Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, Bogota 22 January 2003

Contrary to what the civil, military and police authorities have stated to the nation and to the international community regarding peace in Barrancabermeja, this year is beginning with harsh actions committed by paramilitary groups against the civilian population.

Murders and abuses continue with impunity despite the fact that everyone in Barrancabermeja knows what is going on, including the names of the culprits. People whisper about what is happening and the authorities lend a deaf ear.

Facing this very serious situation, VOCES DE MUJERES (Voices of Women) of the Organizacion Femenina Popular denounce the recent increase of selective assassinations used by the paramilitaries as a way to establish a position of power, as well as social, political and military control, and who are now using posters as a means of indicating and branding future victims.

We reject this wave of violence in our city and violence against women, in particular, victims merely because they are mothers, wives, daughters, or girl friends of one of the actors in the war, or because they have taken up the defense of human rights or because they are leaders in the civilian society.

Recent abuses against women

Maria del Carmen Cristancho Sanchez, 40 years of age, merchant, was found dead the night of 21 January 2003 in the neighborhood of Pozo Siete along with a sign that said: "Because she is a collaborator and informer of Front 24 of the FARC".

Diocelina Sanchez Restrepo, 42, vendor of lottery tickets, was taken from her house in the neighborhood of Barranca on 20 January 2003 and found dead in the neighborhood of Las Granjas. According to testimony given by the community, she was killed because she was the sister of two alleged guerillas.

Gloria Munoz Lopez, 46, was killed around 11:00 p.m. on 20 January as she was arriving to her home in the neighborhood of Buena Vista. According to I formation given by members of the community, she was hit by a stray bullet from a weapon carried by a paramilitary named Mario, who was playing with his weapon in a park facing the house of the victim.

THE ORGANIZACION FEMENINA POPULAR continues to denounce the presence of paramilitaries in Barrancabermeja and continues to demand that the civil, police, and military authorities guarantee the life of the civilians, men and women, and fulfill their obligation to investigate, establish responsibility and bring the perpetrators to justice. In addition, we demand that the authorities demonstrate with actions their much vaunted assurance for an environment of peace and security in Barrrancabermeja.

ORGANIZACION FEMENINA POPULAR

Translated from Spanish by Patricia Novak, USA