Colombia suspends ‘most important project of this century’
How to end the war in western Colombia?
Colombia’s government talks peace with ELN in Cuba
Colombia and Venezuela reestablish diplomatic ties
How to keep Venezuela’s diaspora in Colombia safe?
Colombia’s new government proposes tax reform to finance...
Peace talks with Colombia’s ELN guerrillas ‘about to...
Colombia’s largest paramilitary group announces unilateral ceasefire
The men and women who will govern Colombia...
Gustavo Petro sworn in as Colombia’s new president
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Paramilitaries testify on 2004 Mapiripan massacre

by Camilla Pease-Watkin June 25, 2010

mapiripan massacre

New testimonies by demobilized paramilitaries suggest that a massacre took place in 2004 in Mapiripan, a town infamous for a paramilitary massacre that occurred there in 1997.

Testifying before the prosecutor general’s Justice and Peace tribunal, two former paramilitaries gave accounts of a massacre that killed some 22 people in the town of Mapiripan in 2004.

The massacre was allegedly carried out by members of paramilitary blocs the Heroes del Llano, Calima, Centauros and Guaviare. According to one testimony, former paramilitary boss alias “Gavilan” had personally been seen to kill at least six people.

Authorities had not previously been aware of the 2004 massacre but, according to reports, they are not ruling out the possibility that it did take place, given the numerous accounts of similar killings in the area.

“Up to now all the facts that have been mentioned have been verified and we are trying to establish whether Mapiripan was once more a scene of violence in 2004,” said a source speaking to El Espectador.

Mapiripan suffered a massacre by paramilitary forces in 1997, for which an army commander was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The court found General Jaime Humberto Uscategui guilty of bearing partial responsibility for the massacre of 49 people in the Meta town.

The slaughter was committed predominantly by the Self Defense Forces of Cordoba and Uraba (ACCU), a paramilitary group led by then-commander of paramilitary coalition the AUC, Carlos Castaño.

AUCkillMapiripanmassacreparamilitariestestimony

Trending

  • Colombia to seek decriminalization of drugs despite US objections

  • Medellin’s secret history of violence against women and girls

  • How serious is Colombia’s president-elect about fighting corruption?

Related articles

  • Colombia’s largest paramilitary group announces unilateral ceasefire

  • Colombia’s paramilitaries put target on police, 36 killed so far this year

  • Colombia’s paramilitaries offer to lay down weapons

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top