New paramilitary occupation in Curvaradó
The paramilitary operations of social and territorial control continue in Curvaradó. It was confirmed that from 7:30pm last night until this morning [Friday, May 20th] an undetermined number of paramilitaries were present in the Despensa Media Canal..
At 8:00 am, more than twenty paramilitaries occupied the property of the Yañez family, members of the Lower Council, which is located five minutes from the El Tesoro Humanitarian Zone. The majority of the paramilitaries were dressed in camouflage and some in civilian clothing, and were carrying pistols and/or rifles.
Forty-five minutes later, two of the men dressed in civilian clothing, ignoring the fact that it is private property, entered into the El Tesoro Humanitarian Zone looking to buy sugar, salt and oil in the community store. The members of the Lower Council asked them to leave the area.
At about 10:30am bad-faith invaders or occupiers met within twenty minutes of the El Tesoro Humanitarian Zone to define the coca cultivation area.
These invaders remain in the collective territory with the support of the paramilitary. The armed disputes between two paramilitary groups are due to their differences in the application of terror mechanisms to impose agribusiness on the Lower Councils that inhabit the Humanitarian Zones and the Biodiversity Zones, and differences in the types of profit distribution used when the cultivation of coca is implemented.
Simultaneously some of the bad-faith invaders and occupiers have been placed around the El Tesoro Camelias Humanitarian Zone, harassing the inhabitants.
The environmental destruction operations and the expansion of illegal cultivation in the “Isaac Tuberquia” Biodiversity Zone continues without any effective action by the Urabá Police to comply with the administrative decision from January [2011], ordering an eviction.
The absence of effective measures by the 17th Brigade and the Urabá Police to confront the paramilitary control strategy, is favoring the illegal business occupation aimed at producing coca, palm and bananas plantations, and large-scale cattle ranching. The Curvaradó and Jiguamiandó territories are part of a Forest Reserve that gives special protections that so far have not been provided by the environmental authorities.
Bogotá, D.C. May 20, 2011
Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz
Interchurch Justice and Peace Commission