Internally displaced persons

103. On 3 September 2000, Cesar Molina, director of the Corporation para la Education y Autogestion Ciudadana (CEAC), a human rights NGO in Barranquilla, department of Atlantico was reportedly intercepted by two armed men who threatened to kill him if he did not discontinue his work with internally displaced persons and students in the University of Atlantica. The two men also mentioned Luis Felipe Flores, director of another human rights NGO, Fundacion para el Estudio de las Ciencias Sociales (FUNPECIS). The facts of the case suggest that the perpetrators are members of an organized group of contract killers who may have paramilitary links. As a result of the threat, both individuals have been forced to abandon their human rights work in Barranquilla and have been displaced in other cities in Colombia.

104. Armando Achito, an Embera indigenous leader from the municipality of Jurado, department of Choco, was killed on 25 December 2000 by armed men, allegedly members of paramilitary groups, in his own house in Jurado. Mr. Armando Achito had taken part in several procedures claiming land, food and health for those communities. After the massacre of three indigenous persons by alleged paramilitaries, he had been displaced to Jurado on 8 August 1999. Apparently the local authorities had suggested that he move to Bahia Solano, so that he could be provided with the necessary protection. However, this removal did not, reportedly, prevent him being killed.

105. Pedro Varon, teacher and Fiscal of the executive board of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores workers (CUT), department of Tolima, has reportedly been subjected to acts of pursuit and threats against his life, allegedly committed by paramilitaries, which, according to the information received, forced him in April 2001 to flee the region, to give up his union work and to leave his family.

106. Evert Encizo, a teacher and director of the "La Reliquia" school and leader of the displaced people in the settlement of the same name in the town of Villavicencio, was killed

on 19 August 2001 by two strongly armed men who entered his house and shot him. In this incident, two other people, Mrs. Marleny Coronado Gomez, deputy president of the "Junta de Action Comunal" of this settlement, and a child, were reportedly injured.

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107. According to the information received, Marino Cordoba, President of the Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians, (ASFRODES), received threatening phone calls, allegedly from paramilitaries, at the headquarters of the organization in March 2001. ASFRODES deals mainly with the defence of the rights of Afro-Colombians and displaced people. Previously, Mr. Cordoba had reportedly been the victim of attempts on his life in 2000 and had received several death threats since he moved in January 1997 from the department of Choco to Bogota.

Trade unionists

108. In the period January-October 2001, 112 trade unionists were assassinated,

and 65 disappeared/were abducted, a significant increase in repressive action against trade unionists considered as military targets. Moreover, 23 trade unionists were the victims of aggression during the same period. Members of paramilitary groups have been accused of being responsible for most of these violent deaths.

109. Geraldo Gonzalez, Secretary for Agrarian and Indigenous Affairs of the Central Unitaria de Trabaj adores (CUT), also president of the small farmers' trade union in Cundinamarca, was reportedly constantly subjected to threats against his life during 1999 and 2000. For instance, his name was included in a document given to the CUT, which announced a plan of extermination of trade union leaders. His family has also been seriously affected.

110. On 19 September 2000, two unknown armed strangers reportedly fired several shots at Ricardo Herrera, Secretary-General of the trade union SINTRAEMCALI and Omar de Jesus Noguera, a trade union employee, on their arrival at Mr. Herrera's home in the Junin neighbourhood of Cali, Valle de Cauca. Mr. Noguera, who was wounded during the attack, died on 23 September 2000. He had spoken out against corruption and participated as a trade union member in mobilization activities against the privatization of EMCALI. The chairman of SINTRAEMCALI, Mr. Alexander Lopez Amaya, was forced to leave the country in September 2000 after receiving repeated death threats and after being chased by hired assassins.

111. Wilson Borja, president of the National Federation of State Workers (FENALTRASE) and a peace activist, was reportedly the victim of an armed attack on 15 December 2000. It was reported that he had previously lodged a complaint with the Regional Attorney of Bogota concerning the death threats he had been receiving by telephone and in letters. Mr. Borja is also member of the Civil Society Negotiation Commission, whose aim is to help create a free zone in the Bolivar and Antioquia regions in order to begin peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN).

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112. Orlando Ospina Loaiza and Carlos Alberto Florez, vice-president and secretary-general of the Trade Union of Public Service Workers and Employees (SINTRAEMSDES) in Pereira reportedly received a condolence card, on 12 February 2001 sent by the AUC.

113. Jaime Alberto Duque Castro, president of the trade union of workers of Cementos El Cairo (SUTIMAC), was allegedly detained on 24 March 2001 by AUC paramilitaries. He was released without injuries on 5 April 2001.

114. Gustavo Soler Mora, president of the workers of the multinational Drummond company and president of the national Mining and Energy Trade Union (SINTRAMINERGETICA), was found dead on 7 October 2001 in Rincon Hondo, in the municipality of Chiriguana. The day before, he was reportedly forced by armed men to get off the bus in which he was travelling from Valledupar to Chiriguana to get into a minibus.