Informe Somos Defensores 2011 (en inglés)

Calle 19 No. 4-88 Oficina 1302 Bogotá D.C. – Colombia.
Tel: (051) 3804380 / www.somosdefensores.org
prensa@somosdefensores.org
2012

The Non-governmental program for the Protection of Human Rights defenders – We are Defenders, is
a protection space that looks to develop an integral proposal to prevent attacks against and protect the
lives of those who run risks for their work as human rights defenders, as well as those who represent
the interests of social groups and communities affected by the violence in Colombia.
The We are Defenders programs is made up of the following organizations:

This document was written by the We are Defenders Program, with collaborations from the MINGA
Association

Design, Layout and Printing
Factoría Gráfica

Editorial and Publication Coordination
Carlos A. Guevara

Investigation
Astrid Suarez
Carlos A. Guevara
Gustavo Adolfo Ulcué

Geographic Referencing
Carlos Alberto Zúñiga

Cover – XXXXXXXXXXX

The contents of this bulletin is of the responsibility of its authors and does not necessarily represent the
organizations and institutions that have supported it. This is a pedagological and cultural documental, and
therefore its distribution is free. It can be photocopied and reproduced as long as the source is always
cited. The printing of this report is possible thanks to resources from the European Union and Diakonia
from Sweden, through the project No. EIDHR/2010/226-579, titled, “Strengthening of the Guarantees
for the Exercise of the Rights to Freedom of Thought, Expression and Peaceful Assembly of Civil Society
Organizations, Human Rights Defenders and the Media in Colombia.”

The We are Defenders Program was financed in 2011 by the Norwegian Embassy, and the International Cooperation
Agencies MISEREOR and FASTENOPHER.

Information System on Attacks against Human Rights Defenders 1

2 CHIAROSCURO: Annual Report 2011

Presentation
2011 was a year of contrasts. At the beginning of the year, the Colom-
bian government created great expectations in the country, especially
in the political, human rights and social sectors, with its tone of concilia-
tion and inclusive political thought. Additionally, towards the end of the
year, a new and robust normative package reorganized the executive to
respond to the challenge of integrally protecting social leaders, human
rights defenders, journalists, unionists, victims and other persons at risk.

But in contrast with these initially positive institutional transformations,
human rights work in Colombia gave signs of being even more perse-
cuted and attacked than in previous years, accompanied by an evident
tendency of leaders and defenders to increasingly denounce attacks.

The push for the political guarantees for the work of human rights de-
fenders, the Victims’ Law, the restitution of land, the Law of Citizen
Security, the dismantling of the DAS and the judicial processes against
those responsible for illegal wiretapping, the discussions about military
jurisdiction, the almost unstoppable advance of the mining locomotive
and the new stigmatizations against social and human rights organiza-
tions by high government officials, all were part of the national scene
which human rights defenders faced in order to make their rights, and
those of their communities, respected.

Added to this of course is the internal armed conflict that has been wor-
sening, due to the military offensive against the insurgency which re-
sulted in the deaths of some of its highest military and political bosses,
accompanied by a paramilitary rearming that is only getting stronger
and in some zones of the country is practically out of control. The go-
vernment continues to qualify this rearming as ‘isolated violence’ from
criminal bands – BACRIM for short in Spanish – associated to drug tra-
fficking.


In short, for human rights defenders 2011 was a contradictory year. The-
refore this annual report for the year 2011 from the Information System
of Aggressions against Human Rights Defenders – ISAAHRD – from the
We are Defenders program, looks to give a complementary look at the
national scene, which will allow different groups inside and outside Co-
lombia to have some elements to evaluate just how true the changes in
our country regarding human rights and their defenders are.

Just as a preview to what this report will divulge, human rights defenders
were the victims of an overwhelming violence in 2011: 49 were assassi-
nated. While in Bogotá norms were discussed and put in place, the re-
gions bleed because of the assassinations, threats, arbitrary detentions,
attacks and disappearances against defenders.

This cruel reality forces us to ask the public, are we doing enough to
protect those who defend our human rights? Where is the prosperity for
human rights defenders in Colombia?

At this moment, we would like to the agencies, organizations and in-
ternational delegations that directly or indirectly support our work in
protection and communication in 2011.

Our most sincere thanks go to the Norwegian Embassy, the German
international cooperation agency MISEREOR, FASTENOPHER, Amnesty
International, Terre des Hommes - Schweiz, Protection Desk Colombia
– PD COL1, the International and National Campaign “For the Right to De-
fend Human Rights in Colombia”, Diakonia Sweden, Oxfam, the human
rights, peace and development platforms in Colombia, MOVICE, DIAL,
the Colombian Commission of Jurists, Benposta Boys’ Nation and espe-
cially the Asociación MINGA.

Lastly, we would like to thank CINEP/PPP and their data base for the te-
chnical assistance that they have given us since the creation of our in-
formation system at We are Defenders, which was extended throughout
all of 2011.

1
This Protection Table in Colombia, created in 2009, is the fruit of an alliance between Social Action and Thinking (Colombia) and Protection
International (Brussels).


CHIAROSCURO:
Politics and the Protection of Hu- recognized the work of human
man Rights Defenders in 2011 rights defenders.

Last year was one of changes, but The passing of the Victims’ law,
not sufficient enough to be able to as well as the public declarations
integrally protect the lives of the from the Ministers of the Interior
men and women who defend hu- and of Agriculture who expressed
man rights in Colombia. their decision to respect and pro-
tect victims who were looking to
Spaces like the National Table of get their land back, represented
Guarantees, where the gover- a different position compared to
nment and representatives of that of the previous national go-
social and human rights organi- vernment. In departments such as
zations have been in discussions Nariño and Santander, the gover-
since 2010 about the physical and nors sent out positive institutional
political security of human rights messages regarding the role of de-
defenders, have advanced but not fenders in society.
at the rhythm desired. Both the
government and civil society or- These public demonstrations led
ganizations have centered their at- one to think that the relationship
tention on the search for political was going down a good road and
guarantees using this table to dis- that real respect, justice, and pro-
cuss critical issues such as preven- tection would go from words to
tion, investigation and protection. reality.

In a preliminary balance on this But the murder of social leader Ana
process carried out in May 2011, Fabricia Córdoba and the attacks
the change of national govern- against more than 100 defenders
ment had had favorable effects as in the first six months of the year
national level government officials arose doubts in the usefulness of
and some regional ones as well had the process.


Therefore in June the dialogue was defenders. While at the same time,
suspended until concrete means to exhaustive investigations based
guarantee the legitimate exercise on testimonies from demobilized
of human rights defense were in fighters and military intelligence,
place. such as those being carried out
against defenders David Rave-
Although in order to reinitiate the lo Crespo from the organization
dialogues the government im- CREDHOS and Winston Gallego
plemented in August 2011 a new Pamplona from the Corporation
strategy (carrying out 14 regional Sumapaz, Carmelo Agamez from
committees to evaluate risks for MOVICE, and Principe Gabriel Gon-
defenders – RCERs - in the parti- zales from the Committee for So-
cipating regions in the National lidarity with Political Prisoners, just
Process of Guarantees, which was to cite a few, continue advancing.
accepted by civil society), in es-
sence the difficulties remained: the These situations, amongst others,
guarantees are still being avoided. are just a few of those that have
Let’s see why: not allowed the Guarantee process
to have the desired results and
- The official declarations after 2011 show that human rights defenders
have been the responsibility of mi- in Colombia continue to be expo-
nister Germán Vargas Lleras who sed to situations of extreme risk.
in the reactivation of the process
of guarantees carried out in Cauca, The statistics in this report are just
and in two RCERs, one in Barran- an example of this dangerous rea-
quilla and another Bogotá, recog- lity.
nized the work of human rights
defenders and social leaders and Wave of Stigmatizations
warned local officials of the res-
ponsibility to protect that corres- Yet again, the reappearance of stig-
ponds to them. We see these kinds matizing statements coming from
of statements very positively. high public officials against natio-
nal and international organizations
- Nevertheless, the process conti- that both defend human rights and
nues to have numerous problems, support the reparation and land
such as the fact that the Public restitution processes for victims,
Prosecutors office has not given strained and made the work of hu-
any response regarding investi- man rights defenders in 2011 more
gations being carried out into the difficult at least on a political level,
aggressions against human rights


Such is the case of the José Al- This perspective has been consoli-
vear Restrepo Lawyers Collective dated with the creation of the new
and the public accusations against Agency for the Judicial Defense of
them for supposedly presenting the Nation.
false victims during the internatio-
nal process against the Colombian The agency will allow the Colom-
State for the massacre of Mapiri- bian state to confront more than
pán, Meta, which was carried out 260,000 judicial processes whose
by paramilitaries with the support economic pretensions total more
from the Army, for which the Sta- than 500 billion USD2.
te was condemned.
It is worth remembering that va-
Another case was the alleged false rious of these lawsuits were filed
displacement of peasants from the by human rights organizations in
Las Pavas farm who currently are representation of the victims of
demanding their land back. grave human rights violations and
violations of International Huma-
In these two cases, the action of nitarian Law.
human rights defenders were dele-
gitimized as they were pointed to Although the State has the right to
as having made ‘businesses’ based protect national finances, it also is
on lies, which then caused a pu- a state responsibility to respond to
blic stigmatization of victims who the failures in terms of protection
were demanding their rights be as a result of its omissions.
respected, because they all were
‘robbing the State of its finances.’ Therefore, the action of this new
agency should be observed by hu-
This situation, which was thought man rights organizations.
to be overcome due to the tone of
the new government, opened the Investigations against the DAS
door for political and armed actors
from the extreme right to consi- In a different vein, in 2011, impor-
der as unviable the government tant investigations were carried
policies such as the Victims’ law out by the Colombian justice sys-
and land restitution, and to give su- tem against ex officials from the
pport to new attacks against social previous government, who were
and human rights organizations. presumably responsible for illegal
wire-tapping carried out by the

2
http://www.semana.com/nacion/nueva-agencia-gobierno-enfrentara-demandas-estado/166803-3.aspx


DAS, and of which various human judicial officials, journalists and
rights defenders were victims. human rights defenders, recent
reports and international visits to
Cases like the sentencing to 25 Colombia show how this form of
years of the former director of the persecution may be continuing:
DAS, Jorge Noguera, for collabo-
ration with paramilitaries and his “Non-governmental organiza-
participation in the murder of pro- tions mention the expedition of a
fessor and human rights defender new intelligence law, Law 263 of
Alfredo Correa de Andreis and also 2011, whose principle content has
the ex secretary of the President’s to do with the mechanisms for the
office, Bernardo Moreno, who is in advancement of the correction,
jail for the investigation being ca- updating and removal of data
rried out against him for his par- process in each one of the inte-
ticipation in illegal wire-taps, are lligence organisms; procedures
both examples of these judicial for the creation and passing of
processes. reports to the organisms that ca-
rry out intelligence and counter-
Additionally another case is that of intelligence activities; the creation
an ex director of the DAS, María del of an commission of assessment
Pilar Hurtado, who is currently in for the depuration of intelligen-
Panamá after being granted asylum ce databases and archives which
and was asked for in extradition by would set the criteria for the put-
the Colombian justice system, so ting in march of a system for the
that she respond to the charges of depuration of intelligence and
grave accessory to criminal activi- counterintelligence databases and
ty, abuse of public position, grave archives.
violation in communications, and
ideological falsehood in a public According to the opinion of the
document, for which she is char- human rights organizations inter-
ged as a coauthor. viewed, this new law has no real
substantial variations compared
Hurtado completes the barrage of to the previous law, but on the
officials investigated for carrying contrary, it has elements that are
out illegal wire-taps under the Uri- even less favorable such as the in-
be government. crease in the time in reserve, the
weakening of the mechanisms of
Nevertheless, despite the investi- control and the limitations on the
gations against those who illegally mechanisms of guarantees.
intercepted communications from


The commission proposed for the ties and that there has been no ad-
depuration of archives is transi- vances in finding and trying those
tory and only can formulate re- responsible.”4
commendations.”3
The political situation for the exer-
In the same vein, it is important to cise of human rights in Colombia
remember the findings of the Inter- can be catalogued as a ‘chiaroscu-
national Mission for the Verification ro,’ difficultly navigating between
of the Situation of Human Rights the institutional attempts at dia-
Defense in Colombia, carried out logue with civil society and cons-
in November 2011 by 40 human tructing a public policy for protec-
rights defenders from 15 countries tion, and a growing stigmatization
all over the world, who stated after that originates from high public
following the case of the wire-taps officials as well as the wave of vio-
pointed out, “The reports that we lence against men and women who
have received consistently, recently daily and almost anonymously risk
and in all of the regions visited their lives to defend their rights
about the robbery of computers and those of their communities.
and other information systems re-
garding cases and work of human The challenge of integral protec-
rights defenders worry us. tion is path filled with obstacles,
and we just hope that the so much
We have learned as well during our promised ‘prosperity’ for the de-
visits to the regions that these ca- fense of human rights in Colombia
ses are systematically labeled as does not continue to arrive too
normal ‘robbery’ by the authori- late.

3
Human Rights Defenders in Colombia: How is the Government protecting their rights? International Service For Human Rigths. http://www.
ishr.ch/council/376-council/1244-ishr-launches-report-on-human-rights-defenders-in-colombia
4
Informe Preliminar - Misión Internacional de Verificación sobre la Situación de la Defensa de los DH en Colombia. Campaña Nacional e Interna-
cional “Por el derecho a defender los derechos humanos en Colombia” http://www.colombiadefensores.org/noticias/item.asp?n=14256


New Normative
View of Protection
in Colombia
As was mentioned earlier in this and territorial level to promote the
annual report, 2011 was a year of respect and guarantee of human
changes, especially in the norms, rights and the application of Inter-
decrees and laws that control the national Humanitarian Law.
way in which the Colombian go-
vernment protects social leaders, Additionally, the government
human rights defenders, unionists, created the National Unit of Pro-
journalists and other persons in tection – UNP in Spanish – through
risk of attacks due to their work the decree 4065 of 2011.
for peace, human rights and their
sacred constitutional rights. This is a special administrative unit
on the national level whose objec-
Last year the national government tive is “to articulate, coordinate
under responsibility of the Mi- and execute the service of protec-
nister of the Interior created and tion to those whom the national
organized the National System of government determines by virtue
Human Rights and International of their activities, conditions or
Humanitarian Law, and modified political, public, social, humanita-
the Inter-sector Commission of rian, cultural, ethnic, gender, as
Human Rights and International victim of violence, displaced or
Humanitarian Law through Decree human rights defender status is in
4100 of 2011. a situation of extraordinary or ex-
treme risk of suffering an attack
With this decree the government against their life, integrity, liberty
procured the articulation of gui- and/or personal security or due to
delines on measures for the pre- the exercise of a public position or
vention, attention, assistance and other activities that can generate
integral reparation of the victims extraordinary risk, such as being a
of the internal armed conflict, and union leader, working for an NGO,
also looks to coordinate the norms, or with or for displaced persons,
policies and entities on a national and to guarantee the opportuni-


ty, efficiency and suitability of the - It has five basic parts: Strategies,
measures granted.”5 Measures, Responsibilities, Proce-
dures and Commitments.
The programs of the Public Pro-
secutors Office, the Attorney - The UNP assumes protective res-
General’s Office and the Program ponsibilities that were once under
of Protection for Victims and Wit- jurisdiction of the now dismantled
nesses of the Justice and Peace Law DAS, but will also receive at least
are not included from the field of 600 ex DAS officials, which is wo-
application of the UNP. rrying due to the well-known his-
tories of these officials.
With the UNP created, and through
the decree 4912 of 2011, the “Pre- - The decree fuses the mechanisms
vention and Protection of the of protection for public officials
rights to life, liberty, integrated and other groups in possible risk,
and security of persons, groups under the tutelage of the UNP.
and communities of the Ministry
of the Interior and the National - The decree establishes two kinds
Protection Unit” Program was or- of measures: prevention and pro-
ganized. tection, depending on the level of
risk, and includes preventive and
This new decree abolished its protective actions for communi-
predecessors (1740 and 3375 of ties in risk as well.
2010), which determined the mea-
sures of protection for persons in The preventive measures inclu-
risk. With decree 4912, the UNP, de the elaboration of contingency
ascribed to the Ministry of the In- plans, self-protection courses, pa-
terior, will be in charge of carrying trols, and police magazines.
out the risk evaluations that only
the National Police previously did. The protective measures include
This job will be in the hands of the protection plans with bodyguards,
Risk Evaluation and Measures Re- physical resources such as bulle-
commendations Committee – RE- tproof vests, mobilization me-
MRC - supported by a Preliminary thods and support for temporary
Valuation Group. relocations.

In general, we can highlight from - Clearer and more direct respon-
Decree 4912 of 2011 the following: sibilities are established for local
and regional authorities in terms
5
Minister of the Interior. Decree 4065 of 2011


of protection. The creation of de- se cases. It also must monitor the
partmental protection units that measures implemented.
look to contribute to the decen-
tralization of the effective respon- These functions were previously
se from the State in terms of pro- part of the protection team of the
tection. Ministry of the Interior’s Human
Rights Office.
- The decree allows for the possi-
bility of hiring private companies - Psychological assistance will be
at the same time that public ser- provided when the persons who
vices are received, but that these need protection required it.
companies must operate within
the schematics that will be laid out - In the risk evaluation, reports by
under the Ministry of the Interior, social and human rights organiza-
even though in reality they were tions will be taken into account as
just transferred from the old DAS. supports to assess risk.

- The decree creates a protection - The risk evaluation reports will
sub-direction in charge of execu- be presented to the REMRC for the
ting the protective measures in co- adoption of the protective measu-
ordination with the National Police. res.

This means that the agreements For now the REMRC is maintained
with private companies to have as well as the representation of the
mobile bodyguards are over. Star- beneficiary organizations.
ting January 1, 2012 a group of bo-
dyguards connected directly to the Other Norms
UNP will be in charge of this pro-
tective work Although it was not put into place
in 2011, it is important to highlight
- New functions to analyze the risk Directive 12 from the Public Prose-
not only to persons but to com- cutors Office, whose objective is to
munities, organizations, groups establish directives for public offi-
and territories are assigned to the cials with the goal that in the exer-
UNP. cise of their functions, they gua-
rantee the right of human rights
The Unit will have to support pre- defenders to carry out their work.
ventive actions that the Ministry
of the Interior carries out as well On the other hand, the Ministry
as other competent entities in the- of Agriculture and Rural Develo-


pment, under the Victims’ Law committed to finding the truth, as
(Law 1448 of 2011), issued the well as more objective, impartial
Ministerial Directive 01 of 2011, and respectful of due process, wi-
through which the Ministry esta- thout stigmatizing the work of hu-
blished guidelines for the cases of man rights defenders.
those demanding their land be re-
turned to them who are at risk and At a first glance, looking at the large
threatened due to the exponential normative package created by the
increase of murders and threats Colombian government regarding
against leaders demanding their protection, one would think that
lands be returned to them. the situation of aggression against
human rights defenders would be
Finally, the National Public decreasing, or that the work of
Prosecutor’s Direction emitted protection by the State would be
Memo No. 30 of 2011, with which much stronger, which would be
the Direction determines the ‘in- reflected in lives saved, and threats
vestigative strategies in the cases against and the uprooting of hu-
carried out against human rights man rights defenders avoided.
defenders.” The document looks
to create better practices with re- Nevertheless, the reality in the re-
gards to judicial operations in order gions outside of Bogotá is exactly
that the investigations are more the opposite.


Annual Report 2011
Information System on Attacks against
Human Rights Defenders – ISAAHRD

According to the registry of the of aggressions as well as 116 social
Information System on Attacks and human rights organizations
against Human Rights Defenders were victims of some type of ag-
– ISAAHRD – from the non-gover- gression that put the lives of their
nmental program for the defense members in risk and created obs-
of human rights defenders We are tacles to their legitimate and legal
Defenders,6 during 2011, 239 hu- work of defending human rights in
man rights defenders were victims Colombia.

6
This System registers information directly known of by the We are Defenders Program and uses as a direct source the social organizations
and NGOs that report cases to the program.


INDIVIDUAL
AGGRESSIONS
The We are Defenders program has When we refer to the statistics of
registered with extreme worry an aggression per month, we see that
increase of 36% in individual attacks the highest number of cases registe-
against human rights defenders red occurred in February 2011 with
compared to 2010. Between January 54 cases, or 23% and in March with
and December 2010, the Informa- 32 cases, for a total of 13%. Novem-
tion System reported 174 defenders ber is next with 24 cases (10%), June
attacked; in the same period in 2011, and July with 22 each (9%) and Dec-
there were 239 cases. ember with 21 cases for 8%.


It is just in this context of increa- Colombia in November to witness
sing attacks against human rights in the field the conditions of defen-
defenders and social leaders that ding human rights in eight regions
the groups involved in the human in the country.
rights, peace and democracy pla-
tforms decided to suspend in the This international verification mis-
National Table of Guarantees in sion was composed of 40 defen-
June because it did not make sen- ders from 15 countries, amongst
se that even though there were them representatives, jurists and
permanent dialogues between ci- human rights activists, all invited
vil society, national government by the National and International
and international accompaniment Campaign for the Right to Defend
groups, the situation continued to Human Rights in Colombia, with
get worse. the intention of monitoring the
report from the special delegate
“Defenders, indigenous and vic- on the situation of human rights
tims leaders, and those who defenders of the UN.
lead processes of land restitu-
tion were those most attacked in The mission, after dozens of inter-
2011.” views with leaders, defenders, and
local, regional and national autho-
International organizations like rities concluded in its preliminary
Washington Office on Latin Ameri- report8:
ca (WOLA), Latin America Working
Group, Center for Justice and In- - The attacks against defenders
ternational Law, Center for Inter- continue to remain in impunity.
national Policy in the United States
y Amnesty International in Europe - The protection that leaders and
have stated that the threats, assas- defenders receive is inadequate.
sinations and attacks continue in
Colombia against those who de- - The stigmatizations continue
fend human rights.7 against those who defend human
rights.
In the second half of the year, and
as a result of the critical situation - There is evidence that state inte-
during the first half of the year, an lligence organisms continue to be
international commission visited used against defenders.

7
http://www.wola.org/es/noticias/defensores_colombianos_de_derechos_humanos_siguen_sufriendo_amenazas_ataques_acoso_y_es-
cuch
http://www.es.amnesty.org/actua/acciones/colombia-defensores-amenaza-muerte/
8
http://www.colombiadefensores.org/noticias/item.asp?n=14256


- The legal persecution of defenders as well as the annual reports by
is a mechanism that continues to be Front Line Defenders10 and Human
implemented to mitigate their work. Rights Watch.11

Many of these findings were con- With regards to attacks by gender,
firmed as well by the report pu- of the 237 attacks in 2011, 77%
blished by the International Service were against men and 23% against
for Human Rights in January 20129 women.

When looking at the historic trends The information registered in
of the statistics of attacks registe-2011 shows seven types of attacks
red by the ISAAHRD, we can see against defenders in Colombia:
that in the last three years, the assassination, threats, physical
attacks reported are more than in attacks, arbitrary detentions, for-
the 2002 – 2008 period. ces disappearances, the arbitrary
use of the legal system and inju-
This increase, under analysis by ries.
the We are Defenders Program,
may be attributed to a better pos- Of the attacks registered in 2011,
sibilities of denunciation by social 59% were threats, 20% assassi-
and human rights organizations, as nations, 10% arbitrary detentions,
well as the gradual consolidation of 7% physical attacks, 3% forced
information that in previous years disappearances, and 1% for both
was very difficult to obtain due to other injuries and the arbitrary use
the high levels of violence and the of the legal system.
fear that leaders and defenders
from the regions suffered, which Compared to 2010, the program
lead to a fear of denunciations due points to the cases of extreme
to reprisals. worry that the increase of threats
(109 to 140), assassinations (32 to

9
http://www.ishr.ch/council/376-council/1244-ishr-launches-report-on-human-rights-defenders-in-colombia
10
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/es
11
http://www.hrw.org/es/world-report-2012/colombia


49), arbitrary detentions (11 to 23) “On average in 2011, a human
and the reappearance of forced di- rights defender was attacked
sappearances represent. every 36 hours in Colombia”


Assassination of human rights de- crossed the limit. According to the
fenders ISAAHRD, 49 social leaders and hu-
man rights defenders were assas-
Despite that in the last few years, sinated. Their names, as a recogni-
the murder of human rights de- tion of their work and so they may
fenders has not stopped, 2011 was not be forgotten and so that justice
the year in which the statistics be applied, continue:

Department Municipality Victimg Organization Type of Defender Presumed
Responsible

Antioquia Itaguí RICARDO ALBERTO SIERRA Defensoría del Pueblo Land restitution Unknown
leader
Antioquia Medellín CARLOS ANDRES VALENCIA Estudiantes Universidad Student Leader Unknown
de Antioquia
Antioquia Medellín DAVID DE JESÚS GOEZ Asociación de Víctimas Land restitution Unknown
RODRÍGUEZ ASOVIRESTIBI leader
Antioquia Carmen de WILLIAM ANDRES ALVARES Junta de acción comunal Community Leader Unknown
Viboral OROZCO de la Vereda la cristalina
Antioquia Zaragoza LUÍS HERNÁNDEZ TORRES Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
Indígenas Senú
Antioquia Zaragoza JORGE MEJÍA ESTRADA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
Indígenas Senú
Antioquia Zaragoza STIVEN ALBERTO MEJÍA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
BEDOYA Indígenas Senú
Antioquia Zaragoza JUAN CAMILO MEJÍA BEDOYA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
Indígenas Senú
Antioquia Zaragoza LEXTER ENRIQUE GRACIANO Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
PÉREZ Indígenas Senú
Antioquia Medellín ANA FABRICIA CORDOBA Asociación de Líderes Victims Leader Unknown
Hacia Adelante Por Un
Tejido Humano de Paz
(LATEPAZ)
Antioquia Urrao FERNANDO TEQUIA Cabildo Indígena Katio - Indigenous Leader Unknown
Resguardo La cristalina
Antioquia Carepa Jairo Antonio Varela Organización Nacional Land Restitution Unknown
Arboleda de Población Despla- Leader
zada Desarraigada
Independientes (Opddi)
y representante legal de
la Organización Regio-
nal Córdoba y el Urabá
(Cordeu)
Antioquia Vigía del John Dobiana Mechene Organización Indígena de Indigenous Leader FARC
Fuerte Antioquia
Antioquia Vigía del Fabio Domicó Organización Indígena de Indigenous Leader FARC
Fuerte Antioquia
Antioquia Taraza Fredy Jiménez ASOCBAC Community Leader Paramilitaries
Antioquia Urrao Brocardo Antonio Sala- Vereda Orobugo Medio Community Leader FARC
zar Gaviria
Antioquia Segovia Dora LilianDora Liliana SINTRAOFAN Union Leader Unknown
Ochoa Serna
Bolívar Turbaco Keila Esther Berrio Liga de Mujeres Despla- Womens’ Leader Others
Almanza zadas
Caldas Marmato José Reinel Restrepo JHS. Parroquia de Marmato Religious Leader Unknown
Cauca Santander de EFRAIN VELASCO VALENCIA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Unknown
Quilichao Indígena del Norte del
Cauca ACIN
Cauca Tacueyo EDGAR FABIÁN SILVA IPIA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Public Forces
Indígena del Norte del
Cauca ACIN
Cauca Tacueyo MANUEL IPIA Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Public Forces
Indígena del Norte del
Cauca ACIN


Cauca Cajibío SILVESTRE IPIA Movimiento Campesino Peasant Leader Unknown
de Cajibio
Cauca Santander de Luis Ever Casamachin Pueblo Indígena Nasa Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries
Quilichao Yule
Cauca Guapi Jose Maria Cadena Consejo Comunitario Afro-Colombian Paramilitaries
Guapi Bajo Leader
Cauca El Tambo Luis Eduardo Garcia Confederación Agrosolida- Community Leader Unknown
Solarte ria and Casa de la Juventud
del Tambo, Cauca
Cauca Jambaló Rubén Darío Taquinaz Pueblo Indígena Nasa Indigenous Leader FARC

Cauca Santa Rosa Dagoberto Montilla Junta de Acción Comunal Community Leader Unknown
vereda san José los azules
Chocó Carmen del JOSÉ FRANCISCO VALDIRI Territorio Colectivo de Peasant Leader Paramilitaries
Darien Curvaradó
Córdoba Montelibano Nelida del Carmen Fuen- Pueblo Indígena Zenú Indigenous Leader Los Urabeños
tes Hernandez
Córdoba Monteria Luis Diaz Villa SINTRAUNICOL Union Leader Unknown

Córdoba Tierralta Neburubi Chamarra Pueblo Indígena Embera Indigenous Leader Unknown
Córdoba Planeta Rica José Gaspar AFROVIDES Indigenous Leader Unknown
Córdoba Ayapel HErnán LopERNÁN LÓPEZ Asociación de Minero de Union Leader Unknown
RIVERA Ayapel Córdoba
Córdoba Ayapel MARTHA GAIBAO Asociación de Despla- Victims Leader Unknown
zados de la Apartada
ASODESLAP
Distrito Bogotá PEDRO MARTÍNEZ ARÉVALO Junta de Acción Comunal Community Leader Unknown
Capital de Rincón el Valle
Nariño Barbacoas Bolivar Guanga UNIPA Indigenous Leader Paramilitaries

Nariño Pasto John Edison Ramírez Fundación de Género LGBT Leader Unknown
Salazar Trans del Sur
Norte de Villa del Carlos Adrian Gallego CONAP Nororiente Victims Leader Unknown
Santander rosario
Putumayo San Miguel LUZ MERY ROA ROA Junta de acción comunal Community Leader Paramilitaries
de la Vereda Dios Peña
Putumayo Mocoa Alexa Gómez Polania Alianza de Mujeres del Victims’ Leader Unknown
Putumayo - Tejedoras
de vida
Putumayo Mocoa Eladio Yascual Imbaquín Asociación Nacional de Peasant Leader Unknown
Usuarios Campesinos-
ANUC y Coordinador de
la MOE
Sucre San Onofre ANTONIO MENDOZA MO- Asociación de Desplaza- Land Restitution Unknown
RALES dos de San Onofre y Los Leader
Montes de María
Tolima Chaparral HÉCTOR OROZCO Asociación de Trabajado- Peasant Leader Unknown
res Campesina del Tolima
– ASTRACATOL
Tolima Chaparral GILDARDO GARCÍA Asociación de Trabajado- Peasant Leader Unknown
res Campesina del Tolima
– ASTRACATOL
Valle del B/ventura HUGO ULCUÉ Asociación de Cabildos Indigenous Leader Unknown
Cauca Indígena del Norte del
Cauca ACIN
Valle del Florida Marco Antonio Casama- Pueblo Indígena Nasa Indigenous FARC
Cauca chin Guinas


Of the 49 assassinations, 86% were where 16 murders were reported.
men (42 victims) and 14% were It must be remembered that the
women (seven victims). two areas mentioned (Antioquia/
Córdoba and the southwest) are
Antioquia was the department zones in which there have been in-
most affected by the murder of credibly high levels of armed con-
defenders with 17 leaders assassi- frontation, presence of legal and
nated. Next were Cauca with nine; illegal armed actors, illegal econo-
Córdoba with six; Putumayo with mies, and national and internatio-
three; Nariño, Risaralda, Tolima, nal interests due to the exploita-
Sucre, and the Valle del Cauca with tion of natural resources.
two; and Chocó, Bolívar, Bogotá,
and Norte de Santander with one. The defenders of human rights
and social leaders are the ones
There are clearly some de- who bravely confront this hostile
partments and zones in the coun- context while trying to defender
try that definitely need a punctual themselves as well as the rights of
review. their communities.

Such is the case of Antioquia Looking at the presumed respon-
and Córdoba, as these two de- sible parties for the deaths of the-
partments alone – which are geo- se 47 defenders, there was a large
graphic neighbors – account for 23 increase in the participation of pa-
murders. ramilitary groups compared to the
cases reported in 2010, as well as
Particularly we would like to po- an increase in the participation of
int out Córdoba where only six unknown actors:
attacks were reported in 2011, but
all of them were murders. To close this section of the report,
we would like to point out the se-
Another zone worth pointing out verity of the fact that there was
is southwest Colombia, including such a high number of defenders
the departments of Valle del Cau- murdered in 2011, amongst those
ca, Cauca, Nariño and Putumayo, the 19 indigenous victims, followed


by peasant, community, victims’ registered 10 threats each, and in
and land restitution leaders and Meta nine were registered.
defenders which add up to a total
of 21 victims according to the in-
Threatening pamphlets, telephone
formation received at the We are calls, text messages and e-mails
Defenders program. were the most common ways
that the legitimate and legal work
“On average during 2011, a human of human rights defenders was
rights defender was assassinated threatened in 2011 according to the
every eight days in Colombia.” ISAAHRD.

Individual Threats Forced Disappearance

The Black Eagles (Las Águilas Ne- In 2011, forced disappearances
gras), Los Rastrojos, Los Urabeños, against human rights defenders
Los Paisas, and United Self-defense reappeared.
Forces of Colombia, among others
threatened 101 leaders and defen- Six defenders were disappeared
ders in Colombia in 2011. and until now there is no informa-
tion about their whereabouts or
Also, 26 threats from unknown lives:
parties and 13 presumed to be
from the National Army were re- - SANDRA VIVIANA CUELLAR
gistered by the ISAAHRD. GALLEGO, 26, is an environmen-
tal rights defender disappeared
It is important to point out that, Thursday February 17, in the city
defenders and leaders belonging of Cali.
to victims’ organizations, displaced
communities and land restitution - ANA JULIA RENTERIA and MI-
organizations were those most GUEL SANTOS RENTERIA CAI-
threatened in 2011. CEDO a married couple and com-
munity leaders in the Community
Our information system identified Council of the Delta of the Cajam-
the Bogotá capital district as the bre River disappeared Wednesday
city where the highest number of March 2, 2011, in the village of
threats against human rights de- Guayabal on the Cajambre River in
fenders was registered with a total Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca.
of 32, followed the Valle del Cauca
with 21 threats, Caquetá with 16. - JHON FREDY GARCÍA (17), RO-
Atlántico, Risaralda and Sucre all BINSON TAICUS (14) and FABIO


TAICUS (15) in the morning of the use of the legal system against
16th of September took off on defenders in which baseless pro-
foot to the Indigenous Territory of cesses and judicial cases are crea-
Pulgande Tronquería Palicito, and ted such as in the case of Príncipe
when at the high point near the San Gabriel González Arango, a well-
Juan Bautista sector by the Nambí known human rights defender in
River in Nariño were detained by northeast Colombia who was de-
FARC members. tained by the SIJIN and National
Police in August 2011 in Pamplona,
These young disappeared leaders Santander and sent to jail.
had been participating in the training
process for indigenous leadership This defender in 2009 received
for political and community streng- the Human Rights First prize in the
thening that UNIPA is carrying out United States for his work in ex-
with support from UNICEF. posing the degrading treatment of
political prisoners.
Arbitrary Detentions and the Arbi-
trary Use of the Legal System Príncipe Gabriel was detained and
sent to trial in 2066, accused of
It is important to highlight the in- belonging to the FARC, up against
crease in the acts of arbitrary de- charges that intended to show that
tention against human rights de- his work as a human rights defen-
fenders that the We are Defenders der was his job for the guerrilla.
program registered in 2011.
Nevertheless, after 19 months of
From the 11 cases registered in detention he was released when
2010, the total jumped to 23 in 2011. the 8th Circuit Judge in Bucara-
manga confirmed his innocence
Additionally, this form of aggres- and exonerated him of all charges.
sion is the first step in the arbitrary


Presumed
Responsible
Party

With regards to those responsible Members of the State Public For-
for carrying out the 239 attacks ces (Police, Army, SIJIN, Prosecu-
documented here, the ISAAHRD tors, etc.) appear in the registry
registered paramilitaries as au- of 17% of the cases while the gue-
thors in 50% of the cases, while in rrilla was responsible for 4% of
29% of the cases the author was the cases.
unknown.


Compared to 2010, we must point be seen in the number of cases
out the decrease in the percentage registered. In the eyes of the We
of those cases in which the respon-are Defenders program, social and
sible party was unknown, which we human rights organizations as well
had identified in the statistics from
as their members have confronted
2010 as negative. the situations of risk with more
bravery and strength, denouncing
This decrease may be understood these attacks to the authorities and
as a higher intent by defenders to public opinion.
denounce attacks, which also can


Zones of
Attack
The map of attacks against human threats, as we previously pointed
rights defenders and social leaders out.
in Colombia is transforming.
Bogota is the city where the hig-
Situations like those of Antioquia, hest concentration of headquar-
Valle del Cauca, Sucre, Atlántico, Ri- ters of social organizations and
saralda and Caquetá draw attention human rights organizations wor-
in that in 2010, these departments king at national level and hence the
did not report such a high number threats uttered to them are recor-
of aggressions and shows an im- ded in the Capital.
portant increase in violence against
leaders and defenders. Also the decrease in Santander is
important. On the other hand, it is
Also it must be pointed out that worth observing how the levels of
in cities like Bogotá, attacks de- constant attacks against defenders
creased from 21 cases in 2010 to in 2010 were maintained in 2011 in
35 in 2011, the large majority being places like Cauca and Meta.


The map of attacks against human rights defenders and
social leaders in Colombia


Collective
Attacks
Within this category, the ISAAGRD rights organizations were Arauca,
identified 116 social and human Atlántico, Bolívar, Caldas, Meta,
rights organizations as victims of Nariño, Norte de Santander, Risa-
some type of attacks that put the ralda and Tolima.
lives and integrity of their mem-
bers at risk as well as created obs- It should be highlighted that the-
tacles for their legitimate and legal re was a decrease in aggressions
human rights work and defender against organizations as a whole,
during 2011. dropping from 168 attacks in 2010
to 116 in 2011.
Bogotá is the city that registered
the highest number of social and According to the analysis by the
human rights organizations attac- We are Defenders program, this
ked with a total of 27 cases, fo- should be viewed with caution sin-
llowed by Cauca with 21 cases. ce the individual aggressions, ma-
nifested in murders for example,
Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Caquetá and shot up in 2011. We conclude wo-
Antioquia registered 10 cases each. rryingly that those who attack hu-
man rights defenders in Colombia
Other departments that registered moved from the realm of threats
attacks against social and human to that of action.


General
Conclusions
To conclude starting with the analy- the same period leads us to conclude
sis of the statistics from the Infor- that there exists a significant chan-
mation System on Attacks against ge in those targeted in the attacks,
Human Rights Defenders – ISAAHRD which makes these attacks much
– from 2011, we in the program We more specific and less public.
are Defenders conclude that:
- The fact that 50% of the cases re-
- There was an important increase ported were presumably carried out
of 36% in individual attacks against by paramilitary groups is an indica-
defenders compared with 2010. tor that these continue to act wi-
thout any control.
- On average, a human rights de-
fender was assassinated every eight The threat of paramilitary groups
days in Colombia in 2011. for human rights defenders and so-
cial leaders increased significantly in
- The 49 social leaders and human 2011.
rights defenders assassinated in 2011
put into question the Protection - After a revision of the cases, we
System of the National Government were able to determine that there
and are an indicator that despite the was a notable intention by the orga-
change in political tone from the nizations to denounce violent acts,
national government and the new even in complicated areas such as
norms for protection, human rights Antioquia, Cauca and Córdoba. Part
defenders and social leaders con- of the increase in the statistics can be
tinue to be exposed to will of their attributed to this.
attackers.
- An increase in attacks against so-
- The decrease in the number of cial and human rights leaders and
attacks against human rights organi- organizations as well as displaced
zations between 2010 and 2011, and persons organizations and leaders
the increase in individual attacks in was evident in the context of the


land restitution process, truth, justi- under the guise of the now-dis-
ce and reparation, land defense and mantled Administrative Security
victims- and indigenous-related ac- Department – DAS in Spanish.
tivities.
This situation is worrying as many
- We would like to call attention to of the former DAS officials passed to
the terrible situation that indigenous this new government agency UNP
defenders suffered in 2011, as we re- and there does not exist any cer-
gistered the murder of 19 of them. tainty as to whether these officials
participated in illegal wire-tapping
- The statistics show the existing actions or espionage against human
distance between the reality of the rights defenders.
regions in Colombia and the effecti-
veness of the recent preventive and - The We are Defenders program
protective policies formulated by also is making a special call for at-
the authorities. tention to the new stigmatizations
occurring towards the end of 2011
We at the We are Defenders program against social organizations and hu-
note that the protection provided by man rights defenders which repre-
the State still is incipient despite the sent or support victims taking part
normative advances. in reparation of land restitution pro-
cesses.
- We are also calling on the National
Public Prosecutors Office so that it These new stigmatizations have
reveal what investigations related come from high government offi-
to attacks against social leaders and cials who work under the responsi-
human rights defenders it has ca- bility of the President.
rried out, as has been demanded in
the Human Rights, Peace and Deve- We should remember that these
lopment Platforms as parte of the type of statements can be interpre-
National Table of Guarantees. ted by armed actors (both legal and
illegal) as an order to attack human
- The UNP assumed protection res- rights defenders and leaders in the
ponsibilities that were previously country.


Informe Somos Defensores 2011 (en inglés)

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Informe Somos Defensores 2011 (en inglés)