[News] Paramilitary violence continues to plague Colombia

[Anti-Imperialist News]

peoplesdispatch.org
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/04/13/paramilitary-violence-continues-to-plague-colombia/>
Paramilitary violence continues to plague Colombia
April 13, 2023
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[image: image.png]

"Without life, there is no peace". Photo: Colombia Informa

Despite important advances towards peace made by the government of Gustavo
Petro, violence continues across Colombia. The Colombian human rights
organization, the Institute of Development and Peace Studies (INDEPAZ),
reported that between April 1 and 11, ten people were murdered in three
massacres, eleven
<https://indepaz.org.co/lideres-sociales-defensores-de-dd-hh-y-firmantes-de-acuerdo-asesinados-en-2023/>
social leaders were assassinated and one ex-combatant was killed. The
alarming number of deaths is one of the highest death tolls registered
during a period of ten days this year.

While there has been a noted decrease in the killings of environmentalists,
land defenders, human rights defenders, Afro-descendent, Indigenous,
peasant and social leaders since the start of the year, human rights
organizations have sounded the alarms following this latest bout of
violence.

On April 11, three peasants were killed by a group of unknown men in El
Tambo, Cauca in the 30th massacre of the year. In these 30 massacres, 98
<https://indepaz.org.co/informe-de-masacres-en-colombia-durante-el-2020-2021/>
Colombians have been slaughtered.

On the same day, an environmental defender, Diana Carolina Rodríguez
Madrigal, was beaten to death
<https://twitter.com/Indepaz/status/1646162505683685376?s=20> when she was
on her way to her home in San Cayetano, Norte de Santander. A peasant
leader and member of the Colombian Communist Party Carlos Julio Tautiva
Cruz was also murdered
<https://twitter.com/Indepaz/status/1646169055965982724?s=20> by armed men,
who attacked him inside his house in the Lagunilla village in Sumapaz,
Bogotá, and the bodies of two social leaders, María Cecilia Cuenu Cuenu and
Juan Hilario Banguera Colorado, who had been missing since March 31, were found
dead <https://twitter.com/Indepaz/status/1646229715240333313?s=20> with
signs of torture near the Palanquera stream in Guapi, Cauca.

According to INDEPAZ, Cuenu Cuenu and Banguera Colorado were the 47th and
48th social leaders to be assassinated in 2023, and the 1,456th and 1,457th
since the signing of Havana peace agreements in November 2016.

The Colombian Communist Party (PCC) condemned the assassination of Tautiva
Cruz and demanded justice. “Criminal hands took the life of one of our
comrades, Carlos Julio Tautiva Cruz (Yuyo), and caused serious injuries to
Nubia González in the town of Sumapaz in Bogotá. Yuyo was a historic
peasant leader, music artist and a peacemaker. We demand justice!,” the PCC
tweeted <https://twitter.com/notipaco/status/1645975019690901505?s=20>.

The Union of Agricultural Workers of Sumapaz (SINTRAPAZ) also rejected
Tautiva Cruz’s murder. “The agrarian union organization rejects the tragic
events that took the life of our comrade and friend Carlos Julio Tautiva
Cruz and caused damage to the integrity of his daughter-in-law Nubia
Gonzalez Salazar. We urge the authorities, through the activation of the
protocols and the rigorous investigation, to promptly find the whereabouts
of the criminals, do justice and make reparations to the community of
Sumapaz, the Tautiva Cruz and Tautiva Mora families and other family
friends for the opprobrious events that occurred,” said SINTRAPAZ in a
statement
<https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=540773771543120&set=a.415183074102191>
.

Likewise, on April 9, INDEPAZ reported the murder of ex-FARC guerrilla
fighter Diego Mauricio Mejía Rojas in the Puerto Asis municipality in the
Putumayo department. He was shot dead by armed men riding a motorcycle. He
was a part of the reincorporation process and was working as a guard with
the National Protection Unit (UNP).

According to INDEPAZ, with Mejía Rojas’ assassination, the number of
ex-combatants killed since the signing of peace agreements reached 354.

Deputy Sergio Marín of the Comunes Party, which was formed as a part of the
2016 Havana peace agreements, condemned Mejía Rojas’ murder, stating
<https://twitter.com/SergioComunes/status/1645187114366107648?s=20> “they
continue to extinguish the lives of those who work for peace.”

The Security and Protection for Peace Workers Union (SINTRASEPAZ) also
rejected Mejía Rojas’ homicide. “Our colleague Diego Mauricio Mejía Rojas,
a bodyguard with the Specialized Sub-Directorate of the UNP, was murdered
in Puerto Asís, Putumayo. Diego was a peace signatory and protected other
peace signatories. Our condolences to family, comrades and friends,”
SINTRASEPAZ wrote in a tweet
<https://twitter.com/sintrasepaz/status/1645215216702038018?s=20>.

The left-wing government of President Gustavo Petro and Vice president
Francia Márquez, which took office in August 2022, has promised to achieve
peace in the country. The Petro-Márquez government has been promoting peace
agreements with all irregular paramilitary and drug-trafficking groups
willing to submit to justice. They have also vowed to fully implement the
2016 peace agreements.

According to INDEPAZ, over 20
<https://twitter.com/Indepaz/status/1597558030773948417?s=20> irregular
armed groups operating in the country have expressed their will to lay down
arms, engage in dialogue and accept conditions in exchange for peace and
definitive non-repetition of violence.

The government has already begun peace talks with at least three groups,
including the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), and Segunda Marquetalia guerilla
groups, and drug cartel Los Pachencas. It has also resumed the peace
process with the National Liberation Army (ELN).
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