Remember the victims of para-militarism, para-politics and the crimes of the State

Around 4 million people have been displaced in Colombia , mostly by extreme right wing paramilitary groups. These groups, working either on their own or in coordination with the armed forces, have ‘disappeared’ at least 15,000 people. The corpses of 3,000 of these victims have been found in common graves, others were just thrown into the rivers.

More than 1,700 indigenous people have been assassinated, as have been 2,550 trade unionists, and around 5,000 members of the Unión Patriótica. Regularly, the paramilitaries torture the victims before killing them. The paramilitaries have carried out 3,500 massacres (where five or more victims are murdered) between 1982 and 2005. They have robbed more than six million hectares of land.

Since 2002 and their supposed ‘demobilisation’, the paramilitaries continue to assassinate 600 people each year. They have reached the point of controlling 35% of politicians elected to Parliament.

And since President Uribe’s election in 2002 members of the National Army have committed more than 950 executions, the majority presented as positive killings of guerrillas in combat, when really they are assassinations of civilians, kown as "false positives".

In January 2008 alone, the paramilitaries committed 2 massacres, 9 forced disappearances and 8 homicides, and the Army has committed 16 extra-judicial executions.

In Colombia , agents of the State and the paramilitaries violate human rights and humanitarian law. Many of the paramilitary groups have not been demobilised. They now call themselves the Black Eagles. Many para-politicians are still in public office and in posts in the diplomatic corps.

Common Graves - Never Again! Forced Displacement - Never Again!
Para-militaries - Never Again! Para-políticians - Never Again! State Crimes - Never Again!

National Movement of the Victims of State Crime
Statement calling for vigils on 6 March 2008

SOLIDARITY EVENTS _ Thursday, 6 March

11am Parliament Square (opposite Houses of Parliament) and No More Military Aid To Colombia organised by Justice for Colombia , ICTUR, Unite supported by Latin American Workers Association and the Collective for the Humanitarian Accord

5.30pm – 7.30pm Vigil opposite Downing Street, Whitehall organised by Colombia Solidarity Campaign, the Collective for the Humanitarian Accord, Latin American Workers Association and Movimiento Ecuador en el Reino Unido, MERU.



Down with State Terrorism in Colombia ! Defend Grass Roots Organisations! No More Dirty War! No More Military Aid!