Colombia: Murder in Cimitarra valley

by Weekly News Update on the Americas
March 5, 2006

The Campesino Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC) has reported a recent increase in paramilitary murders, threats and other activities in the Cimitarra valley of Colombia's Magdalena Medio region, where the departments of Bolivar, Santander and Antioquia intersect.

On Feb. 18, Colombian paramilitaries murdered Guido Romero, vice president of the Communal Action Board, in the rural community of La Victoria in Cantagallo municipality in the Cimitarra river valley in the south of Bolivar department. The paramilitaries, presumed to be from the urban center of Cantagallo, came to La Victoria asking for Romero. They detained him and took him to the community's soccer field, where they murdered him in front of other community members. Romero's murder came two days after he met with ACVC leaders to plan a series of community actions. [Corporacion Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CREDHOS) 2/22/06 via Colombia Indymedia; ACVC 2/23/06]

At a subsequent meeting in Cantagallo, a paramilitary member from Barrancabermeja in Santander department announced that the legalized paramilitary groups known as Convivir must be reestablished in the town. On Feb. 22, in nearby San Pablo, a "demobilized" paramilitary commander called a meeting where he announced that the Convivir groups would be reestablished, and that the community must finance them. The Convivir "security cooperatives" were first established in neighboring Antioquia department by then-governor Alvaro Uribe Velez, now president of Colombia seeking a second term in elections in May. [ACVC 2/23/06; CREDHOS 2/24/06]

On Feb. 22, the body of Robinson Alberto Gonzalez was found with five bullet wounds--two in the head--between the rural communities of Campo Bijao and Cano Tigre, at a site known as Cano Panela, in the northeastern area of Antioquia, near the borders with Bolivar and Santander departments. Gonzalez worked as a traveling vendor; he had disappeared on Feb. 6 between the rural communities of Puerto Nuevo Ite and Dosquebradas in Remedios municipality.

No one has claimed responsibility for murdering Gonzalez. The Calibio Battalion of the army's 14th Brigade operates in the area, and is said to collaborate with rightwing paramilitary groups which supposedly demobilized in Remedios several weeks ago. Leftist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) are also active in the area. [ACVC 2/23/06]

Jose Gustavo Castaneda disappeared on Feb. 15 between the Estrella farm and Puerto Nuevo Ite; as of Feb. 22 he remained missing. On Feb. 13 campesino Albeiro Meza was disappeared in Cantagallo municipality. He remained missing as of Feb. 16. Julio Cesar Aparicio Diaz, a member of the Communal Action Board in Puerto Matilde, was detained in Campo Bijao, Remedios municipality, by six hooded armed men dressed in camouflage. He was tortured for two hours and threatened with death. He was reportedly released, but his whereabouts were unknown as of Feb. 16. [ACVC 2/16/06, 2/23/06]

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