CPTnet
21 November 2007
COLOMBIA UPDATE: October 2007

In addition to continuing regular accompaniments to the Opon and
Micoahumado in October, the team hosted an international delegation and
participated in several accompaniments of people in mining zones.

Four members of the Campesino Association of the Cimitarra Valley (ACVC),
who were detained in September by the Colombian equivalent of the FBI,
remain in custody. The state can detain them for six months while continuing
its investigation.

In response to local requests, CPT started accompaniments at the
Barrancabermeja port when communities transport large quantities of goods.
Paramilitaries who control the port charge "vaccination" fees to communities
who use the port. Illegal armed groups have long used "vaccinations" as a
way to raise money. Community members refusing to pay are not "protected"
from harm by the armed group.

26 September - 9 October

CPT hosted a delegation from North America with a focus on the impact of the
armed conflict on youth. The delegates visited youth organizations that
resist the conflict through conscientious objection, dance and music. The
delegation learned that the Colombian Army drives around neighborhoods in a
truck, stopping every young man in sight and hauling him into the army base
if he is not carrying a card verifying his military service. In response,
the delegation concluded its time in Barranca with a public action
protesting the forced recruitment of young men. Delegates created a
cardboard Army truck and carried it through the streets, encouraging
onlookers to "say no to recruitment and say yes to life." See 24 October
2007 CPTnet release, "COLOMBIA: No to recruitment for war, yes to
recruitment for life."

1 -4 October

Stewart Vriesinga and Jessica Phillips accompanied residents of the small
towns of Garzal and Nueva Esperanza in southern Bolivar. Over 600 people in
these two communities have been productively using land that they took over
after a cocaine processing plant shut down there in the late 1980s.
According to Colombian law, after ten years living on a property, the
resident can assume legal ownership. The residents of Garzal and Nueva
Esperanza received legal titles but, under pressure from the previous
landowner, the government has revoked the titles.

5-8 October

Nils Dybvig and Joel Klassen accompanied over 100 farmers and small gold
miners representing more than a dozen communities in southern Bolivar
province, who gathered in the rural community of San Pedro Frio to organize
a response to proposed changes in Colombia's mining code. The miners oppose
the proposed mining code, scheduled for debate in the Colombian Congress in
November of this year, because the new code would favor large mining
companies over small-scale mining entrepreneurs.

10 October

Suzanna Collerd, Stewart Vriesinga, Nils Dybvig and Rachel Cloud attended
the Peasant Mobilization in Barrancabermeja. Although organizers planned to
focus on broader issues, the detention of the ACVC members became the focus
of the protest. With hundreds present, both from local organizations and
from rural communities that are part of the ACVC, the protesters proclaimed
their opposition to the arrests. Alvaro, a member of the ACVC who is now
trying to coordinate the organization in the absence of the entire board of
directors, asked through tears that the authorities grant due process to the
arrested leaders and show respect for peasant rights throughout the region.

13-19 October

Rachel Cloud and Stewart Vriesinga traveled to Micoahumado, in the South of
Bolivar. During the accompaniment, they visited area families and
organizations. Many local people were worried about fighting that had taken
place a few weeks prior between a guerilla group and the Army that killed
six guerillas and took place on the farm of a civilian.

15 October -- 4 November

CPTer Julian Gutierrez conducted a speaking tour in western central Colombia
and Bogot�. The tour increased awareness of CPT's work in Colombia and
the issues faced by the communities CPT accompanies and publicized a
delegation for Colombian nationals in December.

19-20 October

Sandra Rincon and Nils Dybvig attended the meeting of the Southern Bolivar
Commission for Dialogue with the Government in Barrancabermeja. This
coalition of community, miner, and church groups gathered to share stories
from throughout the southern Bolivar region and develop strategies to
improve the quality of life there. People from several communities related
stories of aggression by guerilla forces and troops from the Colombian army
and talked about the potential effects of upcoming laws on mining, forestry,
and water. They agreed on an agenda of activities for the coming months

20 October

Joel Klassen and Pierre Shantz attended the monthly community meeting in the
Op�n with the Program of Development and Peace. Among other topics of
safety, the group discussed how to confront the increase in paramilitaries
imposing "vaccinations" at the port. CPT is continuing to talk with the
communities to develop a plan for confronting this illegal activity without
further compromising the safety of the communities.

28 October

CPT observed local elections for governor, mayor and city council at the
request of the Mission of Electoral Observation. Observers from around the
region and the country gathered information to create a report about the
election process.