Colombian "Diplomat" Threatens Lives of Regime Critics and Swedish Journalist

[struggle4progress]

Source: El Espectador (via UN Observer)

2008-01-04 | A Swedish journalist with long experience of Latin America is the primary target of thinly veiled death threats from the former head of intelligence at Colombia's Stockholm embassy.

Writing in the leading Colombian weekly El Espectador, Ernesto Yamhure has accused reporter Dick Emanuelsson of being, among other things, "the FARC guerrillas' representative in Europe" and "one of FARC's more important ambassadors in Europe". Similar accusations have also been aimed at Swedish and Colombian parliamentarians, and two solidarity organizations based in Sweden.

In the past, such accusations have often been followed by the torture and murder of the accused. Over 120 journalists are known to have been murdered in Colombia during the past twenty years, while others have fled into exile, sought safety in self-censorship or switched to less deadly occupations.

"Of course, there is not an ounce of truth in the absurd statements of Yamhure", says Dick Emanuelsson, whose reporting has been a source of irritation to brutal regimes in Latin America for over a quarter-century. "This is just one more example of the Uribe government and its henchmen attempting to frighten journalists and others into silence."

Read more: http://www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=4235&blz=1

[Peace Patriot]

1. The Bush Junta's favorite Latin American country--Colombia, on whom they

are larding billions of our taxpayer dollars in military aid. The Uribe government and its military have very close ties with rightwing paramilitary death squads, who not only torture and kill reporters, but also chainsaw union leaders and throw their body parts into mass graves, and kill thousands of innocent people --community organizers, political leftists, small peasant farmers--anyone who gets in the way of Big Corp (Monsanto, Chiquita et al), or big time drugs/weapons traffic. (You can just imagine what the already corrupt U.S. "war on drugs" has become under the Bushites.) And who does the Bush Junta and its lapdog press revile? And who do they spend multi-millions of our tax dollars in overt/covert budgets to destabilize? Venezuela, a democracy, with a very popular government into social justice. Bolivia, a democracy, with a very popular government into social justice, and which recently elected its first indigenous president, Evo Morales. Also Ecuador, the same (very popular president with close ties to the indigenous). Three oil/gas rich countries.

'Our' government and its echo chamber corporate press hate, revile and constantly lie about the good governments in South America, and love--and cover up for--the worst, the murderers, the torturers, the highly corrupt.

Colombia is the dinosaur of the continent. Most other South American countries have gone leftist and enlightened (Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile; also Nicaragua). The Colombian fascists would like to be able to quietly snuff out FARC (armed leftist guerrillas) as they have the unarmed opposition, with no fuss and bother. That's why they would consider mere reporting to be "advocacy." From their point of view, it is "advocacy" to give any of their intended murder victims a voice. As I said, Bush's pals. But don't be smug. There are plenty of Democrats willing to wink at mass murder of journalists and union organizers, in order to please their corporate masters. Donald Rumsfeld intends to bully them into a "free trade" (global corporate predator) deal with Colombia, before the year is out, and to "streamline" the U.S. government so that it can act "swiftly" in support of "friends and allies" in South America (fascist thugs planning coup attempts). Theater II of the Corporate Oil War: South America.

"The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez," by Donald Rumsfeld, 12/1/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.html

SOME Democrats in Congress oppose the chainsawing of union leaders and slaughter of journalists, but by no means all. The Prez candidates haven't said much (except for Clinton who takes Rumsfeld's view--bashing Hugo Chavez, an elected president who has harmed no one and has helped many--and she'll "free trade" with literally anybody.) (I'll have to do some research on the rest, on this particular topic, but I presume that Kucinich and Edwards do not support chainsawing union leaders.) (I mean, what's to argue about here? Is this the Democratic Party or the Global Corporate Predator Party?)

[Judi Lynn]

3. There are significant numbers of Democrats in Congress who don't see any point in renewing the FTA

with Colombia while Colombia kidnaps, tortures, chainsaws union leaders, human rights workers, etc.

I don't know which way they all go, either, but there are enough of them to keep that piece of legislation from going through, so far.

Sounds like an appropriate, timely idea to start discovering how all the Congressional Democrats stand on the issue of this Collosal Cancer of the Americas, Colombia's right-wing, murderous, US gravy-train-loving government. We have sadly learned there most surely are a few deadly fascists among them, unfortunately, but also some committed Democrats, as well, who adhere to true Democratic principles.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Once again, more filthy death threats against someone telling the truth in Colombia.

From the link offered in the original article:

In the past, such accusations have often been followed
by the torture and murder of the accused. Over 120 journalists
are known to have been murdered in Colombia
during the past twenty years, while others have fled into
exile, sought safety in self-censorship or switched to less
deadly occupations.

“Of course, there is not an ounce of truth in the absurd
statements of Yamhure,” says Dick Emanuelsson, who has
reported from Latin America since 1980. “This is just one
more example of the Uribe government and its henchmen
attempting to frighten journalists and others into silence.”
Ernesto Yamhure has particular grounds for displeasure
with Emanuelsson, who in 2005 reported in Sweden’s
largest daily newspaper that the former “diplomat” was
in fact the Stockholm embassy’s head of intelligence whose
duties included spying on Colombian exiles in Sweden.2

That was in July of 2005. Five months later, in early December, Emanuelsson moved
out of Colombia at the urging of colleagues who warned that his life was seriously in danger.
Thus, the recently published threats came as no surprise. “It’s probably just as well that
they have now been made openly,” says Emanuelsson. “But I did not need a column in El
Espectador to inform me that my life was in danger. Basically, any journalist who does a
proper job in Colombia is bound to become a target of the Uribe government and the dark
forces with which it has been shown to be associated.”
(snip)

http://www.nnn.se/nordic/colombia.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now he's going to get death threats from others for daring to tell the rest of the world about the death threats!

Good for this journalist. Eventually people are going to know what's been going on, even as our own right-wing controlled corporate media strains to mock everyone who finds the right-wing corporate world-view morally loathesome.

Found a photo of the death-threat loving Yamhure.



Translation from google translation:

The head of the Colombian intelligence seccionel Stockholm, Ernesto Yamhure, records Colombians exiles who protest against Uribe.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Another photo of the little Colombian fella who resorts to death threats against journalists.

Ernesto Yamhure
According to an article written by the Swedish journalist Emanuelsson, he also loves to paint entire groups of protesters with a broad "sympathizer" brush, just the way all the right-wing pieces of filth do, attempting to label them "commies" if they dare to criticize his murderous, fascist friends' deadly, shabby, underhanded, dishonest, sneaky, dirty record. It's an old, stupid song we've heard a million times.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Found some material written by the Swedish journalist, Dick Emanuelsson:

Ran this through google translation, first:

The head of intelligence in the Colombian embassy in Stockholm is dangerous sindicaciones
Saturday September 29, 2007
By Dick Emanuelsson
Ernesto Yamhure, the former head of the Colombian intelligence sectional Stockholm, reveals its work summarized in a chronicle <1> published in El Espectador on September 27.

It attacks the powerful and prestigious organization Justice for British Columbia and writes: "The stupidity of these NGOs is extreme. Justice for Colombia that I just made to publish an article apocryphal poisoned against the government."

What is poison which publishes Justice for Colombia? We will see:

First calls for a high of British arms sales to Colombia because there is an internal conflict, armed with roots social, political and economic very deep, but also because the Colombian state is a major violator of human rights.

Second: It demands respect for human rights and above all, respect for life and the rights of trade unionists.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

68 women trade unionists killed during Uribe
The NGO publishes official data and mentions that since August 2002, when Uribe took over the presidency, violations against women trade unionists have increased 600%. 68 women trade unionists have been killed. Many of them were killed in front of their children. Women trade unionists have been tortured. In prisons Uribe are 320 political prisoners who are women and among them there are 28 small children who have no rights.

I think it was the year 2004 when it reached an international trade union delegation from the ICFTU to Bogota to participate in a forum for women trade unionists organized by the CUT. But at the airport Eldorado were returned to their respective countries and humiliated by the DAS. The same treatment had received the Spanish delegation with women from the workers' unions of the UGT and CCOO It illustrates very well the attitude of the regime towards a movement that has had to bury thousands of its members and now has only one degree of affiliation no more than 2% of the economically active population.

The Annual Report 2007 of the International Trade Union Confederation (CSI), with 168 million members around the world, we can quote the words of introduction to the American Guy Ryder, president of CSI, where reads:

"Colombia remains the world's deadliest country for trade unionists. However, instead of using their resources to deal with the real problem, the Uribe government allocated millions of dollars to cover a broad public relations campaign, and sends senior representatives of the state abroad to tell the world that the situation in Colombia is improving. There are more than lies.

In 2006, 78 trade unionists were killed, eight more than in 2005, and many others were victims of threats, kidnappings or 'disappearance'. Colombia is one of the biggest challenges that will have to face our new international association, and we have to deal with preparing a major action plan for CSI. "

Is is also spitting Guy Ryder "poison" its chairman, Mr Ernesto Yamhure?

What did Uribe said at the UN last few weeks on the beautiful situation of Colombian unionists?
(snip/...)

http://www.macondoonline.com/imprimer.php3?id_article=150

[Judi Lynn]

5. Excellent additional material from this Swedish journalist, Dick Emanuelsson

This was also sent through the google Spanish translation thingie:

Nine students killed
It attacks you. "Colombia-network" (network Colombia), saying that it is also a facade of the Colombian insurgency. What lack of professionalism and knowledge of the real world of solidarity! You. Resentful because that is human rights body protesting in front of the Colombian embassy in Stockholm when he came ladroncito Araujo, who was appointed Foreign Minister by Uribe. The reason for the protest was simple: to draw attention to the recent killings of nine student leaders in Colombia.

Would you deny you. These young Swedes make such a protest without being branded as "guerrillas in civilian? What is your source and information base for tildarlos such accusation? And I wonder: How is it possible that half as El Espectador better not read the chronicles where they placed a headstone for persons who are directly or indirectly accused of being at the service of the insurgency?

Bringing to kill
And so we could continue to give you many examples. Yamhure, on the dangerous activity yours to draw half as guerrillas because this world does not like your employer. In Colombia cemeteries are full of compatriots theirs and mass graves of the disappeared, murdered for having been raised by people like you. Of being guerrillas. It's you. A good representative and spokesman of the intolerant political class that has caused thousands of deaths in his country with the obsession of seeing an "internal enemy" on each opponent and eradicate physically.

And do you think that I am going as "Pedro for his house," both in Colombia and the rest of Latin America, covering the new winds of freedom blowing in from left, informing readers and listeners of new victories peoples in struggle and resistance against social classes stained with the blood of peoples, peleles serving a pattern much more powerful than yours. In the end, those winds blow in Colombia but also there, with the popular anger accumulated many years of injustice, will become, without a doubt, storm or hurricane.

The desperation of the media oligarchy

You. Mr Yamhure is also a classic example of the desperation felt by a media oligarchy which until recently has had a complete monopoly on the coverage of the events in Colombia. How illustrates that? Through the hundreds if not thousands of different ways of nature, which angered or disappointed by the manipulation of the yellow press the reality of their circumstances, decided to create their own alternative media. And why not say they are cheap, instantaneous, as is the Internet. The stations, as in the case you. Mentioned, "Coffee Stereo" and others, are also accessible to hear from any internet cafe in the world.

And I imagine the despair and anger you, Mr Yamhure and his generals in civilian clothes when not to silence them because they can grab these stations can transmit from anywhere in the world. That is the explanation of why people like you. Mr Yamhure and others, like Julio Sanchez Christ, the manager of the radio station "W" who is obsessed with manipulating the work of alternative media and the tasks carried out by NGOs and Colombian solidarity committees in exile.

In the case of mine, I assure you, Mr Yamhure, Mr Sanchez Christ & Co., which did not sell me, I prostituyo as some fellow Colombians. And I do not mind that you. Write or speak as they do on this humble journalist, because I take it as a very good note of my journalistic work.
(snip/)

http://www.macondoonline.com/imprimer.php3?id_article=150

Mr. Emanuelsson is going to need to watch his back from now on. God knows how many murderous a-holes that government might send after him.

[High Plains]

7. But, but, but, Chavez is a dictator!

[Judi Lynn]

8. Wow! Here's a story this Swedish reporter wrote for his own country, which NEVER was mentioned in

our own small selection of U.S. right-wing censored and approved Latin American "news" stories:

"The Colombian army reiterated that the FARC rebels were the ones who killed six Venezuelan soldiers and an oil engineer in the state of Apure, and assured that they are still hidden in Venezuela, while ruled out the involvement of the paramilitaries in fact."

The quotation above is from El Universal today. The Venezuelan newspaper is one of the main newspapers in the neighbouring country, known for its stiff fight against President Hugo Chavez.

The newspaper quotes (through the German agency DPA) to the commander in charge of the Colombian army, General Eduardo Morales, who reiterated that all indications point to the Front 10 of FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

"We have strong indications that they were intelligence that the FARC attacked the army from neighbouring country. I think that with the signs of intelligence we have been ruled the position that the paramilitaries were responsible," said the official.

"Do not know why these guerrillas became territory of neighbouring country with the aim of disrupting public order and obstructing relations of the two countries."

For journalists, these statements made by General are part of a sophisticated game of how to manipulate public opinion to interpret the picture in its own way.

First accused the enemy of the natural and historical facts: the guerrillas. After ruled that the paramilitaries are the natural political enemies of the government of Caracas and allies, as hundreds of human rights reports and thousands of complaints, the Colombian army.

This statement is also a discrete controversy not expressed to the Venezuelan defense minister, Garcia Carneiro, who, by logical conclusion policy, which may be suspected paramilitaries who are behind the ambush. To reinforce their signs Colombian general said having a "intercepted communications in which the rebels confirmed their participation in the act".

Ask any Colombian journalist and you are going to say that "history repeats itself."

The second part is even more sophisticated, because after having informed on the perpetrators and the "test", go into detail to reinforce the earlier argument, contending that "not know why these guerrillas became territory of neighbouring country with the aim of disrupting public order and hamper relations of the two countries. "

Now the general does not need to present evidence or evidence or research findings that the Venezuelan authorities, not the Colombian, taking place in Venezuelan territory, seeking critical elements that can make to an aclarezca tragedy. General Eduardo Morales spoke before Colombian journalists and Germans as it is obvious: FARC guerrillas are the culprits.

This tactic is very common and an inexperienced journalist or a journalist with a high degree of self-censorship and does not call into question the logical questions in a classic case like this. It anticipates an advertising campaign that is really a manipulative campaign to turn public opinion.

With these statements, which have no more than the military intelligence source start all news agencies in the world to come to the topic. They are more careful it means that Colombians (the latter are regañados up to the SIP, the owners of the media and south-Americans to apply self-censorship) and also mentioning Venezuelans.

But as Chavez and the Venezuelan authorities have been victimized in the media campaign as "allies of the Colombian narcoguerrilla" do not have much credibility as the statements Colombian. To reinforce the campaign is not enough to quote the general Morales because, in any case, is a soldier who has an interest in discrediting the enemy, also at the political level.

Then come to declare Colombian Defense Minister Jorge Uribe, who, according to El Universal, "noted that Bogota has reliable information that sindican compared to 10 of the FARC in the slaughter."

"The Colombian army has reliable intelligence information that the gang of 10 FARC, commanded by Jaime Diaz Cotrino, known by the alias' Arcesio ', is responsible for these acts," says the communiqué read by Colombian officials.

For a person without much knowledge of politics can be powerful and Colombian sounds credible statement that as a high character of the Government, should be well prepared prior to declare.

But these statements are as categorical as the words of the same minister were shot when the three trade unionists in the department of Arauca where it operates the 10 th Front of the FARC.

We will see what the minister said Uribe:

"The three leaders were criminals, killed in a fight. Also carried guns and had orders to capture for the crime of rebellion."

The Office has delivered a portion of his report on the events said that the three were shot, butchered by soldiers of the contraguerrilla. All statements made by Vice President Francisco Santos ( "were union leaders, but they were also involved in things that were not related to their union work"), the commander of the Second Army Division, General Luis Fabio Garcia ( "undoubtedly died in a fight with the soldiers, they seized weapons, ammunition and explosives carrying "), by General Jairo Pineda Duván (" dead characters are very important in politics ELN).

So, what credibility do these statements by the highest civilian and military leaders of the country when the reality was completely different? And what was the conclusion today in the case of Venezuelan military ambushed on their territory?

Now, what happens in the Colombian-Venezuelan border? What are the political motives that can be done after this lamentable?
(snip/...)

http://www.prensarural.org/emanuelsson20040920.htm

(Merely copy and past sections into google translation. It really is helpful.
http://www.google.com/language_tools)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some of us hear about these events but our own corporate right-wing controlled media won't even DREAM of revealing to the U.S. taxpaying public what the #### is happening in the very country we are forced to support lavishly each year with our own hard-earned tax dollars.