CPTnet
September 27, 2004

COLOMBIA: Letter from communities facing displacement in the Opón region

The following is an English translation of the community release shared with
the public following the assassination of Ancizar Giraldo.

LIFE IS FIRST... ASSASSINATIONS HURT US

Once again the ghost of death reappears in the community of Los Ñeques in
the township of the Ciénaga del Opón in the jurisdiction of
Barrancabermeja. There Ancizar Giraldo, a farmer, father, husband, and
friend, was assassinated. He was a man convinced of the value of life,
liberty and dignity, which caused him to be part of the process of the
Humanitarian Space of the Ciénaga del Opón.

All his dreams were silenced by a group of approximately twenty armed men
wearing garments [meant for the] sole use of the Armed Forces and seemingly
belonging to [a paramilitary faction.]

The assassination of Ancizar is added to other violent acts that have
happened since the community's return on May 31 of 2001. These acts
include forced displacement, armed confrontations, assassinations, and
disappearances. All of these have generated new fear among us, the
inhabitants of the communities of Los Ñeques and La Florida. Since the
presence of the illegal armed groups is frequent, it causes us and our
families to face an uncertain future.

Despite this fear, and strengthened by life, we have made the decision to
not displace since we do not see it as an option of life such as we have
been working toward through the Humanitarian Space. In light of the absence
of the Colombian state, today more than ever we call upon the illegal armed
actors to respect us, as organized civilians, because the
only thing we want is to be rooted to our land in peace.

Considering this we hope for an effective response from the state, taking
the necessary steps looking to see that the illegal armed groups exclude us
from their war. The only ones affected are we ourselves, and once again we
see our fundamental rights, especially the right to life, made more
vulnerable.

COMMUNITIES OF LA FLORIDA AND LOS ÑEQUES OF CIÉNAGA DEL OPÓN

Supported by: Development and Peace Program of the Magdalena Medio,
Christian Peacemaker Teams, Public Defender Ombudsman, Human Rights Workers
Space of Barrancabermeja.