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Members of the Memoria Viva security guard's union are currently picketing at the headquarters of Colombia's National Protection Unit (UNP - Unidad Nacional de Protección). The UNP is consistently NOT providing the necessary vehicles and other tools for the protection of human rights defenders, social leaders, and signers of the peace accords. This has resulted in unnecessary casualties such as the death of Ronald Rojas, ex combatant, peace accord signer, and a leader of the Autonomous Table for Reincorporation. A target of multiple threats, he was killed without a working vehicle and other necessary tools available for his security guards, members of the Memoria Viva union. Please send the following email to the UNP in support of Memoria Viva's demands!
Integrantes del sindicato de guardias de seguridad Memoria Viva se encuentran realizando un piquete en la sede de la Unidad Nacional de Protección (UNP) de Colombia. La UNP consistentemente NO proporciona los vehículos y otras herramientas necesarias para la protección de los defensores de derechos humanos, líderes sociales y firmantes de los acuerdos de paz. Esto ha resultado en bajas innecesarias como la muerte de Ronald Rojas, excombatiente, firmante del acuerdo de paz y líder de la Mesa Autónoma por la Reincorporación. Blanco de múltiples amenazas, fue asesinado sin un vehículo de trabajo y otras herramientas necesarias disponibles para sus guardias de seguridad, miembros del sindicato Memoria Viva. ¡Envíe el siguiente correo electrónico a la UNP en apoyo a las demandas de Memoria Viva!
English translation of the email:
UNP: The Price for Peace is a Working Security Vehicle!
I am writing to support the demands of the Memoria Viva (Living Memory Union). As an internationalist, I recognize that peace in Colombia is a significant step towards peace and stability in all of the Americas and the world. But this peace will not advance if the workers for peace like the Living Memory Union and all the UNP escorts do not have the necessary tools to protect the signatories of the peace agreement, the defenders of Human Rights, and the social leaders. . I am especially concerned that people under the protection of the UNP regularly do not have access to working vehicles, a situation that is systemic and has put many human rights defenders, social leaders, and reincorporated persons in danger. For example, Ronald Rojas, a leader of the Autonomous Reincorporation Roundtable, was assassinated while his escorts lacked a working vehicle and other necessary measures. This situation is not acceptable. I add my voice to the demands of Memoria Viva and REDSIPAZ (the Union Network for Peace) and I demand: 1) that the UNP provide tools and security vehicles that work to its escorts; and, 2) that the UNP meets with Memoria Viva and REDSIPAZ to hear their complaints and learn from their experiences to build a viable peace, without more political assassinations