CPTnet
February 2, 2002
COLOMBIA: Navy and paramilitaries seen in the Opon River

The Navy and Paramilitaries seen in the Opon River

On January 18, 2002 at approximately 9:30 a.m., CPT members Carol Rose,
Matt Schaaf and Lena Siegers noted the presence of two Colombian Navy
gunboats in the township of the Cienaga del Opon, about twenty km south of
the city of Barrancabermeja. The first vessel carried a person in civilian
dress, who was no longer visible when the gunboats traveled back down river.

The CPT members followed the vessels down the river. When they docked,
Lieutenant Garzon and sixteen soldiers informed CPT that they had been sent
to investigate a confrontation that had taken place at that location on
January 15, 2002. While CPT was present a canoe came up river carrying
three men in civilian dress with cell phones. Two of these men are known by
CPT to be members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC is the
Spanish acronym for this illegal paramilitary group).

The paramilitary members offered the soldier a glass of water. Their canoe
continued approximately 200 metres up the Colorada River before turning
around and going further downstream. The CPT members held a time of prayer
for peace during which they prayed that all would withdraw from the armed
struggle and look for nonviolent methods of resolving conflict.

The CPT members then traveled down river to the mouth of the Rasquina
channel where the AUC canoe was docked at the home of some local citizens.
Twenty minutes later the three Navy gunboats traveled downriver and out of
the area. Moments later the paramilitary members traveled back up river,
this time with their guns pointed forward and toward the river banks.

On January 24, 2002, CPT members Rose, Schaaf j, Robert Holmes, Lisa
Martens, William Payne and Jim met with Major Agustin Rodriguez, the
commanding officer of the Navy in the Barrancabermeja area and Lieutenant
Garzon.

In an attempt to deny the cooperation between the Colombian navy and the
AUC, Lieutenant Garzon said that the person in civilian clothes seen on
the naval boat was acting as a guide for the Navy. He added that the
civilian was given a military shirt on the return trip in order to hide his
identity from any illegal armed groups that might be in the area. The
lieutenant also said that the Navy personnel had looked over the canoe
containing the three men and had not seen any weapons.

  CPT was invited to provide a presence in the Cienaga del Opon community
by civilians who are fed up with the war. These people have clearly stated
that they do not want any armed presence in their communities.

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