Urgent Action Requested to give assistance to displaced people in Quibdo

 
URGENT ACTION REQUESTED

The Life, Justice and Peace Commission of the Diocese of Quibdo 
wishes to
make the relevant authorities and human rights organizations aware 
of the
recent displacements in el río Arquía, medio Atrato antioque o.

THE FACTS

According to the testimony of the local population, the paramilitaries
occupying Viga del Fuerte have made a series of threats to enter río 
Arquía
to commit a massacre, and these threats have led to new 
displacements in
this region.

Thus the towns of Puerto Medellin, Playitas, Vegaez and Isleta, are 
totally
abandoned; and the villages of Puerto Palacios and La Luisa are little 
by
little being left un-inhabited. More than 130 families have left their 
homes,
removing themselves to Quibdo, the banks of the Atrato and, in some
cases, the jungle.

On March 20, two military helicopters flew over the region and were 
able to
verify this situation.

The difficult circumstances described have meant that food is 
becoming scarce
and that the health of the population living near the Arquía river has 
been
negatively affected.

The diocese of Quibdo fears for the safety of these communities and 
of the
missionary team which accompanies these communities by carrying 
out pastoral
work and providing moral encouragement to these brothers and 
sisters of the
church.

We reiterate our call to the appropriate authorities to attend to these
communities in order to avoid possible massacres and the need to 
further
evacuate their land.

Quibdo, March 22, 1999

ADDRESSES OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:

ANDRES PASTRANA ARANGO
President
Kra.8 n.7-26  Santa Fe de Bogot
Phone: 571/ 284 33 00   Fax: 571/ 286 74 34 - 286 79 37 - 284 21 
86
Email: pastrana@presidencia.gov.co

NESTOR HUMBERTO MARTINEZ
Interior Minister
Kra.8  n.8-09 Santa Fe de Bogot
Phone: 571/ 334 39 60 - 284 02 14   Fax: 571/ 341 97 39

RODRIGO LLOREDA
Defense Minister
Av. del Dorado con Kra.52, Santa Fe de Bogot
Phone: 571/ 222 41 25 - 222 24 45    Fax: 571/ 222 18 74
General Secretary, E-mail: infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co

JAIME BERNAL CUELLAR
Procurador General de la Naci n
Kra 5 n. 15-80 Santa Fe de Bogot
Phone: 571/ 283 86 09   Fax: 571/  342 97 23

ALFONSO GOMEZ MENDEZ
Fiscal General de la Naci n [Attorney General?]
Cll.35 n. 4-31 Santa Fe de Bogot
Phone: 571/ 570 20 00   Fax: 571/ 570 20 22

JOSE  FERNANDO CASTRO CAICEDO
Public Defender
Cll.55 n.10-32 Santa Fe de Bogota
Phone: 571/ 346 29 47 Fax: 571/ 346 12 25