Colombia
11.10.01
Urgent Interventions
Colombia: two paramilitary massacres in Buga, Department of Valle
Case COL 111001
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT received information about the occurrence of two massacres carried out by paramilitary groups, in the Municipality of Buga’s rural area, Department of Valle and in the Municipality of Cienaga’s rural area, Department of Magdalena, events during which about 41 persons were killed, among them four children.
According to information from several reliable sources, more than 30 men wearing military clothes and carrying armbands of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), carried out an incursion on October 10, 2001, at about 2:30 in the afternoon, in the Corregimiento “Alaska”, Municipality of Burga, where they assembled about one hundred peasants and led them to a park and, list in hand, called several of them up, proceeding to execute them, accusing them of helping the guerrilla.
On the outskirts of the same corregimiento, the paramilitaries killed several persons after forcing them off the bus in which they were travelling from Buga. The reports add that approximately half an hour later, the paramilitaries headed to the “Tres Esquinas” district in the same Municipality, and killed there another group of peasants. Then they went to the corregimiento “La Habana” where they massacred other persons. According to the reports, the death toll is not known yet because some of the bodies are still in the ranches and district paths, apparently because the AUC prevent their removal. Nevertheless, municipal authorities assert that the death toll is more than 30 and, at the same time, they are specially impressed by the occurrence of an event of such a magnitude in an area that has been calm until now, as well as by the cruelty with which several victims were killed, victims who were peasant workers with no known relation with armed groups.
According to the reports, among the identified corpses are those of Messrs. Albeiro Sánchez ; Mario Cardona ; Daniel Gómez Lizarazo, 35 years of age ; Alvaro Mejía ; Juan Valbuena ; Jesús Ortíz Valencia, 64 years old; Fernando Guerrero ; Javier Mosquera, 40 years old ; Otoniel Luján ; Jair Avila ; Abisael Torres Torres, 37 years old, and Fernando León Santa.
Reports concerning further incidents point out that the corpses of 10 fishermen,part of a group kidnapped by the paramilitaries, were found on October 7 2001 in the Municipality of Ciénaga’s rural area, in the Ciénaga La Aguja. The 10 persons had been declared missing.
The reports add that among the deceased were Messrs. Enrique y Carlos Gutiérrez Sánchez, 56 and 53 years old, brothers; Wilder Rafael De Ávila, 45 years old; Manuel Santiago Mejía, 35 years old; Gilberto Gutiérrez Garizábalo, 42 years old; Agapito Gutiérrez Meléndez, 50 years old; Horacio Sandoval Altamar, 42 years old; José Darío Garizábalo Monsalvo, 32 years old, and Juan Suárez Mendoza, 46 years old. Furthermore, in the same department, members of apparently the same paramilitary group killed Mrs. Latiffe Jamit Morrón, 28 years old and her husband Luis Carlos Pabón Solano, 28, who lived in the rural area of the Municipality of Remolino.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT condemns once again these new extremely violent acts, the cruel persecution against the civilian population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and the lack of effective protective measures by the municipal, governmental and national authorities to prevent these acts.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons, to locate those who are missing and to bring an end to such violent events;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, especially the reports of torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 29 35; e-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; pilaque@cgm.mil.co
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, October 11, 2001
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT received information about the occurrence of two massacres carried out by paramilitary groups, in the Municipality of Buga’s rural area, Department of Valle and in the Municipality of Cienaga’s rural area, Department of Magdalena, events during which about 41 persons were killed, among them four children.
According to information from several reliable sources, more than 30 men wearing military clothes and carrying armbands of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), carried out an incursion on October 10, 2001, at about 2:30 in the afternoon, in the Corregimiento “Alaska”, Municipality of Burga, where they assembled about one hundred peasants and led them to a park and, list in hand, called several of them up, proceeding to execute them, accusing them of helping the guerrilla.
On the outskirts of the same corregimiento, the paramilitaries killed several persons after forcing them off the bus in which they were travelling from Buga. The reports add that approximately half an hour later, the paramilitaries headed to the “Tres Esquinas” district in the same Municipality, and killed there another group of peasants. Then they went to the corregimiento “La Habana” where they massacred other persons. According to the reports, the death toll is not known yet because some of the bodies are still in the ranches and district paths, apparently because the AUC prevent their removal. Nevertheless, municipal authorities assert that the death toll is more than 30 and, at the same time, they are specially impressed by the occurrence of an event of such a magnitude in an area that has been calm until now, as well as by the cruelty with which several victims were killed, victims who were peasant workers with no known relation with armed groups.
According to the reports, among the identified corpses are those of Messrs. Albeiro Sánchez ; Mario Cardona ; Daniel Gómez Lizarazo, 35 years of age ; Alvaro Mejía ; Juan Valbuena ; Jesús Ortíz Valencia, 64 years old; Fernando Guerrero ; Javier Mosquera, 40 years old ; Otoniel Luján ; Jair Avila ; Abisael Torres Torres, 37 years old, and Fernando León Santa.
Reports concerning further incidents point out that the corpses of 10 fishermen,part of a group kidnapped by the paramilitaries, were found on October 7 2001 in the Municipality of Ciénaga’s rural area, in the Ciénaga La Aguja. The 10 persons had been declared missing.
The reports add that among the deceased were Messrs. Enrique y Carlos Gutiérrez Sánchez, 56 and 53 years old, brothers; Wilder Rafael De Ávila, 45 years old; Manuel Santiago Mejía, 35 years old; Gilberto Gutiérrez Garizábalo, 42 years old; Agapito Gutiérrez Meléndez, 50 years old; Horacio Sandoval Altamar, 42 years old; José Darío Garizábalo Monsalvo, 32 years old, and Juan Suárez Mendoza, 46 years old. Furthermore, in the same department, members of apparently the same paramilitary group killed Mrs. Latiffe Jamit Morrón, 28 years old and her husband Luis Carlos Pabón Solano, 28, who lived in the rural area of the Municipality of Remolino.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT condemns once again these new extremely violent acts, the cruel persecution against the civilian population, the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and the lack of effective protective measures by the municipal, governmental and national authorities to prevent these acts.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Colombian Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons, to locate those who are missing and to bring an end to such violent events;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, especially the reports of torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or administrative sanctions stipulated by law;
iii. fully execute the recommendations made by international and regional human rights organisations, including those of the High Commission for Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Inter.American Human Rights Commission as well as national and governmental human rights organisations;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses
· S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n .7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566 20 71
· Consejería Presidencial de Derechos Humanos, Calle 7 n . 6-54 Piso 3, Santafé de Bogotá, D. C. Fax: (+57 1) 337 13 51
· General Fernando Tapias Stahelin, Comandante de las Fuerzas Militares, Avenida el Dorado con Cra. 52, Santafé de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 222 29 35; e-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co ; pilaque@cgm.mil.co
· Mission Permanente de la Colombie auprès de l’Office de las Nations Unies et des institutions spécialisées a Genève. Chemin du Champ d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Genève. Tel : (+41) 22 798 4554, 798 4555. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.
Geneva, October 11, 2001