Justice and Protection for Human Rights Victims

November 21, 2009 Subject: Honorable Ambassador William Brownfield, I write to you today because I have been following the Jose Orlando Giraldo extrajudicial execution case with concern and was deeply disturbed by recent events in this matter. As you may know, on March 11, 2006, the Batallón de Alta Montaña No. 3, “Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo” of the Colombian Army’s Third Brigade killed José Orlando Giraldo Barrera, a farmer from Golondrinas corregimiento in rural Cali, Valle de Cauca. Members of the Batallón de Alta Montaña No. 3 involved in the killing of Mr. Giraldo are currently under investigation by the Attorney General’s 38th Specialized Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Unit and one retired soldier, Sargento Viceprimero Luis Eduardo Mahecha Hernandez, is being tried in this killing. Members of the Batallón de Alta Montaña No. 3 reported that Mr. Giraldo was a member of the FARC’s Libardo Garcia militia who fired on troops passing by his house at approximately 2:45am on March 11, 2006. That allegation is strongly denied by both Mr. Giraldo’s family and his neighbors—including retired Colombian National Police Colonel, Alberto Arturo Romo Vitery—who indicate that he was a farmer with no connection to the guerrillas. Evidence in the case suggests that the crime scene was altered by the members of the Colombian military and the troops’ report of shots fired and returned appears to contradict the ballistic evidence. On May 10, just days after the trial against Luis Eduardo Mahecha Hernandez began, José Wilson Giraldo, a key witness in the case and the victim's brother, was shot in the head. As you well know, individuals testifying in human rights cases are often subject to threats, intimidations and even attempts on their lives. José Orlando Giraldo Barrera’s family—his wife, Luz Marina Villano; his three daughters, Martha, Marisel and Gimena Giraldo and his brother, José Wilson Giraldo—has vigorously sought to clarify the events surrounding Mr. Giraldo’s death. They have spoken publicly about the case, testified in court proceedings and reached out to members of the Colombian government about the case. The attack against José Wilson Giraldo makes it abundantly clear that their lives are at risk. I hope that the U.S. Embassy will take a very active and public role in this case to ensure justice for the victims and safety for the witnesses. Toward that end, I hope that you, Ambassador Brownfield, will meet with representative(s) of the Giraldo family to discuss this case. I thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, We will add your signature from the information you provide.		First Name* Last Name* Email* Street* Street 2 City* State/Province* Select a state Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces (the) Americas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory Other Zip/Postal Code* Send an Email