Tierralta, September 17, 2000
On Sunday, September 17, 2000, JAQUELINO JARUPIA BAILARIN and his son ANTONIO DOMICO, of the Embera-Katio nation, were assassinated inside the Embera-Katio Reservation at High Sinú, in the Community of Widó, located along the Emerald River. According to members of the community, in the morning hours, a group of heavily armed men, presumably members of the paramilitary group known as Peasant Self Defense (AUC), arrived to the community site in a helicopter and detained ANTONIO DOMICO and one of his sons (his son was liberated later); simultaneously, MAISITO DOMICO was captured. The two captives were taken away from the community and assassinated. Their bodies were found in the afternoon. The helicopter flew over the Reservation constantly.
On Saturday, September 16, three canoes motoring up the river with passengers and supplies for the agricultural and aquaculture development projects in the indigenous territories of the Sinu and Verde Rivers, were intercepted near the mouth of the Verde River and forced to surrender the cargo. The following members of the community were abducted: RICARDO BAILARIN, boat operator; NARIÑO DOMICO, Main Nokó of Green River (Iwagadó); EFRAIN CHAMARRA, General Secretary of Green River; ELKN RUBIANO, Education Coordinator; AMADO DOMICO, Teacher; RIGOBERTO DOMICO, Teacher; ALVARO RUBIANO, Teacher; RUBIT DOMICO, Candidate for Teacher; MIGUEL DOMICO GARCIA, President of the Territorial Council of Rio Verde; SAUL BAILARIN, Main Jenené of Rio Verde; ORAIME DOMICO, Lesser Jenené; MARTÍN CASAMA, Lesser Jenené; ALGARIN DOMICO, Lesser Jenené; DOMICILIO GUASARUCA, boat operator; LUIS ALBERTO CABRERA, Agrarian Auxiliary; AGUSTÍN PERNIA, boat operator; IRENIA DOMICO CHARA; LOLIRIA DOMICO; DIANA DOMICO; MARITZA DOMICO (child); HORACIO BAILARIN; GERMAN DOMICO.
In the Doza Community, Rio Verde, MAXIMILIANO DOMICO, the traditional leader, was captured and taken away from his community. According to some versions he was taken to the Esmeralda River region along with the other captives. Except for RICARDO BAILARIN and NARIÑO DOMICO who were later released, the situation and final destination of the captives is yet unknown.
In another event that took place in the municipality of Tierralta, MIGUEL BAILARIN, Jenené Major of Rio Esmeralda, was captured as he was bathing in the river with his wife's assistance. Four heavily armed men assaulted him and, after beating him, forced him into a taxi. His whereabouts are not known. These events add to an earlier incident in which a group of armed men set up an illegal road checkpoint in the region of El Gallo in the vicinity of the Urrá I dam. The checkpoint is still operating near the Verde River's Mouth. The community reports having witnessed regular overflight in the area.
In these moments the indigenous communities are isolated because the transit of canoes along the river is not allowed. We fear for the safety of the Embera-Katio people because the presence of armed groups has intensified in our territory, pointing towards a large scale military operation that clearly and repeatedly violates the Sambudó declaration.
We demand that the armed groups leave our territory and to not turn it into a battle field.
We demand that the captors respect the life and physical integrity of the captives.
We demand that the Colombian government investigate these events and to the Human Rights organizations to demand the release of our indigenous brothers and sisters and the respect for our territory and our culture.
BACKGROUND
Embera-Katio communities along the tributaries of the Sinu river in northern Colombia have been devastated by a hydro-electric dam, which has flooded their land, brought mosquitoes and malaria, and eliminated fish (the Embera' s main source of protein and the mainstay of their diet) from the river. The Urra I dam was built four years ago with financial assistance of some $25 million from Canada's Export Development Corporation (EDC). Four other Embera-Katio leaders had been assassinated previously by paramilitary forces for their opposition to the dam. Many other Embera-Katio leaders have received death threats.
ACTION REQUESTED
Please send urgent messages to the Colombian government calling for immediate and effective measures to ensure the safe release of the Embera-Katio mentioned in this action, as well as a full and public investigation to bring those responsible for their abduction to justice. Similar messages should also be sent to the Canadian government stressing that Canada must shoulder its responsibility as a partner in the dam that is behind the violence and apply significant pressure to the Colombian government to ensure the safety of Embera-Katio communities.
Please send your letters to:
Dr. ANDRES PASTRANA
Presidente de la República de Colombia
Palacio de Nariño
Carrera 8, No 7-26,
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Fax: (011) 57 1 286 7434/ 284 2186/ 337 1351
pastrana@presidencia.gov.co
JUAN MAYR
Ministro del Medio Ambiente
Juan_Mayr_M@hotmail.com
Jmayr@minamb.gov.co
Tel: (011) 57-1-336 1166, (011) 57-1-2886877, (011) 57-1-2840363
Dr. NÉSTOR HUMBERTO MARTÍNEZ NEIRA
Ministro del Interior
Ministerio del Interior
Carrera 8, No.8-09, Piso 2
Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: (011) 57 1 286 8025 / 281 5884 / 342 3201
Dr. GUSTAVO BELL LEMUS
Consejero Presidencial para los Derechos Humanos,
Fax 57-1 - 3418364
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA.
Dr. JAIME BERNAL CUELLAR
Procurador General de la Nación
Fax 57-1- 2840472, 57-1-3429723
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Dr. ALFONSO GOMEZ MENDEZ
Fiscal General de la Nación
Diagonal 22B, No 52-01
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Fax: 57-1 5702122, Fax 57-1- 5702000.
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Dr. FERNANDO CASTRO CAICEDO
Defensor del Pueblo
Calle 55, No 10-32
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Fax 57-1- 3461225
Santafé de Bogotá, COLOMBIA
Mr. Lloyd Axworthy
Canadian Foreign Minister
Fax 613-996-3443
AxworL@parl.gc.ca
In addition, please send copies of your letters to:
Mr. Bill Graham
Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Fax 613-996-9607
GrahaB@parl.gc.ca
MP Svend Robinson
613-992-5501
RobinS@parl.gc.ca
Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA)
Fax 416-921-3843
icchrla@web.ca
CABILDOS MAYORES DEL RIO VERDE Y DEL RIO SINU
camaemka@col3.telecom.com.co
ORGANIZACION NACIONAL INDIGENA DE COLOMBIA
onic@colnodo.apc.org
