From the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó
September 6, 2016
(Translated by Eunice Gibson, CSN Volunteer Translator)
We are making an urgent call to the national and international community, because of the presence of a contingent of paramilitaries in our Community’s settlement in the town of Arenas Altas and in the town of La Hoz in the District of San José de Apartadó. That presents a serious risk to our children and families.
On Monday, September 5, 2016, a contingent of paramilitaries carrying long guns and wearing military uniforms camped in our Peace Community settlement in the town of Arenas Altas. They threatened to stay there, claiming that they had the full support of the Armed Forces who had allowed them to be there, no questions asked, because the Armed Forces protects them.
For several days now, the paramilitaries have been present in the town of La Hoz. On Monday September 5, 2016, they moved into the town’s primary school, claiming that they intended to stay because, according to them, nobody can make them leave.
Faced with this threat and with the terror generated by the presence of paramilitary troops in the place we live in, our answer as a civilian population is firm. We categorically reject their armed actions in the places where we live and work, and at the same time, we call upon all of the people who have accompanied us from different parts of the world to press the Government of Colombia to stop this systematic persecution of our Peace Community.
Peace Community of San José de Apartadó
September 6, 2016
http://www.cdpsanjose.org