CPTnet
May 16, 2002
COLOMBIA UPDATE: April 16-30, 2002

Tuesday, April 16
Keith Young and Stewart Vriesinga accompanied a sick woman from the Valle
Cimitarra to Barranca. Many sick people avoid seeking medical attention in
Barranca due to the harassment and assaults inflicted by AUC
paramilitaries at checkpoints. The accompaniment went without incident,
although the vehicle was briefly stopped at a military checkpoint outside
of Yondo and at a guerilla checkpoint about one and a half hours from Yondo.

Young and Vriesinga's trip out to the Valle Cimitarra was delayed by two
hours because the AUC had required the driver, along with all other
professional drivers of pickups, taxis and trucks attend a meeting in El
Tigre. CPT's driver (and later another driver) told CPT that paramilitaries
had instructed
those in attendance not to transport goods purchased in Barranca. The AUC
said that they would allow drivers to transport only goods purchased in
Yondo, an AUC-controlled town.

Wednesday, April 17
Lena Siegers and Pierre Shantz visited people on the lake, Cienaga del
Op