INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
To Defend the Life of Dr Abimael Guzmán
THE US-BACKED COLOMBIAN REGIME IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLING OF DR. EDUARDO UMAÑA MENDOZA
April 23, 1998
| IEC-Colombia EDUARDO UMAÑA MENDOZA: AN ENTIRE LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE, A DEATH THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN |
The IEC denounces and utterly condemns this despicable crime against a true democrat and progressive lawyer who dedicated his entire life to defend political prisoners, incarcerated union leaders and activists, students, peasants and other sections of the oppressed people of Colombia.
The murder of Dr. Umaña-Mendoza is a blow against the Colombian workers, peasants, students and intellectuals, the democrats and all the progressive and revolutionaries to whom, for nearly thirty years, his life was dedicated, as a young student activist first, and later as a Lawyer. Dr. Umaña Mendoza always defied the power of the US-backed Colombian repressive apparatus with no fear or personal ambition, and was never deterred to take every case to denounce the brutality of the imperialist-backed regime.
In his determined and resolute fight to free political prisoners, to denounce the US-backed Colombian regime, and as a lawyer for the rights of the people, Dr. Umaña served the people taking up all sorts of risk involved in the defense of popular and democratic struggles, persisting in and sharing the people's struggle, living and working according to his convictions for a better world. He never gave up despite all the threats on his life.
Dr. Eduardo Umaña was also an internationalist and a relentless anti-imperialist, actively supporting national liberation movements all over the world. As a founder of the Anti-imperialist International League, and as a founder of the Colombian Solidarity Committee with the Struggle of the Peruvian People right from the start of the People's War in Peru, he also became a friend of the people in many other parts of the world. During the nineties, he was an unreserved supporter of the Peruvian people's struggle. He was one of the first in Colombia to sign the IEC Call to Defend the Life of Dr. Abimael Guzmán (1992), actively encouraging others to join the Campaign. He was also an active member on two of the IEC delegations to Lima demanding the end of the isolation of PCP Chairman Gonzalo (Dr. Abimael Guzmán).
Dr. Umaña's example is an inspiration to those who, like him, never backed off in defending the people. He will be sorely missed by the people of Colombia, Latin America and the whole world. He was not only a lawyer at the service of the people, but a friend of the people to whom he dedicated his life with love and a great sense of affection.
The loss of a friend like Eduardo Umaña is a cause of immense grief and anger for all of us in the IEC, a feeling shared by all the IEC supporters and sympathizers all over the world. The news of the outrageous killing of Eduardo Umaña will surely increase their hatred of his murderers, the imperialists and reactionaries, and give them more reasons to persevere in the struggle. As the IEC-Colombia stated: From England to South Africa, from Nepal to the United States, from Peru to Australia, thousands of voices repudiating this crime are being heard. Today, thousands of voices conveying the message of deep mourning, sympathy and solidarity to his family and friends are being heard.
The IEC holds the Colombian reactionary state, its security forces and the paramilitary organisations created and backed as part of the US imperialist offensive in Colombia, responsible for the savage and despicable crime of killing Eduardo Umaña and call upon all IEC supporters and sympathisers to denounce and repudiate the loss of an ever-missed friend.
From the International Emergency Committee to Defend the Life of Dr. Abimael Guzmán-Colombia
EDUARDO UMANA MENDOZA: AN ENTIRE LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE, A DEATH THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
With the deepest sense of loss and immense sorrow, the IEC-Colombia has learnt of the killing of Dr. Eduardo Umaña Mendoza on April 18, by the death squads backed by the imperialists and their Colombian puppets. Dr. Umaña was always loved by all the Colombian workers and the people's fighters to whom he dedicated all his life. He was also loved by many people in many other parts of the world.Dr. Umaña was a committed and self declared anti-imperialist fighter, and dedicated his life to the active support of the national liberation movements all over the world. He was a friend of the Peruvian people as a founder member of the Comité de Solidaridad de la Lucha del Pueblo Peruano (Solidarity Committee with the Peruvian Struggle) as well as an unconditional supporter of all kind of activities in solidarity with the Peruvian people. Dr. Umaña was not only a signatory of the IEC Call to Defend the Life of Dr. Abimael Guzmán (1992), but was also an active member on two of the IEC delegations to Lima demanding the end of the isolation of Dr. Abimael Guzmán. He was always ready to participate in the international team of lawyers who took Dr. Guzmán's case to the international tribunals.
Dr. Umaña was well aware of the risks involved in defense of political prisoners, union leaders imprisoned by the Colombian regime, and all the oppressed people. He knew about the risks involved in his relentless denunciation of the paramilitary organisations as part and parcel of the imperialist agenda in Colombia. His understanding that those risks would eventually take his own life was never a deterrent to take up those challenges which he embraced as inevitably going along with his determined defense of the people.
Dr. Umaña's example is an inspiration to those who, like him, never backed off in defending the people. He will be deeply missed by the entire Colombian people, particularly within the IEC. He was not only a lawyer at the service of the people, but a friend of the people to whom he dedicated his life with love and a great sense of affection. Love and tenderness he would always give and share with all of us.
The loss of a friend like Eduardo Umaña is a cause of immense grief for all of us in IEC-Colombia, and surely this is the feeling of all the IEC supporters and sympathizers all over the world. The news of the outrageous killing of Eduardo Umaña will surely increase their hatred of his murderers, the imperialists and reactionaries, and give them more reasons to persevere in the struggle. From England to South Africa, from Nepal to the United States, from Peru to Australia, thousands of voices repudiating this crime will be heard; thousands of voices conveying the message of deep sympathy and solidarity to his family and friends will be heard.
Eduardo Umaña always persisted in his work, knowing how important it was in the struggle for a different world, a world freed from oppression and exploitation. He never abandoned his people. Not even in the most difficult moments. By overcoming the fear caused by the permanent threats on his life, the raids by the security forces and viciousness of all kind, he kept on going, living and working according to his deepest convictions, and never gave up. This is another legacy of Eduardo Umaña. We know that such a legacy will never be wasted.
Eduardo Umaña will live in the hearts of all women and men fighting all over the world, in the hearts of all those who knew about his work. He will go on living in the hearts of those who persevere to make his and our dream of a better world coming true.
IEC-Colombia
April 18, 1998
