Dear Sirs:
We are deeply distressed to learn of the assassination of human rights defender Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez. On February 23, hitmen arrived at her house in the Villa del Prado neighborhood of the Siglo XXI citadel of Florencia, Caquetá Department, stood at the fence, shot several times, and killed her.
Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez was an active social leader in many associations, including the Departmental Board of Directors of the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CPDH) and the Communist Party of Colombia (PCC), which sees her killing as a direct attack on the party. She served as president of the Association of Community Action Boards (ASOJUNTAS) of municipality La Montañita, Caquetá. She was the person in charge of issues related to women.
Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez had previously suffered two forced displacements because of serious threats against her. At the time of her death, Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez was the recipient of protection measures from the National Protection Unit (UNP), which had granted her a protection team four years ago. On the night of February 23, her security team left her at her home, complying with all appropriate security measures. Once the bodyguards left, the hitmen made their move.
Because of the assassination of Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez and our concern for the safety of the members of her party and social leaders in Colombia, we call upon your integrity and humanity to:
- carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the intellectual and material actors in the assassination of Ludivia Galíndez Jiménez, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice, in accordance with international standards
- continue advancing in stable peace dialogues in the search for change that the country demands
- fully fund and implement the collective protection policy established in the Decree 660 of 2018, including the establishment of spaces for inter-institutional coordination and collaboration with civil society, coordination with local authorities responsible for emergency response, and providing effective protection routes
Sincerely,
Brian J. Stefan Szittai Christine L. Stonebraker-Martínez
Co-Coordinators
copies:
Luis Fernando Velasco Chaves, Minister of Interior ~ via email
Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia, Ambassador of Colombia to the US ~ via email, US mail
José Luis Caballero Ochoa, Rapporteur for Colombia , Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) ~ via email, US mail
UN: Juliette De Rivero, Representative in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ~ via email
US Embassy: Francisco Palmieri (Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim); Adam Levy (human rights) ~ via email
US State Department: Desk Officer for Colombia ~ via email
US Senators from Ohio: Brown & Vance ~ via email
US Representatives from Ohio: Beatty, Brown, Jordan, Joyce, Kaptur, Latta, Miller, Sykes ~ via email
