Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BOGOTA1918
2005-03-01 17:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
MASSACRE OF 13 PERSONS IN URABA AREA
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 001918
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015
TAGS: PHUM PTER CO
SUBJECT: MASSACRE OF 13 PERSONS IN URABA AREA
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reasons 1.4 (b&d)
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 001918
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015
TAGS: PHUM PTER CO
SUBJECT: MASSACRE OF 13 PERSONS IN URABA AREA
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reasons 1.4 (b&d)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) On February 24, Embassy received reports that eight
persons, including three members of the peace community of
Apartado, had been killed, dismembered, and buried in two
separate graves in the Uraba region of Antioquia Department.
The Government of Colombia immediately sent members of the
Fiscalia,s Human Rights Unit to the site as part of a larger
investigative commission. On February 28, another site
containing five bodies was reportedly found. Embassy will
continue to follow up with all relevant actors.
--------------
Eight Bodies Found
--------------
2. (C) On February 21, eight individuals, including Luis
Eduardo Guerra, a leader and member of the internal council
of the so-called "peace community" of San Jose de Apartado,
were killed by unknown assailants near the village of La
Resbalosa (possibly in Cordoba Department),a seven-hour walk
from San Jose, located in the Uraba region of Antioquia
Department. The bodies of the three men, two women, and
three children were found dismembered in two separate mass
graves. The community, through its supporting NGO, the
"Corporacion Juridica Libertad", based in Medellin, has
already denounced the killings to the international community
via the internet. The group has claimed there was an
eyewitness who saw members of the 11th Army Brigade (based in
Cordoba Department) detain these individuals before their
bodies were discovered. Embassy does not have any
information to corroborate this allegation and continues to
investigate.
3. (C) Director of the Presidential Program for Human Rights,
Carlos Franco, told the Embassy on February 24 of the
situation and asked for NAS to authorize the use of a Plan
Colombia aircraft to transport a team of special
investigators from the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor
General's Office ("Fiscalia") to the site. Franco said that
he had heard reports that paramilitaries under the command of
"Don Berna" had recently been active in the region where the
killings took place.
4. (U) On February 25, a government commission, comprised of
members of the Fiscalia, the CTI (the Fiscalia,s Technical
Corps of Investigators),the Inspector General's Office
("Procuraduria"),the 17th Brigade (based in Carepa near
Apartado),the Uraba Police, 100 members of the peace
community, and representatives of FOR (Fellowship of
Reconciliation) and PBI (Peace Brigades International)
arrived to the first massacre site, where five bodies were
uncovered. The second site, which contained the bodies of
Luis Eduardo, his wife and son, was found later that night by
peace community members. Fiscalia representatives and other
members of the commission arrived at the second site on the
morning of February 27, due to weather conditions which
prevented the takeoff of their helicopter on the afternoon of
the 26th.
--------------
Another Site Discovered
--------------
5. (U) On February 28, Embassy received information from
local FOR representative that another grave containing five
bodies had reportedly been found roughly three hours walking
distance outside the peace community. It is believed these
are the bodies of five peasants who had been declared missing
the day before. A commission from the peace community, along
with PBI and FOR representatives, plan to visit this site on
March 1.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Embassy has been in frequent contact with Carlos
Franco and with local representatives of FOR to receive
updates. There is no way of evaluating the different reports
at this time. The authors of the crime are still unknown and
neither the GOC nor international organizations have
implicated any group. The previously-scheduled hearings
regarding the peace community before the Inter-American Court
of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica are still planned for
March 14. Embassy will continue to follow up with all
relevant actors.
WOOD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015
TAGS: PHUM PTER CO
SUBJECT: MASSACRE OF 13 PERSONS IN URABA AREA
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reasons 1.4 (b&d)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) On February 24, Embassy received reports that eight
persons, including three members of the peace community of
Apartado, had been killed, dismembered, and buried in two
separate graves in the Uraba region of Antioquia Department.
The Government of Colombia immediately sent members of the
Fiscalia,s Human Rights Unit to the site as part of a larger
investigative commission. On February 28, another site
containing five bodies was reportedly found. Embassy will
continue to follow up with all relevant actors.
--------------
Eight Bodies Found
--------------
2. (C) On February 21, eight individuals, including Luis
Eduardo Guerra, a leader and member of the internal council
of the so-called "peace community" of San Jose de Apartado,
were killed by unknown assailants near the village of La
Resbalosa (possibly in Cordoba Department),a seven-hour walk
from San Jose, located in the Uraba region of Antioquia
Department. The bodies of the three men, two women, and
three children were found dismembered in two separate mass
graves. The community, through its supporting NGO, the
"Corporacion Juridica Libertad", based in Medellin, has
already denounced the killings to the international community
via the internet. The group has claimed there was an
eyewitness who saw members of the 11th Army Brigade (based in
Cordoba Department) detain these individuals before their
bodies were discovered. Embassy does not have any
information to corroborate this allegation and continues to
investigate.
3. (C) Director of the Presidential Program for Human Rights,
Carlos Franco, told the Embassy on February 24 of the
situation and asked for NAS to authorize the use of a Plan
Colombia aircraft to transport a team of special
investigators from the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor
General's Office ("Fiscalia") to the site. Franco said that
he had heard reports that paramilitaries under the command of
"Don Berna" had recently been active in the region where the
killings took place.
4. (U) On February 25, a government commission, comprised of
members of the Fiscalia, the CTI (the Fiscalia,s Technical
Corps of Investigators),the Inspector General's Office
("Procuraduria"),the 17th Brigade (based in Carepa near
Apartado),the Uraba Police, 100 members of the peace
community, and representatives of FOR (Fellowship of
Reconciliation) and PBI (Peace Brigades International)
arrived to the first massacre site, where five bodies were
uncovered. The second site, which contained the bodies of
Luis Eduardo, his wife and son, was found later that night by
peace community members. Fiscalia representatives and other
members of the commission arrived at the second site on the
morning of February 27, due to weather conditions which
prevented the takeoff of their helicopter on the afternoon of
the 26th.
--------------
Another Site Discovered
--------------
5. (U) On February 28, Embassy received information from
local FOR representative that another grave containing five
bodies had reportedly been found roughly three hours walking
distance outside the peace community. It is believed these
are the bodies of five peasants who had been declared missing
the day before. A commission from the peace community, along
with PBI and FOR representatives, plan to visit this site on
March 1.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Embassy has been in frequent contact with Carlos
Franco and with local representatives of FOR to receive
updates. There is no way of evaluating the different reports
at this time. The authors of the crime are still unknown and
neither the GOC nor international organizations have
implicated any group. The previously-scheduled hearings
regarding the peace community before the Inter-American Court
of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica are still planned for
March 14. Embassy will continue to follow up with all
relevant actors.
WOOD