Combats and International Humanitarian Law violations in Guamocó (southern Bolivar) put civilians at risk

9.03.09

by Association of Agro-ecological and Mining Villages of Guamocó (Aheramigua)

On Sunday March 8th, in the village Los Guayacanes, southern Bolivar department, combats between the FARC-EP guerrillas and the National Army left one soldier wounded.

Army troops have camped in this village, also known as Pueblo Gato. At the same time, the guerrillas are still in the area and anti-personnel mines are known to be on nearby trails. The community fears new combats and that these could affect the civilian population.

In the village Cañaveral, part of the same municipality, paramilitary troops have been seen, which has frightened the local community.

Meanwhile, last week two community leaders from the village Villa Flor were killed by the FARC. The guerrilla told the community that they were killed because they were informants for the army.

The Association of Agro-ecological and Mining Villages of Guamocó (Aheramigua) denounces these incidents which harm civilians, violate human rights and infringe on International Humanitarian Law. We denounce that these communities fear the risk of new combats and the threat of a paramilitary attack.

We demand that the National Army not camp in farmers’ homes and that, as a constitutionally mandated institution, Army soldiers wear uniforms to identify them.

We demand that the FARC guerrilla observe the rules of International Humanitarian Norms, which exclude civilians from the confrontation, and that they not put civilians at risk by planting anti-personnel mines.

We call on humanitarian entities with presence in the Magdalena Medio region to carefully follow developments in the southern Bolivar department and to widely denounce the infractions of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights violations.

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