8th Day Center for Justice has been in close association with the group Justicia y Paz for over
five years. They document human rights abuses, accompany communities who have been victims
of violence, work to end impunity and to return justice to the judicial system. They also are
associated with many International Organizations and Churches of various denominations, who
support them and the communities with whom they work. In late August of this year, Justicia y
Paz sought our help in an urgent matter by asking us to contact the Colombian press and
government officials.

BACKGROUND
On Aug. 21, 2003, the Joint Chief of Staff of the Colombian Military, General Jorge Enrique
Mora Rangel, conducted a massive press conference about the communities in the Cacarica river
basin, which is located in the state of Choco near the border of Panama. During the conference, it
was alleged that the families in these communities are without free access to the world because
they are surrounded by barbed wire fences. It was also alleged that 400 Million pesos is missing
from the Agrarian Bank Fund, which established to provide housing for the communities, but
only a small number of houses had actually been built. Justicia y Paz is being held responsible
for these alleged complaints.

We believe these and other allegations are based on falsehoods based upon the testimony of
those we trust, including those members of our staff and board of directors, and members of a
Colombia group with whom we work, who have visited the Cacarica Communities. In addition,
members of the Cacarica community have made presentations at a Conference here in the U.S.
and engaged in extensive dialogue with members of our group. Further, a Sister of Mercy, who
has just returned from a Cacarica, advised us that the community themselves built the barbed
wire fences to control who can enter the community, and that they had only positive things to say
about Justicia y Paz. It should be noted that the community of Cacarica is a nonviolent
community who will not have or permit arms in their communities though they are surrounded
by at least three armed groups. Their nonviolence is motivated by their convictions, by their past
history of violent displacement from their ancestral lands, and they are motivated by the fact that
they lost 85 members of their community due to murder and disappearances.

During their visits to these communities, our board and staff members observed the real reason
why the housing program is stalled: the larger boats necessary to transport needed building
materials are unable to travel on the river due to the fact that vegetation has grown into the river
during the three years the communities have been forcibly displaced, and due to the fact that the
government has failed to clear the river as it agreed. We ask, what is the condition of the river
now?  What would an investigation of the Agrarian Bank Fund reveal?

Recently Justicia y Paz learned that they will be admitted as civil witnesses in the case against
General Rito Alyo del Rio, the Commander of the 17th Brigade when the 1997-1998 atrocities
against the Cacarica Communities occurred. Justicia y Paz has documented evidence of 207
crimes during the period covered in the suit including persecution, assassination, disappearance,
torture and sexual violations, during the time period covered in the suit. They are working to
have this documentation included in the indictment. We believe that the accusations against
Justicia Y Paz are meant to undermine their effective human rights efforts.

We join with Justicia y Paz in the following recommendations:
1. That there be visits by trusted persons to the Humanitarian Zones of the Cacarica to see if
concentration camp conditions exist, or if the freedom of movement that has been verified by the
International Organizations and an Inter Faith Group of Churches does exist.

2. That an examination be made of the financial documents in the Agrarian Bank pertinent to the
housing project in the Cacarica.

3. That the responses of the Judges in Turbo and Medellin regarding the causes of the Feb. 1997
displacement of the Cacarica Communities and the murders and disappearances that occurred be
made public.

ACTIONS
Please E-Mail or Fax the following persons (see Sample Letter below):

1. Presidente de la Republica de Colombia :
Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez (addressed as Dear President)
Fax: 011 57 1 286 74 34 or 011 57 1 286 68 42
E-Mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co

2. Dra.Elba Beatriz Silva, Directora de la Unidad de Derechos Humanos
Fax: 011 57 1 570 2022
E-Mail: elbsilva@fiscalia.gov.co

3. [Press]  Espectador
Fidel Cano – Editor General
Fax: 011 57 1 405 5700
E-Mail:  fidelcano@elespectador.com

SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _____________
I am contacting you about the Aug. 21, 2003 press conference by the Joint Chief of Staff of the
Military, General Jorge Enrique Mora Rangel, about the communities of the Cacarica located in
Choco. At the conference, statements were made that the families of Cararica did not have free
access to the outside world because they were surrounded by barbed wire fences. In addition it
was claimed that 400 Million pesos was missing from the Agrarian Bank Fund established to
provide housing for the communities. The General described Justicia y Paz, who has worked
with the communities for many years, as being responsible for these alleged complaints.

I firmly believe that these and other allegations are false based upon the testimony of persons
whom I trust. These persons have visited the Cacarica communities and members of these
communities have testified at a conference on Colombia in Chicago and engaged in extensive
dialogue with these same trusted persons. Additionally, a member of the Sisters of Mercy just
returned to the United States after visiting the communities in the Cacarica.  She advises that the
people themselves have built the barbed wire fences for protection to control who can enter the
communities, and that the communities expressed much appreciation of Justicia y Paz. I know
that the Cacaria communities are nonviolent, that they will not have or permit arms in their
communities despite being surrounded by at least three armed groups. Clearly, their nonviolence
is motivated by their convictions, by their past history of violent displacement from their
ancestral lands, and they are motivated by the fact that they lost 85 members of their community
due to murder and disappearances.

I have been advised about the real reason why the housing program is stalled: the larger boats
necessary to transport needed building materials are unable to travel on the river due to the fact
that vegetation has grown into the river during the three years the communities have been
forcibly displaced, and due to the fact that the government has failed to clear the river as it
agreed. And so I ask, what is the condition of the river now?  What would an investigation of the
Agrarian Bank Fund reveal?

I put my faith in what these trusted persons have seen and experienced in the Cacarica, and
uphold the integrity of Justicia y Paz as they have worked to end impunity and return justice to
the judicial system.

I know that Justicia y Paz will be admitted as civil witnesses in the case against General Rito
Alyo do Rio, the Commander of the 17th Brigade when the 1997-1998 atrocities against the
Cacarica Communities occurred.  Justicia y Paz has documented evidence of 207 crimes during
the period the suit covers including persecution, assassination, disappearance, torture and sexual
violations. They are working to have this documentation included in the indictment. Allow me to
suggest that this might be the reason behind the allegations against Justicia y Paz.

I join with Justicia y Paz in the following recommendations:
1. That you or a trusted representative visit the Humanitarian Zones of Cacarica and see if either
concentration camp conditions exist, or if the freedom of movement, which has been verified by
International Organizations and International Interfaith Group of Churches, exists.
2. That you obtain access to the financial documents in the Agrarian Bank pertinent to the
housing project in the Cacarica.
3. That you look into the documents of the National Procurator on indiscriminate
deforestation of the region.
4. That you look into the responses of the Judges in Turbo and Medellin regarding the causes of
the Feb. 1997 displacement of the Cacarica Communities and the murders and disappearances
that occurred.

I am grateful for this opportunity to correspond with you.  Please respond with regard to your
plans for follow up and investigation.

Sincerely,