Urgent action: FENSUAGRO activists arrested!

FENSUAGRO, the Colombian Agricultural Workers’ Union has reported that Colombian authorities arrested 4 of its members in Putumayo, accusing them of rebellion, narcotrafficking and terrorism on June 22nd 2011.

The four men, Alexis Antonio Arroyo, Eulogio Tapiero Galindo, Manuel Antonio Angure and Telmo Cuevo Tegue, were detained at 6.30pm in Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo on the 22nd June. All four are members of the ASCAP Putumayo Agricultural Peasants Association, part of FENSUAGRO. Mr Telmo Cuevo Tegue has already been accused of rebellion and absolved in a previous case.

FENSUAGRO has also reported that in the department of Sucre, threats have been received against two of its members, Franklin Torres Ramos and Ingrid Vergara Chavez, the treasurer and human rights officer of ASOTRACDES, part of FENSUAGRO, in the region. Torres and Vergara are also leading activists in MOVICE, the National Movement of Victims, and have been receiving constant threats along with other activists in the region.

To protest against the arrest and detention of these four trade unionists and the threats against their colleagues in Sucre please sign this letter to the Colombian ambassador.

107 assassinations in ten months

See this list of assassinations during the first ten months of President Santos' regime. There are 107 people listed – trade unionists, political activists and community leaders, as well as children killed by state forces. On average, 1 activist is being murdered every 3 days.