CPTnet
December 6, 2002
COLOMBIA UPDATE: November 2002
Sunday, November 3
Keith Young accompanied a commission of church workers, human rights
workers, and family members to retrieve the body of Gabriela Velez, a
community leader who had been kidnapped and then killed by members of the
AUC (Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, the largest paramilitary group in
Colombia) in the Cimitarra Valley.
The police and other official government investigative bodies refused to
send representatives or even provide a body bag. When Young and others on
the commission found the body, they saw signs of torture on it. They
transported the body back to Barranca for burial.
Lisa Martens and Charles Spring learned from community leaders in the Opón
River area that they want more official government agencies to make visits
there to learn about the situation. The leaders also requested visits by
the church because of the sagging spirits of the Opon residents.
Wednesday, November 6
Charles Spring visited with leaders at a shelter for the displaced in
Barrancabermeja. They requested more frequent visits by CPT because often
members of the AUC (the
paramilitary group responsible for most of the human rights abuses in
Colombia) enter the shelter. The shelter also has many leaks and other
physical problems which the leaders say the mayor’s office shows no interest
in resolving.
Thursday, November 7
Young and Lena Siegers encountered thirty-five members of the AUC on the
Opón River. The CPTers followed them as they went house to house,
questioning community members and even looking at one man’s hands for
calluses to see if he really was a farmer (see Nov. 25 release, “Sheep in
the Midst of Wolves.”)
Saturday, November 16
The team hung a banner saying “Peace begins here” across the river at the
entrance to the zone where they accompany threatened communities. They then
commissioned the banner with a time of prayer and song.
Afterwards, they held times of prayer at other locations where CPTers have
encountered members of armed groups recently. At one location the CPTers
encountered the AUC and delivered “Child of God” letters (October 26
release, “‘Child of God’ letters invite Colombian armed actors to live
peacefully”) after reading them aloud. Some paramilitary members listened
attentively. The CPTers then led a time of song and prayer and engaged the
paramilitary members in open discussion about peace and human rights.
Monday, November 18
Martens and Carol Spring visited farmers from several communities in the
Cimitarra River Valley, enjoying fresh homemade cheese and buffalo meat
from a community buffalo project. Because the Colombian government has not
granted visas to CPTers since March, the team has had insufficient personnel
to respond to accompaniment requests and crises in this area.
Tuesday, November 19
During Martens and Carol Spring’s return trip from the Cimitarra River
Valley, their public transport boat was stopped at four checkpoints: by the
FARC guerrilla, by the AUC paramilitary, by the Navy, and, as they arrived
at the Barranca port, by the police. At the FARC checkpoint, the guerrillas
asked for IDs, searched most bags and behaved more aggressively than the
paramilitaries did at the AUC checkpoint, where CPTers usually witness more
negative behavior.
Young and Siegers encountered paramilitary members sitting with weapons on
their laps or slung on their shoulders, watching farmers working on a
housing project in the Ciénaga del Opón. This was the second time
CPTers have witnessed arms pointed at the farmers while they worked.
Saturday, November 23
In the Opón, Carol Spring visited with a man who said he used to be part
of the paramilitary and killed innocent people. He now wants to go back to
school and get a career but is threatened by the guerrillas for his past
activities.
Sunday, November 24
Siegers and Carol Spring accompanied the communities of La Florida and Los
Ñeques to the neighboring community of Puente Opón, upriver from Los
Ñeques, to participate in a mini-tejo (a game resembling horse shoes)
tournament. Without accompaniment, some would not have traveled to
Puente Opón, because of the constant presence of the paramilitary there.
With
CPT’s presence, more inter-community events like this tournament take place.
Monday, November 25
In Barranca, Young and Charles Spring accompanied a march commemorating the
International Day against the exploitation of women. Despite recent gun
battles happening around Barranca between different paramilitary factions,
busloads of women and men poured in from all neighborhoods and nearby
towns, filling the streets of downtown Barranca. The throngs, mostly
women, banged on pans, hoisted signs with a red slash over a picture of a
gun, and chanted, “We will not birth or raise children for war” and “Not
one man, not one woman, not one peso more for war.”
Thursday, November 28
Young and Siegers hung another “La Paz Empieza Aqui” (Peace Begins Here)
banner because someone stole the last banner after it had been up for a
a day. They hung this one just on the side of the river instead of across
the river, since the amount of rope used in the last one might have been a
temptation for whoever took it down. They also painted and hung new peace
banners in the location where paramilitaries have been living.
(See the “cpt’ album on the clubphoto.com website for pictures of some of
these banners and other activities.)