Bigotry is Sick

As matter of course this blog abhors prejudice and discrimination. It hardly matters what its source is, or who it is directed at. HBS Transsexuals are subjected to bigotry from many quarters. Some of it even comes from gay and trasgender identified indivuduals who should know better. No Matter! Bigotry is inexcusable. When this email arrived we decided to publish it. So the world can see that homophobia and bigotry is alive and well in Columbia.


Colombia: Acción de Alerta – Discrimination to Student at Universidad Javeriana Cali



The rights violated in this case include: The right to education, the right to be free from discrimination and the right to equality, right to judicial protection



The Issue



Francisco Botina Hidalgo, Colombian laws student at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, has has suffered repeated samples of discrimination from Mario Humberto Lopera and Ricardo Zuluaga Gil, two professors at the university. These teachers publicly mocked his sexual orientation in the classroom, denying him the right to submit his examination, speaking in an aggressive manner and disrespectful when he claimed for his rights. These facts violate his fundamental human rights protected in the Colombian legislation as well as many statements and international treaties.

Francisco has not received a response to his complaint with the university authorities and the Ombudsman of Valle de Cauca, whose representative Dr. Andres Garrido Santamaria, who has working links with the university, has refused to investigate the allegations. Given this omission, Francisco Hidalgo Botina has raised a complaint with the Attorney General's Office and the Office of the UN Human Rights. Francisco has also received threats to their physical, psychological, and on his life.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) requests that you send emails to Colombian authorities to quickly investigate the alleged discrimination, compensate the victims fairly, and take all necessary measures to ensure that similar acts of discrimination are not repeated in the future. Please send your letters to:


Fernando D'Elio / IGLHRC

fdelio@iglhrc.org


Francisco Botina Hidalgo

fbotina@hotmail.com