CIJP: 2014

Among the most severe attacks against the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission (CIJP) in 2014, the following are worthy of note:

Threats and acts of aggression

  • 16 January: Danilo Rueda, lawyer and member of the CIJP coordination team, receives a threat at his family home in Neiva warning him that during his next trip he should be more careful.[1]
  • 28 February: Death threat against Danilo Rueda of CIJP stating,“keep f**king writing stuff that stuff and you die like your dad”. The threat was left by a man and a woman in the post box of his house.[2]
  • 19 March: Text message threat received by Carolina Zamora of the CIJP saying “hahaha your defender is going down for being a guerilla son of a b**ch, warn him you´re getting our messages”. The threat was directed at Danilo Rueda, member of the CIJP coordination team.[3]
  • 19 March: E-mail death threat against Danilo Rueda,“big mouth guerilla son of a b**ch you’re dead, come back to the cemetery”. Danilo also received two other threats via email, one showing that they knew the details of Danilo and the CIJP’s work the other with photos from Danilo’s phone attached.[4]
  • 20 March: Text message death threat received by Abilio Peña, member of the CIJP coordination team. The threat was directed at Danilo Rueda.[5]
  • 15 April: Threat by neo-paramilitaries against the members of CIJP who work in the Humanitarian Space of Puente Nayero, Buenaventura.[6]
  • 22 April: A presumed neo-paramilitary threatens CIJP member Danilo Rueda with a weapon in the Humanitarian Space of Puente Nayero, Buenaventura.[7]
  • 25 April: Pellet attack at Danilo Rueda’s residence in Neiva.[8]
  • 1 May: CIJP denounced that neo-paramilitaries threatened to dismember a person who accompanies the Humanitarian Space of Puente Nayero, Buenaventura.[9]
  • 6 May: Neo-paramilitaries, including “El Diablo” (The Devil), “El Chino” (The Chinese), and four others, entered the Humanitarian Space and repeated to a CIJP member that they would “cut him up”.[10]
  • 29 May: Death threats against CIJP in Puente Nayero by neo-paramilitaries “Óscar”,“Barrabás”,“Mono”, and “Camarón”, who entered the Humanitarian Space.[11]
  • 4 June: CIJP warns of a possible incursion by armed individuals in the Humanitarian Space of Buenaventura and the threats directed against the defenders working there.[12]
  • 18 July: Jacob Jenzen, an international member of the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission, was verbally threatened by neo-paramilitaries who were in the Piedras Cantan street of the la Playita neighborhood next to the Humanitarian Zone of Puente Nayero.[13]
  • 25 July: Neo-paramilitaries approached a youth leader and handed her a written threat addressed to several community leaders and members of CIJP that live and work in the Puente Nayero Humanitarian Zone.[14]
  • 6 August: The same member of CIJP in the Humanitarian Zone of Puente Nayero that was threatened on July 18th is threatened again.[15]
  • 22 August: Danilo Rueda of CIJP reported he was the target of harassment by an unidentified man.[16]
  • 2 December: Threat by neo-paramilitaries against María Eugenia Mosquera and Edwin Mosquera, members of CIJP.[17]
  • 4 December: Mass threat distributed in pamphlets by the Capital Block of the ‘Black Eagles’ neo-paramilitary group, in which they threaten to kill various journalists and contributors to Contagio Radio, CIJP’s radio programme.[18]

Slander and defamations

  • 16 October: Darío Blandón (former municipal ombudsman of Riosucio and candidate to the senate representing the Democratic Centre party) has been publishing messages on his Twitter account in which he accuses the CIJP and PBI of having links with the FARC guerrilla group, of being responsible for murders and threats in the Cur- baradó area, and various other crimes including the violation of minors. According to the CIJP, 14 July 2012 to December 2013, Darío Blandón has published 262 messages of this type.[19]
  • July: Darío Blandón (former local human rights liaison of Río Sucio and Senate candidate for the Uribe Centro Democráctico Party) tweeted messages accusing CIJP and PBI of having ties to the FARC, of being responsible for assassinations and threats, of human trafficking and hiding explosives, among other crimes.[20]
  • 27 October: public harassment of Danilo Rueda, a member of CIJP’s coordination team, and Jesuit priest Father Javier Giraldo in the Apartadó airport by men in civilian attire boarding a Colombian Air Force plane, who shouted at the men that they were land grabbers.[21]

Tracking and surveillance

  • 14 February: Manuel Garzón, lawyer with CIJP, is followed by two men in Medellín where he was representing victims in hearings in the case of the murder of Manuel Ruiz and Samir Ruiz, land claimants from Curbaradó.[22]
  • 27 February: Three men follow human rights defender José Rocamora of the CIJP after leaving his home. He eluded them by hiding in a nearby building as they waited outside for him for 30 minutes before leaving.[23]
  • 28 February: Abilio Peña and Janeth Hernández, of the CIJP, are followed by men on motorbikes in Bogotá.[24]
  • 7 March: Surveillance of the CIJP head office by 4 men, one being the man who followed Yomaira Mendoza from Urabá to Bogotá on the 5th of March.[25]
  • 8 March: Danilo Rueda, CIJP coordinator, is followed in Neiva by a person taking photos of him and apparently reporting his movements by telephone.[26]
  • 17 March: Two instances of surveillance of Danilo Rueda, CIJP coordinator, in Bogotá. On one occasion, the person following Danilo Rueda said “that´s is the human rights one” and on the other, Danilo’s movements were reported via cell phone.[27]
  • 17 March: Carolina Zamora of the CJIP is followed by an individual taking photos of her. It was the same man who had fol- lowed Danilo Rueda that same day.[28]
  • 18 March: Danilo Rueda, CIJP coordinator, is followed on three occasions by a man reporting his movements by telephone. This man then attempted to approach Danilo but fled upon seeing Danilo’s bodyguards.[29]
  • 3 April: Danilo Rueda, CIJP coordinator, is followed by two men in civilian attire when he was leaving work at the CIJP headquarters.[30]
  • 23 May: In the context of threats against leaders Yomaira Mendoza and Enrique Cabezas, CIJP denounced that UNP bodyguards watched as alleged hired assassins kept watch on the CIJP headquarters in Bogotá for over 30 minutes.[31]
  • 3 July: Danilo Rueda of the Inter-Church Commission on Peace and Justice (CIJP), was followed by an armed man in Bogotá.[32]
  • 4 August: Two vehicles were stationed outside the hotel of Danilo Rueda (CIJP), impeding the movement of the car Rueda was in.[33]
  • 28 August: The Bogotá office of the Inter-Church Commission on Justice and Peace was being watched by unidentified men. A silver vehicle with three men inside, including one in military uniform, parked outside the office for hours and observed the movement of CIJP members.[34]
  • 1 September: Abilio Peña, Alberto Franco and Danilo Rueda of CIJP were followed. Their bodyguards detected a man taking photographs and reporting by telephone about the defenders as they entered a restaurant. The unidentified man remained outside the restaurant and followed the defenders back toward their office, stopping only a block short. Hours later, Danilo Rueda was again followed by the same man.[35]
  • 2 September: Alberto Franco, Fabio Ariza and Abilio Peña (CIJP) are followed in Bogotá. Simultaneously, Danilo Rueda is followed in another part of the city.[36]
  • 9 September: Danilo Rueda followed and watched again.[37]
  • 16 September: Danilo Rueda followed in Bogotá.[38]
  • 24 September: CIJP office again watched. An unidentified man watched organization members as they entered and exited the office.[39]
  • 7 October: surveillance of Milbia Díaz and Fabio Ariza, members of CIJP, in Belén de Bajirá (Chocó).[40]
  • 21 October: various members of CIJP followed, including Abilio Peña (a member of CIJP’s coordination team).[41]
  • 28 October: Father Alberto Franco (a member of CIJP’s coordination team) followed as he walked to CIJP’s offices in Bogotá.[42]
  • 4 November: surveillance of CIJP’s offices by three men, one of whom was armed.[43]
  • 15 November: several members of CIJP in Bogotá, including Danilo Rueda and Fabio  Ariza, are monitored and photographed by an unknown man.[44]
  • 23 December: Danilo Rueda (a member of the CIJP coordination team) followed.[45]

Information theft

  • 27 February: Two unknown individuals enter the home of José Rocamora, human rights defender with the CIJP, and steal a computer containing sensitive information.[46]
Footnotes:

[1] CIJP: Advertencia contra la vida del defensor de nuestra organización Danilo Rueda, 16 January 2014
[2] CIJP: Hostigamientos contra tres defensores de DH y hurto de información, 28 February 2014
[3] CIJP: Con mensajes de texto continúan las amenazas de muerte contra integrantes de Justicia y Paz, 20 March 2014
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibíd.
[6] CIJP: Amenazan a líderes y lideresas de Puente Nayero, 15 April 2014
[7] CIJP: Amenazas de muerte a dos defensores de DDHH, 22 April 2014
[8] CIJP: Extraño ataque con balines, 25 May 2014
[9] CIJP: Amenazan con desmembrar a acompañante del Espacio Humanitario en Buenaventura, 1 May 2014
[10] CIJP: Paramilitares incursionan en Espacio Humanitario, 6 May 2014
[11] CIJP: Amenazan a líderes y organismos humanitarios en Espacio humanitario, 30 May 2014
[12] CIJP: El “Indio” prepara incursión armada, 4 June 2014
[13] CIJP: Paramilitares amenazan con picar” a defensor de DH, 18 July 2014
[14] CIJP: Paramilitares amenazan a líderes, 25 July 2014
[15] CIJP: Amenaza de muerte e Intimidaciones a joven de espacio humanitario, 7 August 2014
[16] CIJP: Nuevo incidente de seguridad contra el defensor Danilo Rueda, 22 August 2014
[17] CIJP: Amenazas de muerte contra integrantes de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz, 16 December 2014
[18] CIJP: Amenazas de muerte, hostigamientos, seguimientos, planes de atentados, 12 December 2014
[19] CIJP: Persecución contra Justicia y Paz, defensores de DDHH y organizaciones internacionales durante el 2013, 23 December 2013
[20] CIJP: Amenazas de muerte, seguimientos ilegales, difamaciones y desprestigio contra Justicia y Paz, 9 July 2014
[21] CIJP: Señalamientos al defensor de derechos humanos Danilo Rueda, 28 October 2014
[22] CIJP: En riesgo Manuel Garzón, abogado de dh, 14 February 2014
[23] CIJP: Hostigamientos contra tres defensores de DH y hurto de información, 28 February 2014
[24] Ibíd.
[25] CIJP: Hostigamientos por proteger a víctima del despojo paraempresarial, 7 March 2014
[26] CIJP: Continúan seguimientos a defensor de DH de nuestra Comisión, 8 March 2014
[27] OMCT:Amenazas de muerte contra el Sr. Danilo Rueda y nuevos actos de hostigamiento contra miembros de la CIJP, 6 April 2014
[28] CIJP: Con mensajes de texto continúan las amenazas de muerte contra integrantes de Justicia y Paz, 20 March 2014
[29] CIJP: Nuevo incidente de seguridad contra el defensor DH Danilo Rueda, 18 March 2014
[30] CIJP: Nuevo hostigamiento a Danilo Rueda, defensor de DH, 3 April 2014
[31] CIJP: Sicarios vigilan entorno de sede de Justicia y Paz, 23 May 2014
[32] CIJP: Amenazas de muerte, seguimientos y difamaciones y desprestigio contra Justicia y Paz, 3 July 2014
[33] CIJP: Seguimiento a defensor Derechos Humanos, 4 August 2014
[34] CIJP: Seguimientos y operaciones ilegales contra Justicia y Paz, 28 August 2014
[35] CIJP: Continuan hostigamientos contra defensores de DH, 1 September 2014
[36] CIJP: Continúan seguimientos a defensores de DDHH, 2 September 2014
[37] CIJP: Nuevo seguimiento al defensor de DDHH, Danilo Rueda, 9 September 2014
[38] CIJP: Nuevo seguimiento e intimidación al defensor de DH Danilo Rueda, 17 September 2014
[39] CIJP: Nuevos incidentes de seguimientos a integrantes de Justicia y Paz, 24 September 2014
[40] CIJP: Seguimientos ilegales, abusos de autoridad, interceptación de comunicaciones, difamaciones, 11 November 2014
[41] CIJP: Seguimientos ilegales, abusos de autoridad, interceptación de comunicaciones, difamaciones, 11 November 2014
[42] CIJP: Seguimiento al defensor de derechos humanos Alberto Franco, 28 October 2014
[43] CIJP: Nueva intimidación a mujeres defensoras de derechos humanos, 5 November 2014
[44] CIJP:Amenazas de muerte contra integrantes de la Comisión de Justicia y Paz, 16 December 2014
[45] CIJP: Seguimiento a defensor de Derechos Humanos, 23 December 2014
[46] CIJP: Hostigamientos contra tres defensores de DH y hurto de información, 28 February 2014

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