Among the most severe attacks against the Peasant Farmer Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC) between 2012 and 2014, the following are worthy of note:

Threats and Assaults

9 January: Death threat via pamphlet against Lilia Peña, president of the Magdalena MedioVictims’ Association (ASORVIMM) and her son Melkin Castrillón Peña, member of the ACVC.The pamphlet contained a bullet and accused them of pertaining the guerrilla.[1]
1 February: Mass threat from “the Rastrojos” sent to various organizations, human rights defenders, and opposition politicians including Andrés Gil of the ACVC. The text of the threat declared them military objectives with a 50,000,000 peso (24,452 USD) price on their heads.[2]
20 February: Police harassment at a road checkpoint in Copacabana (Antioquia Department) against Melkin Castrillón, ACVC leader.[3]
29 April: Press release signed by the “United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia – Los Rastrojos – Los Urabeños Command” with threats against Melkin Castrillón and Eladio Morales of the ACVC, and Leonardo Jaimes from the Foundation Committee in Solidarity with Political Prisoners (FCSPP).[4]

Smears and defamatory statements

21 October: a video published on the internet, which claims to have been published by the Colombian Ministry of Defence, shows images of a number of individuals, including César Jérez and members of the ACVC, in a section titled “Organisational warfare,” and includes the message: “the subversive war has known how to change when militarily defeated, entrenched in the human rights NGOs yesterday’s guerrillas are today’s judges.”[5] The Ministry has denied any knowledge of the video.[6]

[1] Movice: Denuncia pública:Amenazan a líderes de Asorvimm, 14 January 2014
[2] Semana: La UP está en la mira de ‘Los Rastrojos’, 3 February 2014
[3] Prensa Rural: Policía hostiga a líderes campesinos en Copacabana (Antioquia), 21 February 2014
[4] Prensa Rural: Paramilitares amenazan a defensores de derechos humanos en Santander, 30 April 2014; Amnesty International: Acción Urgente: Amenazas de Paramilitares contra Activistas de Derechos Humanos, 8 May 2014
[5] Prensa Rural: La Amenaza – El video que el Ministerio de Defensa no quiere que veamos, 21 October 2014
[6] Confidencial Colombia: La ruta del video falso del Ejército, 21 October 2014