memorandum of justification concerning human ... - Just the Facts

UNCLASSIFIED
- 54 -
October 14, 2008, the case was assigned the case to the Office‘s Human Rights Unit.
Homicide of Luis Olmedo Guejia Trochez: On August 24, 2008, Luis Olmedo
Guejia Trochez, from the Resguardo Munchique los Tigres (Cauca), was killed by
unknown men.
Displacement of Indigenous and Afro-Colombians in Cauca: On August 22,
2008, UNHCR reported that 800 people were forced to flee the town of Lopez de Micay
(Cauca) due to fighting by illegal armed groups. The majority of the IDPs were
indigenous and Afro-Colombians, and more than half were children.
Threats to Radio “Nuestra Voz Stereo” and Indigenous Leaders: On August
14 and 15, 2008, NGOs report that ―paramilitaries‖ threatened a communications worker
from radio ―Nuestra Voz Stereo,‖ Alfredo Campo from Morales (Cauca), the principal
indigenous leader in the community, Rolando Tálaga, and a second leader Jorge Ordoñez,
placing their lives in serious danger.
Threats to Indigenous Groups: NGOs report that on August 11, 2008, the
National Association of Indigenous Cabildos (ACIN), the Regional Council of the
Indigenous of Cauca (CRIC), the Nasa peoples and others receive electronic death threats
from an organization identifying itself as ―Campesinos Embejucaos del Cauca.‖ The
threat reportedly referred to indigenous persons as excrement.
Homicide of Elder Governor Hugo González: On July 25, 2008, Hugo
González, elder governor of the indigenous Embera Chami Reserve of Mistrato, was
murdered after he was removed from a public bus by three armed, hooded men while
passing through Playa Bonita (Risaralda) at approximately 7:30 pm. NGOs allege he was
killed by an illegal armed group, citing that prior to his death he had publicly alerted the
authorities that he had received a pamphlet containing a death threat. The Prosecutor
General‘s Office has indicted another member of the Embera Chamí community, Arcenio
Álvarez Morales, for his role in the murder. On October 23, 2008, the case was assigned
to the Office‘s Human Rights Unit. Preparatory hearings were held on June 9, 2009.
Abuse of the Naya – Caught in the Middle: NGOs report that at a July 22, 2008,
meeting to discuss the collective land titling issues related to the indigenous communities
of Naya (Valle del Cauca), residents of this community call attention to the fact that their
youth are caught between the armed groups who mistreat and abuse them. The guerillas
force persons to transport them on their boats and to carry packages for them, and
forcibly recruited youth to their ranks. The community claimed that the Colombian
armed forces also mistreat the youth and accuse them of being guerillas and threaten
UNCLASSIFIED