Kolumbienforum

On 30 October, several human rights defenders in Bogotá, as well as in Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño departments in south-western Colombia, received an identical text message with a death threat fromthe paramilitary group Black Eagles (Águilas Negras). The message told them “go to Venezuela if you want a new country” (si quieren un nuevo pais bayance [sic] para Venezuela) emphasizing that they should “leave or die” (seban [sic] o se mueren). The text message threatened a list of around 25 individuals and organizations, including the Black Communities Process (Proceso de Comunidades Negras, PCN), the Cauca Indigenous Regional Council(Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca, CRIC)and the Trade Union Congress (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, CUT).

On 17 June at 5:30am, gunmen travelling on a motorcycle in the city of Barrancabermeja, Santander Department, Colombia, opened fire and shot Nelson Camacho Gonzálezdead. Nelson Camacho was a member of the local branch of the oil worker’s union USO, (Unión Sindical Obrera).

On 31 May, a death threat was texted to the mobile phones of several leaders of the Afro-descendant community of La Toma, and the Indigenous reservation (Resguardo) of Cerro Tijeras,Suárez Municipality, in Cauca department, southwestern Colombia. The threat, signed by the paramilitary group Black Eagles (Águilas Negras), named several human rights organizations and individuals including the Community Council of La Toma, Black Communities Process (Proceso de Comunidades Negras, PCN), the Social Research and Action Association (Asociación de Investigación y la Acción Social, NOMADESC), and the Trade Union Congress (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, CUT). All these organizations have opposed the development of gold mines or large-scale hydroelectric projects in the area, which inhabitants consider would undermine their livelihoods. Most of those threatened had previously received a death threat by text message on 5 May, purporting to be froma paramilitary group calling itself Black Eagles New Generation, (Águilas Negras Nueva Generación).