A take-over of the city of Santander in Cauca department by the National Liberation Army (ELN) in March 2000 demanding all transport businesses to contribute to the ELN [COL37786.E]

No reports of a March 2000 attack or take-over of the city of Santander de Quilichao by the National Liberation Army in Cauca department could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Santander de Quilichao is described as the second largest urban centre of Cauca department (El Pais 5 Dec. 2000), with its municipality encompassing rural areas and at least one native reservation or site (resguardo indígena) (ibid. 7 Sept. 2001).

Please note that reports available differentiate between attacks on or occupations of towns, and roadblocks meant to disrupt, kidnap or extort transport (Informe Annual 2000 Apr. 2001, 73-75). For example, during 2000, Colombian security forces (police and military) reported 80 guerrilla attacks on towns, and 783 "acts of terrorism" (actos de terrorismo) by guerrillas, the latter including roadblocks as described above (Informe Annual 2000 Mar. 2001, 74). No detailed breakdown of the 783 reported acts of terrorism could be found. However, one report based on information provided by the Armed Forces of Colombia for the period January 1999-July 2000 provides a detailed breakdown of attacks on populated centres, indicating that Santander de Quilichao was attacked by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on 9 March 1999 (Boletín Aug. 2000).

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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Boletín de la Oficina de Derechos Humanos [Bogota]. August 2000. No. 10. "Ataques a poblaciones." http://www.presidencia.gov.co/rdh/boletin/Boletin10/Cifra10.html [Accessed 18 Oct. 2001]

El Pais [Cali].7 September 2001. "Comerciante y universitario habían sido secuestrados: Hallan dos cadáveres en fosa común, en el Cauca." http://www.procesodepaz.com/notas/Septiembre072001/D.html [Accessed 18 Oct. 2001]

_____. 5 December 2000. "En el presente año, en este Municipio, han asesinado a 94 personas: Santander de Quilichao marchará por la paz." http://www.procesodepaz.com/notas/Diciembre052000/C305N4.html [Accessed 18 Oct. 2001]

Informe Annual Derechos Humanos y DIH 2000. April 2001. "Derechos Humanos." Bogota: Ministerio de Defensa. /emhttp://www.mindefensa.gov.co/publicaciones/ministerio/espanol/ddhh3.pdf> [Accessed 17 Oct. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted


Agencia de Noticias de Colombia (ANCOL). Searchable archives. 16 Feb.-2 Apr. 2000.

IRB Databases.

Presidency of Colombia News Archive. Mar-Apr. 2000.

Internet Websites, including:

Amnesty International

Andean Commission of Jurists

Human Rights Watch

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Region and country-specific publications available in the Resource Centre are not included.