Sergio Vieira de Mello

Rio de Janeiro, March 15th, 1948 -
Baghdad, August 19th, 2003

"I am moved to be here...with much courage Alirio defends human rights in Colombia... God knows that this role of Human Rights Defender is difficult, dangerous, full of risk...especially in a country as torn as Colombia. It is with pleasure and respect that I hand him the Martin Ennals Award"

Sergio Vieira de Mello
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
at the ceremony for the Martin Ennals Award in Geneva
during the broadcast of Zig Zag Cafe Special on 31 March 2003

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The memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello will always be engraved in our struggle, further enriching our indestructible love of life. The best homage we can pay him is to overcome our sadness in order to go without fail, to strengthen our struggle in all regions of the world in order to assure a better destiny for humanity!

I received the Martin Ennals Award in Geneva on 31st March from the very hands of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello.
We (human rights defenders of Colombia) are deeply saddened by the tragic attacks which cost the lives of Mr. Vieira de Mello and other victims. On a grand scale, this terrorist act infringes on all humanity and puts the entire international community of human rights into mourning.

We just could not imagine that he would disappear before us, having put his own life in danger in order to restore the rights of the Irakian people. Sergio Vieira de Mello died for humanity. He was a man of peace and a tireless human rights defenders. Only very few like him knew how to combine pragmatism with high diplomatic responsibility and to defend the principles of rights to which he devoted his life.

I address myself to all colleauges of Sergio Vieira de Mello and the other victims of the attack who worked for the United Nations, to their families and their loved ones, as well as to the international community of human rights. I wish to assure them that we share in their pain and agony, and that we will continue to pursue tirelessly the causes which he defended and for which he sacrificed his life.

Alirio Uribe de Muñoz,
President of the Collective José Alvear Restrepo,
winner of the 2003 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders

Excerpt of letter to Kofi Annan,
UN Secretary-General, Bogota,
Colombia, 22 August 2003