| The leaders of the Program for Development and Peace in the region of Magdalena Medio (PDPMM), in eastern Colombia, have received death threats from a paramilitary group, Las Aguilas Negras (Black Eagles).
According to an email sent to several organisations on April 10th, the paramilitary group has made a list of its next victims, adding that they will be "exterminated one by one". This list targets, among others, the PDPMM, the human rights organisation SEMBRAR, the Farmers and Miners Federation, as well as several priests in the region.
In February 2008, the Assistant Director of the PDPMM, Father Libardo Valderrama, was invited to Canada by Development and Peace to talk about the wave of intimidation and murders against human rights advocates in Colombia. He reacted today to the Aguilas Negras’ letter by saying that "our fear of living through difficult times within our organisation is beginning to come true. It is difficult to build development and peace in the midst of conflict."
Development and Peace Executive Director, Michael Casey, has sent an urgent letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, requesting the Government of Colombia to act as soon as possible to protect the victims. "These threats to human life and the terror they bring to the people, their families and the communities concerned are unacceptable. The paramilitary group responsible for these threats must be stopped immediately from continuing its intimidation tactics throughout the country."
Since 1986, 2,000 people have been assassinated in the region of Magdalena Medio. Twenty-eight of these were linked to the PDPMM.
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