A/HRC/10/32
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organizations in the department of Nariño, such as those reported on 12 February against the
Unidad Indígena del Pueblo Awá (Awá People’s Indigenous Unit) (UNIPA), the Standing
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and Pastoral Social.
41. On 15 June some 100 families were displaced from San José La Turbia, Nariño, allegedly
by a group called Águilas Negras.
F. Vulnerable groups
1.
Human rights defenders and trade unionistsa
42. OHCHR Colombia received reports of several murders of trade union and social leaders
and human rights defenders. On 10 December 2008, for example, the remains of a well-known
local human rights defender and social leader were found in the municipality of San Vicente de
Caguán, Caquetá. The body had been burnt and decapitated, and showed signs of torture.
On 9 February, in Balboa, Cauca, a trade union leader was stabbed to death. On 9 March, in
San Vicente de Caguán, Caquetá, a trade union leader disappeared in the town centre and was
found dead three days later with 11 stab wounds. On 16 May a member of the Comité Cívico
Amor por Cartago (Love of Cartago Civic Committee) in Cartago, Valle del Cauca, was
murdered and other members of the committee received death threats; and on 28 October
FARC-EP allegedly killed a community leader in Puerto Leguízamo, Putumayo.
43. OHCHR Colombia received reports of death threats against NGOs and trade unions and
their members, as well as attacks and robberies. The municipal attorney of San Miguel,
Putumayo, has been receiving death threats since January. In Medellin, Antioquia, members of
several trade unions and social and political associations were followed and intimidated between
4 February and 18 September, and received anonymous death threats. On 29 February an attempt
was made on the life of a member of the Standing Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
in the department of Risaralda. On 20 April information on cases concerning human rights
violations, and on the victims and perpetrators, was stolen from the Red Juvenzar (Juvenzar
Network) in Valledupar, Cesar. In Saravena, Arauca, on 19 November, an explosive device went
off in a building where several social organizations were based: the Asociación Juvenil y
Estudiantil Regional (Regional Youth and Student Association) (ASOJER), the Asociación
Departamental de Usuarios Campesinos (Departmental Peasants’ Association) (ADUC), the
Asociación Amanecer de Mujeres por Arauca (Dawn for Women of Arauca Association)
(AMAR), the Asociación de Desplazados (Displaced Persons Association), the Confederation of
Colombian Workers (CUT) Arauca office and the Fundación Comité Regional de Derechos
Humanos Joel Sierra (Joel Sierra Regional Human Rights Committee Foundation).
44. The Office received information regarding attacks on the honour, reputation, or dignity of
human rights defenders. On 2 September, in Bogotá, government authorities accused members of
the human rights organization MINGA of having links to FARC-EP and ELN.
a
Examples of unlawful arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and social leaders are
given in section B above.
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