Stop Intimidation of Colombian Church Activists

Date Issued: July 1, 2008

UPDATE: In July 2008, the Colombian government appointed a special prosecutor to expedite the criminal investigation into 23 employees of palm oil companies for illegal appropriation of land and forced displacement.

On June 20, Colombian human rights activist and theologian Abilio Pena was assaulted and intimidated by known members of the Black Eagles paramilitary group in western Colombia.

Pena, two other human rights defenders from the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission, and a group of Afro-Colombians displaced from their lands were on their way to Curvarado, Choco, when men carrying machetes stopped and surrounded them for hours.

The human rights defenders were to assist in the process of demarcating and returning land reportedly taken from Afro-Colombians by paramilitaries in 1996. The Commission advocates on behalf of the return of this land to its collective owners.

You can help stop the intimidation of Colombian defenders working to recover land taken from Afro-Colombians in Curvarado. Join us in demanding that the Colombian Attorney General:

• Immediately investigate the June 20 events, especially the involvement of the Black Eagles paramilitary group.
• Expedite the criminal investigation into twenty-three employees of palm oil companies for illegal appropriation of land and forced displacement.
• Assure police presence at any future demarcation of land.
  

Background

Abilio Pena is an important human rights defender and leader of the Comision Interreclesial de Justicia y Paz (Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission). In the Choco department of Colombia the Justice and Peace Commission works to denounce the illegal acquisition of traditionally collective Afro-Colombian land by paramilitary groups.

After paramilitaries displaced the Afro-Colombian community from this area in 1996, their land fell into the possession of livestock farmers and companies that used the land to plant African Palm plantations. Today the Commission advocates on behalf of the return of this land to its collective owners.

On June 20, the day of the confrontation, Pena and two other human rights defenders from the Justice and Peace Commission were traveling to Cano Manso, in the outskirts of Curvarado, to begin demarcating land in the area. The official demarcation of land was ordered by the by Colombian Institute for Rural Development (INCODER). It represents an important first step in the eventual return of the property to the Afro-Colombian population.

The group of men who surrounded Pena included members of the Black Eagles paramilitary group, Jose Palacios, alias "El Diablo" and another man known as "El Dolar". The men videotaped the defenders and used their trucks to block further access to the road. In addition, one of the trucks used to block the road belongs to a local African Palm farmer. The tactics used by the group of men appear to be an effort to stall the return of the land they currently control to those who were forced off it twelve years ago.

Although the police reportedly promised that they would be present for the land demarcation in a planning meeting on June 19, no officials arrived until 1:20 p.m., more than three hours after the confrontation began.

Members of the Justice and Peace Commission have also faced other forms of intimidation such as death threats, violent attacks and spurious criminal legal charges.

Sample Letter:

Dr. Mario Hernan Iguaran Arana
Fiscal General de la Nacion
Diagonal 22-B #52-01
Bogota
Colombia

Dear Attorney General Iguaran:
I am writing to express my grave concern about the reported intimidation and assault of Alirio Pena, and other human rights defenders, by known members of the Black Eagles paramilitary group and local farmers in Curvarado, Choco on Friday, June 20.

Alirio Pena is an important human rights defender and leader of the Comision Interreclesial de Justicia y Paz (Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission). The Justice and Peace Commission works to challenge the acquisition of traditionally collective Afro-Colombian land by paramilitary groups. After paramilitaries displaced the Afro-Colombians in 1996, their land fell into the possession of livestock farmers and companies that have used the land for African Palm plantations. Today the Commission advocates for the return of this land to its collective owners.

On the morning of June 20, Pena and two other activists from the Justice and Peace Commission were traveling to Cano Manso, near Curavado, with five members of the displaced Afro Colombian Curvarado community. They were to participate in the official demarcation of land in Curavado in accordance with the resolutions provided by the Colombian Institute for Rural Development (INCODER). The demarcation of land in the area is an important first step towards returning the land to the Afro-Colombian population.

At 9:50 am a group of armed men reportedly surrounded Pena and the others and blocked the entrance to Cano Manso with trucks. The confrontation lasted until approximately 4pm. During this time the aggressors allegedly assaulted Alirio Pena, filmed the other human rights defenders, and accused the local community members of invading their land. According to eye-witnesses, the group of aggressors included two members of the Black Eagles paramilitary group, Jose Palacios, alias "El Diablo" and another man known as "El Dolar". In addition, one of the trucks used to block the road reportedly belonged to an African Palm farmer.

One day before the confrontation, local officials had reportedly agreed to provide police support for the land demarcation. However, police did not arrive until 1:20p.m. after being informed of the incident as early as 10:30a.m.

I fear that the tactics used by the local farmers and paramilitary members are an attempt to intimidate and threaten the work being done by the Justice and Peace Commission to help local community members regain land that was reportedly illegally appropriated from them in 1996, 1997, and 2001.

I call on you to immediately investigate the events that took place on June 20, and more specifically the Black Eagles paramilitary group's involvement in the confrontation. In addition I urge that you assure police presence at any future demarcation of land. Finally, I ask you to immediately expedite process 3856, the criminal investigation into 23 members of the palm oil companies for illegal appropriation of land, forced displacement and conspiracy to commit a crime. These proceedings have been stalled for a year and a half and should be resolved promptly.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.