fax : +5912 212 4726
Salutation : Sra. Ministra
Santa Cruz Authority Governor
Sr. Prefecto del Departamento de Santa Cruz
Sr. Ruben Costas Aguilera
Av. Omar Chavez Ortiz, esq. Ana Barba.
Edificio ex CORDECRUZ
Santa Cruz,
Bolivia
Fax : + 591 3 312 5928
Salutation : Sr. Prefecto
PLEASE SEND
APPEALS IMMEDIATELY
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