/* Written 3:59 AM May 27, 1995 by csn in igc:soc.culture.co */ /* ---------- "Stop the Murders Now/June 14 Action" ---------- */ Urgent Response Called for Against Skyrocketing Escalation of Paramilitary Violence in Uraba', Colombia; STOP ALL US AID TO COLOMBIA! Background: Apartado', a town of (~50,000 souls) in the heart of the Uraba' region of northwest Colombia, has been the sister community of Dane County (Madison), Wisconsin since 1990. Apartado' is located in the most violent region of the Colombia, where there has historically been much violence and repression against political and union activists, plus armed actions by guerrillas and paramilitary gunmen. The current mayor of Apartado', Gloria Cuartas, visited Wisconsin the last week of April, 1995, as a guest of the Colombia Support Network (a Madison group) and the Dane County-Apartado' Sister Communities Project. This was a continuation of exchanges aimed at fostering cooperation, good will, and support of efforts to bring peace and prosperity to this backwater region of Colombia. On May 18, the Colombia Support Network received an urgent phone call from Ms. Cuartas, stating that the paramilitary groups in the area were virtually running wild with an escalation of murders and horrible mutilations, with the large number of police and army members present in the area (thousands) doing nothing to stop the homicides. That initial phone call has been followed by several others, including conversations with Msgr. Isaias Duarte, the Bishop of Apartado'. Here is what has been learned: On Sunday, May 14, 11 people were murdered by paramilitaries in Carepa, south of Apartado'. On Sunday, May 21, 8 were murdered in Turbo, west of Apartado' on the Gulf of Uraba'. In Turbo, the murders occurred one half block from the police station. In Carepa, the killings occurred in front of the police station, with the paramilitary gunmen living in the same hotel as the police. In another location, a meeting of fishermen was in progress, when the paramilitaries arrived; they called out for one person, "Severino" -- he was murdered in front of the others. Buses have been stopped, and people pulled off and executed. The murders appear to be focused on grassroots leaders, including indigenous peoples plus the marginalized Black population, as well as militants from a variety of competing political movements -- who, very significantly, have recently put aside their own bickering and come together in a 'consensus' of local cooperation for peace. This 'consensus' resulted in a statement by the various mayors of the various towns in this part of Uraba', and backed by the Bishop of Apartado', which said simply: "No To Violence; Respect the Consensus; Respect Civilians". The local Army Commander, General Alvarez, expressed his disapproval for this statement of the mayors and bishop; previously he had taken much displeasure at Mayor Cuarta's exposure of the Colombian Army's looting of a nearby local town, saying "she should stay out of the Army's business". For that reason, we greatly fear for Mayor Cuarta's safety. The Uraba' mayors and Bishop of Apartado' have stated publicly that they are very upset that the Colombian Army and Police are not exercising their constitutional duties of protecting the civilian population, and at the least are guility of negligence if not worse. Stating this is Colombia is a very brave act, and puts them at severe risk to reprisals from the military and its agents. Why the escalation of violence at this time? We feel that two important social/political/economic currents are at play. First, is the upcoming multibillion dollar economic development slated for this region of Colombia, which is situated at both the Darien Gap, the last gap of the Pan American Highway, and the Gulf of Uraba', a deep water port and free trade zone. A handful of rich and powerful people want to displace the residents, grab their land, and install a "stable" political machine. The paramilitaries are tools of the big landowners, the big cattlemen, as well as narcotraffickers (who have also turned into the first two) with the support and assistance of certain military officials. Second, at exactly this time, there are two important initiatives for peace occurring in Colombia; one is a Peace Process for Uraba' which includes international figures (Roger Fisher, international negotiator from Harvard; Oscar Arias, ex- president of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Shafick Handal, ex- comandante of El Salvador's FMLN and negotiator of peace there). The other is a negotiation between the Bogota government and the several guerrilla groups, to reach a cease fire with hopes of a real ending of armed insurgency. There are apparently wealthy and powerful forces who want to grab up as much land in Uraba' as they can, situated in the correct locations (e.g. Turbo, Carepa, Apartado') for the expected economic boom of the next decade. The paramilitaries are just their pawns. What else can explain the huge payrolls bankrolling the gunmen? There are reported to be 500 paramilitary gunmen, with each receiving the unheard of salary of $300,000 pesos a month! There is suspicion that not only are local or regional wealthy individuals behind the paramilitaries, but organs of the National "security" apparatus, who have traditionally been instrumental in the organization, funding, provision of intelligence to, training and supply of personnel. The paramilitary thugs, who operate under the name "Autodefensa de Uraba' y Cordoba" (~"Self-defense group or militia") have issued their own proclamation in response to the mayors and bishop: they state that they have declared war on the guerrillas and their sympathizers, and that they do not accept the truce between the government and the guerrillas. They have a counterinsurgency plan, and will not stop the war until they win. In the past, one of Colombia's main narcotrafficers, Fidel Castano, has been behind much of the paramilitary activity in the Uraba' region, and is assumed to still be involved, although he has dropped from sight (there have been rumors that he is dead -- "how convenient" Saturday Nite Live's 'churchlady might say.) There have been warrants out for his apprehension by the Colombian government, and there are suspicions that he may reappear using a different name. Castano is believed to have possible ties to U.S. and/or Colombian intelligence agencies, as he was a founder of the "PEPES", an anti-Pablo Escobar terrorist unit, which apparently co-operated with the U.S. (CIA) backed Bloque de Busqueda elite "hunter-killer" military unit that hunted down Escobar. Castano was selected in early 1995 to be the supreme commander of the Colombia's paramilitary units, at a confab held in the Magdalena Medio region, where high ranking Colombian military officers were reportedly in attendence. We call on people of good will to rise to the occasion, and speak truth power, to demand safety and protection for the Mayors of Uraba', the Bishop of Apartado' and other religious leaders attempting to stop the bloodbath, by sending faxes to the following Colombian and U.S. officials, and making clear our intention of demanding a freeze on ALL US and multilateral aid to Colombia until the bloodbath stops (since appeals to humanity and kindness mean nothing to the forces behind this violence): Dr. Ernesto Samper P., Presidente de la Republica de Colombia Fax : (011) 571 2867434 Dr. Fernando Botero, Ministro de Defensa Fax: (011) 571 2220930 Warren Christopher, US Secretary of State Fax: 202 647-7120 (cc to Colombia Suppport Network) We call on people of good will to support these demands, with a call upon our own elected officials: Stop the Violence Immediately -- Or Stop All U.S. Aid to Colombia 1) We call on the US Congress to Hold Immediate Hearings on the Violence in Uraba' and elsewhere in Colombia 2) We call on the US Congress to Stop all US Aid to Colombia (except humanitarian aid) until Hearings are held and the situation improves 3) We call for an immediate investigation into the funding of the paramilitary gunmen, including exposure of any collaboration of US DEA, CIA and military agents in any aspect of their operations. 4) We call on the Commerce Dept, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and World Bank to hold up all trade and financing deals with Colombian companies and financial institutions until the paramilitaries are disarmed and the Colombian authorities have restored peace to Uraba' 5) We declare that we will organize international opposition to all development schemes for the Uraba' region (Plan Pacifico) that benefit the rich landowners, the cattlemen and the narcotrafficers to the detriment of the indigeneous, Black and poor population of Uraba'. And we will oppose Colombia's entrance into NAFTA until the human rights violations cease. We call for Vigils, Rallies, Press Conferences, etc at the Colombian Embassy and Consulates in the U.S. on June 14. For more info contact Colombia Support Network PO Box 1505 Madison WI 53701 Phone 608 836-5107 or 255-6554 Fax 608 255-6621 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]