To: Latin America Advocates
From: Theo Sitther, MCC Washington Office
Date: October 3, 2008
Re: Human Rights violations in Tierralta

Issue

MCC is receiving distressing news from our brothers and sisters in Tierralta, which is located in the province of Cordoba on the northern coast of Colombia. Ongoing paramilitary-military collusion, paramilitary violence, intimidation and control, and continued armed activity of rearmed demobilized groups are the current everyday reality for our brothers and sisters in that region.

Background

In 2004 the government of Colombia initiated a paramilitary demobilization process under what’s known as the “Justice and Peace” law. Negotiations for demobilization took place in Tierralata, which is a traditional paramilitary stronghold. At the end of the negotiations the government has claimed that over 30,000 paramilitary were successfully demobilized. However, two years since this process took place parts of the paramilitary structures remain in tact and operations continue.

Listed below are three sample cases from Tierralta. Violations are ongoing and immediate action is needed.

• Case 1: On February 17, 2007 Rosendo Romero, a 45 year old Baptist pastor and community leader from Flores Arriba, Tierralta, escaped an attempted assassination. According to local witnesses, the police traveled to Pastor Romero’s village, presumably to accompany him to safety, in a vehicle owned and operated by the paramilitary commander allegedly responsible for ordering Pastor Rosendo’s assassination. Pastor Rosendo and his family resisted displacement in the midst of threats, but continued persecution and threats forced Pastor Romero, his wife and children to flee on March 25, 2008.
• Case 2: Two armed gunmen threatened Jorge Vides, a displaced-community leader and member of the Canaan Evangelical Church in Villa Madeira, Tierralta, on March 16, 2008. “They came to my door around 9 p.m.; they put a gun to my head, said they were from the Black Eagles… They said …they would kill me.” On March 20, 2008, Mr. Vides, his wife Orlinda (8 months pregnant at the time) and one year-old daughter, Heidi, were forced into displacement in another town.
• Case 3: Rearmed paramilitaries allegedly forcibly disappeared Azael Hernandez on June 15, 2008. Mr. Hernandez, a member of the Getsemani Evangelical Church in Murmullo Medio, Tierralta, was last seen being detained by men identified as rearmed paramilitaries near the town of Batata. He was allegedly shot and thrown in the waters of the Urrá Hydroelectric Dam. In the following days, family members learned that their names were among the 11 on a rearmed paramilitary hit list. Taking heed, by Tuesday, June 24, 27 families had fled from the countryside to the town of Tierralta.

Faith Reflection

Jesus taught us by saying, “whatever you did for one of the least of these, who are members of my family, you did for me.” We are all counted as members of God’s family. Responding to this by supporting the victims of Colombia’s war is a natural way to obey Jesus’ call.

Action

Send a letter to the Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer and call on Mr. Kramer to pressure the Colombian government to:

• Carry out timely investigation and take the necessary steps to bring to justice both the material and intellectual authors of the threats to Pastor Romero, Mr. Vides and the 11 threatened persons from Murmullo Medio, as well as those responsible for Mr. Hernandez's murder.
• The Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía) update Ricardo Esquivia, National Coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace of the Colombian Council of Protestant and Evangelical Churches of their progress in investigating the complaints of Mr. Vides and Mrs. Montiel (Mr. Hernandez's widow).
• Take all necessary steps for the total and immediate dismantling of the paramilitary structures and that those who violate the terms of their demobilization be held accountable.
• Facilitate the relocation of the Romero family and all those displaced from Murmullo Medio who are currently living in temporary emergency housing. This includes access to adequate housing and land plots.
• Ensure that Accion Social provide all displaced families with standard 90 day emergency assistance, including health services.
• Provide all necessary safety measures for community members in the municipality of Tierralta, Córdoba.
• Engage the U.S. Embassy’s Political Section in monthly updates on progress made in the above areas.

To view a sample letter and send a fax to Assistant Secretary Kramer follow this link.

Visits, e-mails, phone calls, faxes and letters are all good ways to contact your legislators. E-mails, phone calls and faxes are good for time-sensitive issues. Postal mail travels slowly in the Capitol, but letters have long-term impact. Be sure to include your mailing address in all correspondence to confirm your residency in a particular district and state.

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