Instalation of paramilitary base, threats, complicity in the development of paramilitary operation

Cacarica
Monday 23rd of September, 2013

Our Historical Constancy and Ethical Censure before the newest events connected to the development of paramilitary operation that continue in complicity with the 17th brigade and the police of Urabá in the territory of Cacarica and also before the death threats against the inhabitants of Cacarica that publicly denounce the paramilitary operations.

Bogotá, D.C. 23rd of September, 2013

JUAN MANUEL SANTOS
Presidente de la República de Colombia
ANGELINO GARZÓN
Vicepresidente de la República de Colombia
AURELIO IRAGORRI VALENCIA
Ministro del Interior
MARÍA ANGELA HOLGUÍN
Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores
ALFONZO GÓMEZ MÉNDEZ
Ministro de Justicia
EDUARDO MONTEALEGRE
Fiscal General de la Nación
ALEJANDRO ORDÓÑEZ
Procurador General de la Nación
JORGE ARMANDO OTÁLORA
Defensor Nacional del Pueblo
SANDRA MORELLI RICO
Contralora General de la Nación

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake, but he who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved Mateo 10, 22

Our Historical Constancy before the installation of a paramilitary base with the aim of territorial and social control of Cacarica at the point known as Raicero to complement the plans against the population of the areas de La Balsa (Cacarica), La Honda (Cacarica), Bijao (Cacarica), El Limón, Nueva Esperanza en Dios (Cacarica), Tumaradó y La Larga sobre el río Atrato.

The factual fundament of our Historical Constancy:

*Monday 9th of September, 2013, 4 o’clock p.m. in Travesía-Puente América, collective territory of Cacarica, a boat from the type panga-red with 15 paramilitaries dressed in civilian clothes on board, started to move.

*Thursday 12th of September, at 6:30 p.m. our Comisión de Justicia y Paz was informed by to testimonies that the police of Urabá, with seat in Turbo, transported up to 100 paramilitaries to the Port of this town from where they were shipped to the municipality of Unguía, in the morning hours of a day in late august.

Saturday 14th of September at around 8:00 p.m. inhabitants of Cacarica confirmed the installation of a paramilitary base in the place known as Raicero, in theNational Park of Katíos, in between the municipalities of Unguía and Peye. The inhabitants were threatened with death if they would denounce their presence in this place.
The paramilitaries are developing their armed operation under two names and two mechanisms. Dressed in civil clothes they present themselves as “los Urabeños” and dressed in camouflage and equipped with heavy armory as “Autodefensas Gaitanistas”.

The presence of the paramilitaries in Raicero seeks to control the route Raicero- Peye and Tumaradó on the river Atrato where a base persists with the aim to control the inhabitants and shippings that are made between Turbo and Cacarica.

*Sunday, 15th of September, 3:00 p.m. on the border of the territory of Cararica, some of the paramilitaries addressed the villagers of Cacarica that they should leave the area because they would be required to report to their commands. The young paramilitary integrants stated that the constant complaints of the communities have disturbed the ones “from the top” and that through those complaints the development of their plans has been inhibited. They added that some operations, not their plans though, have been rescheduled and that all of them are acknowledged by the police in Urabá and the troops of the 17th brigade.

*Tuesday 17th of September, in the afternoon, villagers of Cacarica declared that in the location known as Quebrada Maluca, Cacarica, 10 km away from the Humanitarian Zone Nueva Esperanza en Dios members of the 17th brigade inhibit the free mobility of the villagers with the installation of a checkpoint since the month of June.

*Monday 23rd of September in the early morning hours our Comisión de Justicia y Paz in Bogotá confirmed the affirmations made by some of the paramilitaries.

A source within the public forces, due to moral scruples, manifested that the invasion plans for Cacarica have been planed since more than three weeks with the complicity of some military commands of the 17th brigade and police officials from Urabá. The federal agent demanded absolute discretion with respect to his identity.

Our Ethical Censure before the recent development of covert paramilitary operations that could have been avoided if the structural correlation between the public forces and paramilitary operation would have been eradicated by efficient investigations and high-level dismissals since 1996.

Our Ethical Censure before the absence of efficient administrative, investigative and repressive measures to confront the paramilitary encystment in the operative plans of the public forces and the unspeakable interests that are hidden behind the operations which target the civil population.

In conformity with article 23 of the National Constitution we demand answers to the
following questions:

• 1. Which measures have been taken in the last 3 weeks to prevent paramilitary operations in the collective territory of Cacarica?
• 2. With respect to the knowledge of the participation of the public forces in paramilitary operations, which administrative, disciplinary and investigative measures will be implemented to restore the rule of law?
• 3. In relation to the evidence of restrictions on freedom of the inhabitants of Cacarica, which actions will be taken, when and with which purpose?
• 4. In the absence of the implementation of protection measures for members of CAVIDA, which actions are to be developed and what are they aiming for?
With deep concerns,

Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz