2000 Forcibly Displaced Persons in the Municipal Seat of Puerto Libertador

22.09.11

by ASOCBAC
Translated by IPO

Since September 16th of this year the township Juan Jose in the municipality of Puerto Libertador, Córdoba has been forcibly displaced by glifosato fumigations, as well as by the security forces’ abuse of authority in the “nudo de Paramillo” – Alto San Jorge region.

At this time 2000 people find them themselves forcibly displaced in the municipal seat of Puerto Libertador. The majority of the displaced are women, children, campesinos and indigenous.

The fumigations occurred within the Zenú reserve in Alto San Jorge, and have destroyed the harvest of rice and other food crops. In this area there have been no alternatives created to substitute for the cultivation of illegal crops. Moreover, Captain Alex Cuervo, the commander of the Defensive Action Combined Force (FUCAD) Nudo de Paramillo Mobile Brigade 17, has been denounced for violating human rights and criminalizing the civilian population. In addition to instituting a blockade on food and supplies entering the region, he has also illegally photographed and registered the inhabitants and local leaders. He is also responsible for the demolition, without any official order, of the community’s meeting hall in Juan Jose, as well as the robbery of the community’s books. Additionally, on August 20th he ordered that the president of the local action committee be stripped of his title and then subjected him to psychological harassment. All of these acts are in flagrant violation of the people’s ability to organize, the right to free association, as well as the principle of distinction under International Humanitarian Law.

Yesterday the displaced campesinos and indigenous demonstrated their grievances to the inhabitants of Puerto Libertador in a peaceful march in the town’s streets. Afterwards the spokespeople of the group negotiated with the Mayor of Puerto Libertador and his aides; Acción Social; the Secretary of Córdoba; the Center for the Coordination of Integrated Action (CCAI) of the Nudo de Paramillo; Coronel Páez, the commander of the Córdoba Police; the Anti-narcotic brigade; as well as a score of soldiers from the Mobile Brigades 11, 17, and 25 including their Coronels Moya, Espinel, and San Miguel. Also present were officers from military intelligence who registered and photographed the displaced group’s spokespeople. Conspicuously absent were representatives from the Personería, the Procuraduría, and the Defensoría (the municipal human rights and advocacy offices).

Despite these negotiations the was no progress towards a resolution, the government representatives stating that there were incapable of resolving the situation, as any decision would have to come from the national level. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday the 22 at 9 AM in Puerto Libertador.

As such we ask the national government to respect this negotiation process by granting us the presence of the Departmental Ministry in this meeting, as well as the presence of a delegate of the national government with decision-making capabilities. With those representatives present the displaced population may be able to return to their land in San Jorge. We hope the agreement between the authorities and the civilian population will reflect the rule of law in Colombia.

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