CPTnet
December 26, 2001
COLOMBIA: CPTers hear gunfire at paramilitary
checkpoint
On Saturday morning, December
22, Christian Peacemaker Teams
(CPT) members Scott Kerr
(Chicago)and William Payne
(Toronto) were stopped and had
their bags searched by a unit
of the United Self-defence
Forces of Colombia (AUC is the
Spanish acronym.) The CPTers
were returning to their office
in Barrancabermeja, traveling
on the Opon River via the
local form of public
transportation, a large
motorized canoe known
as “the line,” when they
encountered a checkpoint at
the place where the Colorada
and Opon rivers meet, thirteen
kilometres south of the city.
Kerr and Payne heard five
gunshots as their canoe was
approaching the paramilitary
(AUC) checkpoint. Moments
later they saw several armed
men head away from the shore.
They did not see signs of a
confrontation nor of
casualties as they approached
the checkpoint, and never
found out why the shots were
fired.
About ten paramilitary members
armed with sub-machine guns,
pistols and shotguns remained
on the riverbank, some with
their faces covered. An
armed man informed the dozen
passengers, mostly older women
with children, that their bags
would be searched. Some
community members traveling on
the public transportation with
the team were asked for their
names and about previous
travel in the area. When
Payne and Kerr asked why the
search was happening, the
paramilitary members explained
that they were looking for
guerrillas.
CPT volunteers have been
stopped in this area by AUC
members on two other occasions
in the last month, but this
occasion was the first time a
they experienced a
paramilitary search
immediately following gunfire.
On Sunday, December 23, 2001
CPTers Erin Kindy (North
Manchester, Indiana), Lisa
Martens and Matt Schaaf (both
of Winnipeg, Canada) traveled
to the same location. Several
paramilitary members were
present when the Kindy,
Martens and Schaaf prayed for
peace near the checkpoint.
During their time of prayer,
the CPTers observed
civilian boat traffic pass
through without incident.
CPT has maintained an
international human rights
presence in the area since May
2001. CPT is concerned about
the increased presence of
armed groups in this zone and
calls on all groups to treat
the civilian population with
respect. CPT invites all the
armed actors to lay down their
weapons and begin working for
resolution of conflict by
peaceful means. CPT asks
people throughout the world to
call on the Colombian
government to take nonviolent
action to protect the
well-being of its civilians.
