Ecuador: Campaign to obtain the freedom of Floresmilo Villalta

Related documents The people said no to plantations at a ministerial meeting (May 2003) Action Alert (only in Spanish - Aabril 2004) Floresmilo Villalta has been freed! (May 2004)

 

Floresmilo Villalta is a 63-year old peasant, who since 1997 together with many other peasants, faces persecution, threats and aggression from the logging company, BOTROSA, for the simple reason that he demands that his lands, given illegally in concession to the company, be returned to him.

For years now, the peasants have been demanding governmental protection from BOTROSA aggression and guarantees for their security in accordance with the law assisting them, legally recognized by the National Congress, the Fiscal Minister and the Constitutional Tribunal, among others, which have sentenced in their favour. (See Action Alert May 2003 http://www.wrm.org.uy/alerts/may03.html)

Instead of the land being returned and the peasants compensated –as ordered by the Public Ministry- Floresmilo Villalta, together with 14 other peasants, was accused of acts of terrorism by the BOTROSA company.

At this time, Floresmilo’s life is in danger as he has been imprisoned and threatened with death in the Esmeraldas Penitentiary in Ecuador. We are requesting that messages of support be sent, making the BOTROSA logging company and the National Government responsible for his life and requesting the immediate release of the arrested peasants.

Correspondence should be addressed to the President of the Supreme Court of Esmeraldas, the lawyer Victor Guicapi, FAX (503-6) 271 1002, to the Government Minister, Raul Baca Carbo, Fax (593-2) 258 0067 / Tel. 2584914.

Here below we are attaching a copy of the letter sent by Dr. Patricio Benalcázar Alarcón, President of the Regional Foundation for Advice on Human Rights – International Human Rights Federation (Fundación Regional de Asesoría en Derechos Humanos – Federación Internacional de Derechos Humanos INREDH – FIDH) Ecuador.

Quito, March 19, 2004

Mr. Victor Guilcapi Camacho
PRESIDENT
SUPREME COURT OF ESMERALDAS

Dear Sir,

Through the present letter, we wish to denounce before you the injustice committed by the Esmeraldas attorney agent, seated in Quinindé, the Lawyer Ider Garcia Delgado, and by the Judge of the 4th Criminal Instance of Quininde, the Lawyer German Moya Mondragon, against FLORESMILO VILLALTA, a 63-year old peasant who has been facing persecution, threats and aggression by the BOTROSA logging company since 1997.

These facts have been confirmed by the Constitutional Tribunal, the People’s Defence Office, the Commission for Indigenous Affairs and the Commission for Political Control of the National Congress, the State General Accounting Office, the Ministry of the Environment, the Commission for Civil Control against Corruption. The Attorney Minister Mariana Yepez also launched a fiscal file on this matter. All these public documents point to the fact that FLORESMILO VILLALTA and other peasants from the area have been evicted from their plots and should be compensated. Furthermore, they recognize that the company is illegally occupying the lands of the State Forest Heritage in the sector in conflict with the peasants.

With this background, the process is framed in the persecution of FLORESMILO VILLALTA by the BOTROSA logging company, through its economic and political power. The victim, that the State through its institutions, has noted should be compensated, has become the "intellectual author" of terrorist acts following the sole testimony of the BOTROSA Company, through its legal representative, Pedro José Arteta.

For these reasons, we demand the immediate release of FLORESMILO VILLALTA, and that the SUPREME COURT revises the process and the conduct of the Attorney and the Judge in all the processes against FLORESMILO VILLALTA and 14 other peasants in the fourth criminal court of QUININDE. We would remind you that a complaint has already been lodged before the Legal Council by the former ombudsman, Dr. Raul Moscoso, regarding the action of this court against FLORESMILO VILLALTA and of the peasants in the sector of Las Golondrinas and the Malimpia Parrish.

As a body, we will be monitoring the illegitimate process followed against FLORESMILO VILLALTA.

Dr. Patricio Benalcazar Alarcon.
President INREDH- FIDH Ecuador
CC- Dr. Hugo Quintana, President of the Supreme Court