Act for Justice for Colombia Three
Published: 29 September, 2003
Act for Justice for Colombia Three
* The juryless trial, before a single Colombian judge, of Irishmen Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan began on October 4, 2002 and concluded on August 1, 2003 after 7 adjournments. The men are courageously represented by Colombian human rights lawyers. Judge Acosta has reserved judgment and his verdict is expected soon, possibly in October.
* Our focus, at this critical stage, is the Colombian government. The Colombian government needs to know that the world is watching how fairly and independently their judicial system operates.
We are asking that Judge Acosta be permitted to make his judgment BASED ON THE EVIDENCE, free from political or military pressure from Colombia or any other outside influence. If that happens, we are confident of the result.
* The evidence is clearly on the side of Connolly, McCauley and Monaghan. Based on the evidence it provided at trial, the prosecution has NO case with regards the principle charge of training FARC military.
*The men were arrested in August 2001 in the open Peace Zone. Peace advocates from around the world have also traveled there, including elected political leaders and human rights activists from around the world. The three men declare they were in the zone to share their experiences from the Irish peace process and to bring back to Ireland what they learned from the Colombian peace process, which was ongoing at the time.
*The prosecution's case was filled with inconsistencies and allegations refuted by clear video evidence, countered by testimony from credible defense witnesses and authenticated affidavits placing the defendants elsewhere when they were supposedly training FARC. These include Irish government diplomats and human rights organization workers who testified at trail, former employers, and others.
*The forensics do not support the case against the men either. Dr Keith Borer, a famous, independent forensic scientist, examined al the materials in regard to the forensic tests carried out at the US Embassy [a very suspect event in itself and an indictment against Colombian independence in the case] and stated in court that there is NO forensic evidence against the men. Colombian forensic tests proved negative after 113 tries to find a positive result. Dr. Borer also testified that FARC technology is unchanged during this time and that FARC and IRA technology were and remains very different. In other words, there is no evidence, real or theoretical, that these men were training FARC.
Included are sample letters that either you or your organization may find useful plus Embassy & Consulate details.
SAMPLE #1
Dear Ambassador:
I am writing to express my concerns over the actions of the Colombian government and the juryless trial of Jim Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly on charges of traveling on false passports and of giving military training to FARC.
Despite Colombian president Alvaro Uribe publicly stating, "we have in jail some IRA members who came to help the FARC", the whole world has seen the prosecution case collapse. The case brought against the three men had three strands: the testimony of former FARC members who said they saw the men training guerrillas, a test purporting to show traces of explosives on the men's clothing and the alleged similarities between FARC and IRA weaponry. All three strands have been successfully undermined by the men's defense team. It is now time to accept that the prosecution case has failed to prove that the men were in any way training FARC and to send the three Irishmen home.
The world is watching with interest how the Colombian judicial system will serve justice and whether Judge Acosta will be permitted to make his judgment based on the evidence, free from political or military pressure.
I trust that the right verdict will be reached and that the three Irishmen will be returned home swiftly and safely.
Sincerely,
Your name here
SAMPLE #2
Dear Ambassador/Consulate:
As members of {name of organization} we are writing to express our concerns in relation to the trial of the ‘Colombia Three’.
These three men are Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley who have been on trial in Bogotá.
We understand that the case has concluded and a decision is awaited from Judge Acosta. We are familiar with the facts of the cases.
In particular, we request that Judge Acosta be allowed the space and possibility to come to an independent judgement. He should be allowed to make a decision that comes from the evidence before him and is not affected by outside military or political forces.
We hope that Colombian justice will be impartial and above all fair. We will pay careful regard to reports from international legal observers and civil and human rights groups.
We hope justice will be done.
Yours sincerely,
Your name here
We need to bombard the Colombian establishment with letters of protest.
WHAT TO SAY:
* You are familiar with the facts of the trial.
* All you ask is that Judge Acosta be given the space to make an independent judgment based on the evidence presented at trial and be free from outside political or military influence.
* Indicate that you are concerned that justice be done and will be carefully noting reports from international legal observers and civil and human rights groups.
* Lastly, you hope that Colombian justice will be fair and impartial.
WHAT NOT TO SAY:
* Don't get into the legal details or lecture about justice, etc.
* Don't be confrontational or insulting.
* Your tone with Colombian diplomats should be serious but friendly and positive. Above all, we want them to know we are watching.
CONTACTS:
Contact Colombian Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.
Write a personalized e-mail directly to the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at rdh@presidencia.gov.co or through the Colombian web site http://www.colombiaemb.org
In the US, contact:
Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno,
The Embassy of Colombia,
2118 Lero Place NW,
Washington, D.C. 20008;
Phone: 202 387-8338; Fax: 202-232-8643;
E-mail: emwas@colombiaemb.org
In England, Scotland & Wales Contact:
Colombian Embassy
3 Hans Crescent
London SWIX OLN
Tel. 0207 589 9177 / 589 5037 (Human Rights Officer's extension is 112)
Fax 0207 581 1829 / 589 4718
website www.colombianembassy.co.uk
email mail@colombianembassy.co.uk
There are Consulates in the following cities: Atlanta, New York, Houston, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. Contact information listed. These can also be accessed through http://www.colombiaemb.org
Consulate offices
Washington
1101 17th Street NW suite 1007
Washington DC 20036
Tel: 202-332-7476
Fax: 202-332-7180 (Fax)
cwashington@minrelext.gov.co
Consul: Maria Clara Faciolince Piñeres
Jurisdiction: DC, MD, VA, DE, WV
New York City
10 East 46th Street
New York City, NY 10017
Tel: 212-949-9898
212-370-0004
Fax: 212-972-1725
concolny@nosotros.com
cnewyork@minrelext.gov.co
Cónsul: Jaime Buenahora Febres-Cordero
Jurisdiction: NY, NJ, PA
Atlanta
5901 - C Peachtree Dunwoody Road,
Suite 375,
Atlanta, GA, 30328
Tel: 770-668-0451
Fax: 770-668-0763
v_consul@bellsouth.net
consulco@bellsouth.net
catlanta@minrelext.gov.co
Cónsul: César Felipe González
Jurisdiction: GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, MS, AL
Boston
535 Boylston Street,
11th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
Tel: 617-536-6222
Fax: 617-536-9372
Email: conboston@aol.com
cboston@minrelext.gov.co
Cónsul: Rosario Castillo de González
Jurisdiction: MA, NH, VT, CT, RI
Chicago
500 North Michigan Avenue,
Suite 2040
Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: 312-923-1196
Tel: 312-923-9034
Fax: 312-923-1197
chicag95@aol.com
cchicago@minrelext.gov.co
Consul: Jose Fernando Gómez Mora
Jurisdiction: IL, KS, IN, IA, MO, MN,
ND, SD, WI, MI, OH, NE
Houston
5851 San Felipe, Suite 300
Houston, Texas 77057
Tel: 713-527-8919
or 713-527-9093
Fax: 713-529-3395
infoconsulado@colhouston.org
chouston@minrelext.gov.co
Consul: Hernán Arizmendi Posada
Jurisdiction: TX, OK, AR, LA
Los Angeles
8383 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 420
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Tel: 323-653-9863
or 323-653-4299
Fax: 323-653-2964
cnlosangeles@earthlink.net
cangeles@minrelext.gov.co
Consul: Myriam Beltrán de Forero
Jurisdiction: Southern CA, AZ, NM
Miami
280 Aragon Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Tel: 305-448-5558
or 305-441-1235
Fax: 305-441-9537
Email: cgcmiami@bellsouth.net
cmiami@minrelext.gov.co
Cónsul: Carmenza Jaramillo
Jurisdiction: FL, Bahamas, Gran Cayman
San Francisco
595 Market Street,
Suite 2130
San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: 415-495-7195/96
Fax: 415-777-3731
colombia@pacbell.net
csnfrancisco@minrelext.gov.co
Consul: Fanny Margarita Moncayo
Jurisdiction: Northern CA, AK, CO, HI, ID,
MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY
Puerto Rico
Edificio Mercantil,
Pl 814
Avenida Ponce de Leon
Hato Rey, PR 00918
Tel: 787-7546899
or 787-754-6885
Fax: 787-754-1675
cnsju@coqui.net
csanjuan@minrelext.gov.co
Cónsul:Ana Catalina del Llano Restrepo
Jurisdiction; US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, PR, Hispanola