Indymedia Colombia reports:

We can scarcely find words; the pain overwhelms us so deeply that all we can
do is weep. In a demonstration of its incredible illegitimacy, the Colombian
state has carried out another massacre that bathes our land in blood.

UIS EDUARDO GUERRA, LEADER, KILLED

The army massacred Luis Eduardo Guerra Guerra, 35 years old, leader of the
community and member of the internal council since the beginning of the
process; his partner Bellanira Areiza Guzman, with whom he had just recently
formed a home; his son Deiner Andres Guerra, 11, who had been injured on
August 11, 2004 by a grenade left by the army; Alfonso Bolivar Tuberquia
Graciano, 30, leader of the Mulatos settlement and member of the Peace
Council of the humanitarian zone of Mulatos; his partner, Sandra Milena
Muñoz Pozo, 24; and their children Santiago Tuberquia Muñoz, 2, and Natalia
Andrea Tuberquia Muñoz, 6.

Luis Eduardo Guerra left his house in San José on Saturday, February 19, for
his farm in the settlement of Mulatos (located seven hours from San José) to
collect cacao. His plan was to return on Monday the 21st. However, on
Monday at 11:00 am the party was detained near the Mulatos River by members
of the 11th Brigade. Luis Eduardo was heading toward San José with his
partner Bellanira, his son Deiner, and another youth, the half-brother of
Luis Eduardo. The army threatened them and said that they were taking them
to be killed. Upon hearing this, Luis Eduardo’s half-brother was able to run
away. But Luis Eduardo,
Bellanira and Deiner were taken from this location in Mulatos to La
Resbalosa, the next settlement. There they were taken to the house of Mr.
Alfonso Bolivar.

On Tuesday the 22nd, the half-brother of Luis Eduardo who was able to flee
went to find the rest. In Alfonso Bolivar’s house he saw bloodstains and
followed the trail until he found, close to the house, a pit with the bodies
cut up in pieces. This terrible discovery was made by this young man and
other people from Mulatos who had gone searching for the disappeared.

These are the facts that we have confirmed. Luis Eduardo was a great friend
and a great leader, defender of human rights, founder of our community and
representative of the community for the past five years in negotiations with
the State in securing the provisional measures of protection [of the
Inter-American Human Rights Commission]. For the past five years he was a
member and coordinator of the human rights committee of the Community. He
was invited several times to travel to Europe and the U.S. to share the
Community’s experience. His death overwhelms us with indescribable pain, and
the circumstances of his
killing, and of the people who were massacred with him, fill us with anger
and indignation.

There are still facts concerning this massacre that need to be clarified.
But this communication is urgent because we want to recover the bodies of
our friends. In order to do that a commission of 300 people will set out
from San José for the settlement of La Resbalosa, which lies 9 hours away.
Our sense of humanity demands that we do this. We cannot let the neglect of
the State cause our brothers and sisters to be abandoned. Therefore we make
this public statement of what
happened and ask for national and international solidarity against this
aberrant act that affects all of humanity. We also ask that the Colombian
state be encouraged to respect this commission that will go and recover the
bodies left by this massacre.

We believe that this act of terror speaks for itself. Luis Eduardo, your
memory, your commitment, your clarity, your friendship give us strength in
the midst of pain. As we always say, we will not retreat from our principles
until the State and its paramilitaries finish us all.

Peace Community of San José de Apartadó

February 24, 2005

IMC Posted: 27 Feb 2005 04:27 GMT