CPTnet
November 30, 2001
COLOMBIA: CPT's letter to AUC paramilitaries

Below is an open letter that CPT in Barrancabermeja has just today
distributed throughout the city and the surrounding areas. We sent this
letter because of recent interactions with members of the AUC (the acronym
for the paramilitary forces here). We are hoping that this letter will lead
to less violence directed towards the civilian population.

November 29, 2001

Open Letter
To the leadership of the United Self-defence Forces of Colombia
        (AUC is the Spanish acronym)
Municipality of Barrancabermeja and surroundings

By means of this letter we would like to discuss the principles of our
organization, our work and some events that took place recently.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is an international initiative of the
Mennonite Church, the Church of the Brethren, Quakers (Society of Friends)
and other followers of Jesus Christ, Catholic and Protestant who share the
goal of reducing violence.

CPT is founded on the principle of "love of enemy" and rejects all forms of
violence for the resolution of conflicts. The membership of CPT believes
that all conflicts can be resolved without the possession or use of weapons
or of any form of violence or cohersion, including and especially lethal
violence.

By invitation of the villages of La Colorada, La Florida and Los Yeques, all
in the township of Ciénaga del Opón, CPT maintains an international and
ongoing presence of human rights observation in the area.

CPT is not connected to any armed group. The work of CPT includes calling
on armed actors to transform their actions with regards to the civil
population. Sometimes CPT publicly denounces cases of human rights
violations committed by members of armed groups. To date CPT has denounced
violations committed against civilians by members of the Colombian Navy, of
the ELN and of the AUC.

CPT uses the services of motorists who have been named by the community to
provide transportation to CPT members. The leaders of the community have
assured that the named motorists are not involved with any armed group and
CPT has verified this with its own consultations. CPT is certain that our
motorists have NO connections with any armed group. The motorists have
signed contracts with CPT.

On November 24 at 5 p.m., two members of CPT arrived at a checkpoint of
presumed members of the AUC. There was a group of aproximately 16 people,
many of them armed, situated at the mouth of the RasquiZa channel. They
searched the bags of the CPT members and then said that the CPT members
could proceed on their trip up the Opón.River.

CPT subsequently learned from members of the community that a short time
earlier shots had been heard in the mouth of the Colorada River and that
there were four people missing including a minor. CPT returned to speak
with the presumed members of the AUC but they had already left. A search
was initiated for the missing persons. At this point CPT contacted the
Colombian Armed Forces to help in the search for these missing and possibly
seriously wounded people.

CPT rejects all violent solutions when addressing situations of violation
and thus does not request the participation of other armed groups when there
are human rights abuses committed by one armed group. In this case CPT
asked for the assistance of human rights organizations and the armed forces
in the search for possibly wounded people.

A short time later CPT located the missing fishermen. These same explained
to CPT that they were running away from the armed men out of fear. CPT
conducted its investigations and believes that these fishermen do not have
any connection to any armed group.

CPT also heard testimony that these same armed people have taken 22 chairs
and 2 tables from the school of the village of Colorada and have also taken
two goats and two gas cylinders, property of local civilians.

CPT asks the leadership of the AUC to explain to its members that neither
CPT nor its motorists have any connection to any guerrilla group or any
other armed group. Also, CPT asks that the leadership of the AUC require
its members to leave the villages of the township of Ciénaga del Opón,
including la Colorada, la Florida, los Yeques and the other villages, in
peace. Finally, please explain that when country people flee it is not an
indication that they have any connection to an armed group. It only means
that they are afraid of guns.

Thank-you for your attention. In the unending love of God,

Erin Kindy William Payne Matthew Schaaf
Jacobus Vroon
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)