-Caveat Lector- Warnings Preceded Colombia Massacre Updated 8:43 PM ET January 20, 2001 By JARED KOTLER, Associated Press Writer BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Three months ago, residents in northern Colombia sent President Andres Pastrana a desperate plea for protection: rumors were circling that rightist militiamen planned to attack their village. "We know the barbarity they are capable of," wrote the people of Chengue, well aware of the violent reputation of the paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, the AUC. The warning went unheeded. An AUC death squad stormed Chengue on Wednesday, torching dozens of homes and hacking to death 26 people after accusing them of collaborating with leftist guerrillas. The government's failure to provide protection raised new doubts about its willingness and ability to curb paramilitary violence. The massacre in Sucre State was the deadliest in a wave of rightist attacks this month that have drawn condemnation from U.N. human rights monitors and prompted new calls for Pastrana to crack down on paramilitary violence. Guerrillas have demanded tougher action against the AUC as a condition for continuing peace talks. Stronger curbs on paramilitary violence and army-paramilitary collusion also is a condition for continuation of U.S. military aid and training under a $1.3 billion anti-narcotics aid package. As many as 170 unarmed people were killed in 26 massacres in January alone, U.N. human rights monitors said Thursday, calling the pace an "alarming degradation" in Colombia's 36-year conflict. The United Nations on Saturday pleaded with the warring sides to end the fighting. The killings at Chengue may have been avoidable. The area around the village was one of many U.N. monitors had been warning the government about, representatives of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said. In an Oct. 6 letter to Pastrana written on the town stationery of Ovejas, the municipality that encompasses Chengue, dozens of villagers wrote that they were living in "constant anxiety" because of rumors of an AUC attack. The human rights group Amnesty International brought the letter to the attention of The Associated Press. Some of those who signed it are believed to have been killed in the massacre. Colombia's defense ministry confirmed Friday that it received the letter from the presidency and forwarded it to military authorities in Sincelejo, the nearest city and the capital of Sucre. In a Dec. 1 written response, the Sincelejo-based 1st Marine Brigade pledged to try preventing attacks but said it did not have enough troops to permanently protect all areas in the zone that were under threat from guerrillas and paramilitary groups. "Information about possible attacks on towns by different violent groups are received on a daily basis," said the reply, obtained by The AP from the defense ministry. The Brigade claimed that on several occasions its troops successfully neutralized attacks on Ovejas. Pastrana and defense officials condemned Wednesday's massacre and vowed to redouble efforts to rein in the AUC. However, no investigation of possible negligence has been announced. Meanwhile, Pastrana traveled to Paris on Saturday to begin a week-long European tour to seek world support for his country's anti-narcotics initiative. The U.S.-backed Plan Colombia has a military component targeting leftist rebels who protect illegal drug crops. France's Foreign Ministry said it would express support of peace talks to end Colombia's internal conflict. �2001 At Home Corporation. All rights reserved. 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