Colombia: News & Updates

As part of the 2016 Peace Accords, many FARC combatants who agreed to put down their weapons enrolled in the formal reincorporation process, to re-enter society as ex-combatants. Some organized themselves into the National Living Memory Union of People's Security and Protection Workers. As experts in security detail, Living Memory (Memoria Viva) members often contract as security personnel (bodyguards) with government agencies, such as the UNP (National Protection Unit). Recently they have been the subject of stigmatization resulting from false allegations made by UNP during labor contract negotiations.

Diego Mauricio Mejía Rojas, a member of the National Council of the Memoria Viva Union, became the eighth member of Memoria Viva killed since the union was established five years ago when he was shot by two persons riding on a motorcycle in Puerto Asis, Putumayo Department, on April 9. Four days later, there was an attack against another Memoria Viva member, Jhon Jader Ferreyra, in Ibague, Tolima Department.

We are urging that authorities in Colombia: (1) investigate the attacks on these two union members, (2) instruct the UNP to negotiate in good faith and stop making false statements against the union, and (3) fulfill the government’s commitments made in the Peace Accords and work to end violence against Memoria Viva union members and against all signatories of the Peace Accords

We wrote to officials in Colombia expressing deep distress over recent attacks on the staff of CREDHOS (Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights), an organization committed to the defense, promotion, and protection of human rights in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia since 1987. In recent months there has been an increase in threats and harassment to social organizations and human rights defenders in the Magdalena Medio region and in Barrancabermeja, Santander Department, where CREDHOS is based.  

On April 10, a bomb was placed outside the CREDHOS office in Barrancabermeja. One day later, armed civilians shot at CREDHOS staff while they were accompanying an administrative police procedure. Providing international accompaniment to the CREDHOS staff were two members of International Action for Peace (IAP) from Spain, clearly identified with vests as international peace accompaniers. It is our understanding that the National Police captured two of the assailants, charged them, and released them on April 13.

In addition to requesting that the government provide protection measures for CREDHOS staff, we are urging that authorities in Colombia investigate any patterns of victimization towards human rights defenders committed by irregularly armed civilians ostensibly organized in “citizen security fronts.”

Energy generation is highly controversial in Colombia, whether it be from coal, gas, or hydroelectric. The controversy stems from the environmental, economic, and social impacts on local communities surrounding the energy plants. On the Magdalena River in Huila Department (southwest Colombia), artisanal fishers (i.e., small-scale) have been organizing against the El Quimbo hydroelectric project for the past 15 years. In 2008, the government have the energy company the green light to flood over 8,500 acres of land for the construction of the dam and power plant. The flooding displaced farming communities and harmed the local fishing industry.

ASOQUIMBO is the Association of People Affected by the El Quimbo Hydroelectric. Its spokesperson, Alirio Perdomo, is also president of the Association of Calandrero Fishermen of the Magdalena River.  Because of their efforts to have the government recognize the environmental and social impacts of the hydroelectric project, many ASOQUIMBO members have endured serious death threats and harassment, as well as the destruction of small crops on which the communities heavily depend. On March 28 at 5pm, Alirio Perdomo published a video publicly denouncing the levels of fish mortality in the Betania dam and the negative impacts on artisanal fishers due to "controlled discharges" from El Quimbo. Two hours later, while on his way into the city of Hobo, two men on a motorcycle shot at him, hitting his ear in an attempt to murder him.

The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia reported 614 cases of femicide in 2022. In April 2023, social leader Lilia Patricia Cardozo Cipamocha almost became another victim. She was walking through Santander Park in Tunja, Boyacá Department, on April 10 when at attacker threw acid on her, causing injuries to her face and chest. This attack occurred just five days after a man approached her while she was walking home, tried to attack her with a knife, and threatened to kill her.

Patricia Cardozo is the director of the Boyacense Feminist Platform (Plataforma Feminista Boyacense), an organization working to end domestic abuse, gender violence, and discrimination, including rescuing victims from the hands of abusers.  She has been under threat since 2022. 

In addition to urging that authorities investigate the threat (April 5) and attack (April 10), we are calling for ordination between the National Protection Unit (UNP) and the municipal government of Tujna to implement a protection scheme for Lilia Patricia Cardozo Cipamocha, in strict accordance with her wishes.

Valle del Cauca, on the Pacific coast, is a high-conflict zone. Among those most at risk are Indigenous communities, such as the Nasa people who live on reservations around Florida Valle municipality. Communities are subject to repeated attacks, threats, persecution, violation of rights, and the presence of armed actors. All of these circumstances threaten their livelihoods and their very lives.

María Raquel Trujillo Mestizo, the former Nasa Indigenous governor and former sub-secretary for ethnic affairs, was traveling with a protection team of the UNP (National Protection Unit) on March 17, when they were intercepted on the road. A police officer appeared with a group of people who wore camouflage, threatening her team with weapons. The UNP security team surrendered its weapons and exited the UNP vehicle before the aggressors set it on fire. Fortunately, María Raquel Trujillo Mestizo and her team were rescued by the Indigenous guard.

We are urging that authorities in Colombia

-conduct an investigation into the attack on María Raquel Trujillo Mestizo, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice

- implement urgent measures within the framework of the Constitution and guarantee human rights

- ensure that the right to social protest, as articulated in Article 37 of the national Constitution, be upheld during any public mobilizations by the Nasa people to protest the ongoing challenges to their community

We wrote to officials in Colombia about the assassination of José Antonio Santiago Pérez, president of the Community Action Board of Socuavo Norte in the municipality of Tibú, Norte de Santander Department.  On February 4, José Antonio Santiago Pérez had just left a meeting with his community when he was intercepted by armed individuals who killed him in the village of La Serena, five minutes from Tibú.

His life had been threatened on previous occasions. In an assassination attempt on June 11, 2019, he received three bullet wounds, including one in the head. A series of direct threats continued. On December 25, 2021, he and his security team were attacked while traveling on a main road in Socuavó North. He fled to seek refuge in Cúcuta but eventually returned to his homeland of Socuavo Norte.

In addition to conducting an investigation into the assassination of José Antonio Santiago Pérez,  we are urging that authorities in Colombia implement protection measures for social leaders in Norte de Santander Department and investigate any assassination plots against other social leaders in Norte de Santander.