"Naciancenista" is a term used to describe the Naciancenista Conservative Committee (Directorio Conservador Naciancenista, DCN), a movement based in Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca, which is affiliated with the Colombian Conservative Party (Partido Conservador Colombiano, PCC) (DCN 6 Feb. 2004). According to the Executive Director of the DCN, the group, which shares the PCC's political ideology, has been in existence for more than 40 years and is named after its former president, Nacianceno Gallego (ibid.). Upon Gallego's death, his son, Nacianceno Orozco, became president (ibid.). Orozco was a long-serving deputy in the Valle del Cauca assembly (El País 11 Apr. 2003; Colombia 12 Apr. 2003) prior to his kidnapping by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC) in April 2002 (ibid.; El Tiempo 2 Jan. 2004). Remaining in captivity as recently as January 2004 (El Espectador 25 Jan. 2004), Orozco was replaced as president of the DCN by his brother, Carlos Alberto Orozco (DCN 6 Feb. 2004).

The DCN Executive Director indicated that the group's activities in Caicedonia include the organization of health brigades (brigades de salud) that visit the city's poor neighbourhoods; the implementation of vocational courses for local residents in areas like hairstyling; and the provision of assistance to individuals who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining personal identity documents (ibid.). The Executive Director added that the group keeps its office open at all times, not merely during election campaigns (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Colombia. 12 April 2003. Comando General de las Fuerzas Armadas de Colombia. "12 de abril de 2003: A un año del secuestro múltiple realizado por las FARC." http://www.cgfm.mil.co/cgfm.nsf/0/3e2233230e9dc1fc85256d0500588468?OpenDocument [Accessed 5 Feb. 2004]

Directorio Conservador Naciancenista (DCN), Caicedonia. 6 February 2004. Telephone interview with the Executive Director.

El Espectador [Bogotá]. 25 January 2004. "Farc envía otra prueba supervivencia doce diputados cautivos 2002." http://www.elespectador.com/2004/20040125/paz/nota3.htm [Accessed 5 Feb. 2004]

El País [Cali]. 11 April 2003. "Un año sin los diputados." http://elpais-cali.terra.com.co/historico/abr112003/REG/B411N1.html [Accessed 5 Feb. 2004]

El Tiempo [Bogotá]. 2 January 2004. "Contrapunteo por elección de mesa directiva en la Asamblea del Valle." http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/naci/cali/2004-01-03/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1470539.html (Google cache) [Accessed 5 Feb. 2004]