Colombia: Pamphlets produced by criminal groups declaring a person to be a "military target," including their content, appearance, and method of distribution; availability of fraudulent pamphlets (2018–February 2022)
1. Overview
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Office of the Ombudsman (Defensoría del Pueblo) indicated that pamphlets are used by armed groups to [translation] "instill fear with intimidating or threatening information" (Colombia 12 Jan. 2022). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a senior analyst at International Crisis Group noted that while some armed groups "never publish pamphlets, others publish every few days," and that "[t]he number of pamphlets tends to rise in some contexts," such as "when an armed group is disputing territorial control with another armed organization or the military; ahead of elections; when a social organization or community group is pushing back against their policies; or [in] general situations of [conflict]" (Senior Analyst 10 Jan. 2022).
1.1 Examples of Incidents of Published Pamphlets
Justice for Colombia (JFC), a British trade union organization that supports the work of Colombian civil society (JFC n.d.), indicates that in January 2018, two individuals from the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común, FARC) political party "received death threats" via pamphlets from the Gulf Clan (Clan del Golfo) [also known as the Gaitanist Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia, AGC), Los Urabeños, Clan Úsuga] (JFC 26 Jan. 2018). According to Las2orillas, a Colombian news website (Las2orillas n.d.), the Gulf Clan released a pamphlet in October 2020 declaring [translation] "all politicians affiliated to Gustavo Petro's political party" in the department of La Guajira to be military targets (Las2orillas 23 Oct. 2020).
Human Rights Watch (HRW) states that in 2017 the United Guerrillas of the Pacific (Guerrillas Unidas del Pacífico, GUP) declared demobilized members of the People of Order (Gente del Orden) [1] "to be their 'military objective'" using "threatening pamphlets" (HRW 13 Dec. 2018, 17). VerdadAbierta.com, a digital journalism project by the Ideas for Peace Foundation (Fundación Ideas para la Paz, FIP) and Semana [a news magazine based in Colombia] (VerdadAbierta.com n.d.), indicates that the GUP [translation] "released" pamphlets in the department of Nariño, "warning" communities to comply with COVID-19 measures or be killed (VerdadAbierta.com 8 Apr. 2020).
According to Colombia Reports, a non-profit news website based in Colombia (Colombia Reports n.d.), the Black Eagles (Águilas Negras) released a pamphlet in September 2019 identifying nine journalists in southwestern Colombia as "'military objectives'" (Colombia Reports 26 Sept. 2019). Semana reports that in 2021 the Black Eagles sent [translation] "[s]everal pamphlets" to 15 professors and staff at a university in Medellín (Semana 18 June 2021).
Amnesty International notes that the Vice-President of the Federation of Artisanal, Environmental and Touristic Fishermen of the Department of Santander (Federación de Pescadores artesanales, ambientalistas y turísticos del departamento de Santander, FEDEPESAN), was given "72 hours … to leave the territory before becoming a military objective" by the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN) via a "threatening pamphle[t]" (Amnesty International 12 Feb. 2021). According to Sucre Noticias, a news website based in Colombia's Sucre Department, pamphlets [translation] "referring to the ELN" were found at the University of Sucre (Sucre Noticias 18 Feb. 2020).
HRW notes that the Oliver Sinisterra Front (Frente Oliver Sinisterra) [2] "released a pamphlet warning it would consider people who did not comply with their [COVID-19] measures 'military targets'" (HRW 15 July 2020). Amnesty International reports that the Santander office of the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos, CREDHOS) "received a threatening call from a[n] unknown man self-identified as member of the Magdalena Medio Block" of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Ejército del Pueblo, FARC-EP) declaring them to be military objectives (Amnesty International 9 Apr. 2021).
1.2 Content and Appearance
The Senior Analyst provided the following information:
Pamphlets take various forms. They are often printed on a single page, with the logo of the signing organization. They sometimes contain a specific date or only a month. They are often signed with a location or fighting battalion (for example, the Eastern Front or Columna Mobil Jaime Martinez). (Senior Analyst 10 Jan. 2022)
The representative of the Office of the Ombudsman indicated that pamphlets [translation] "have the appearance of a communiqué" in which the following information is "usually" found:
- Logo, symbols, or images that evoke the representation of the armed group in question.
- Name of the armed group issuing the pamphlet.
- Date of issue of the pamphlet.
- Threatening text with the names of persons, organizations, or communities targeted by the intimidation or threat. In some cases, a time limit is established for the targets to leave the territory.
- Signature of the group issuing the threat (if it is an organization with national capacity, the signature determines if it is on behalf of the group at the local level such as a front, bloc or company).
- In other cases, the pamphlets lack these elements and may be anonymous as to who is issuing the threat.
- Sometimes images/photographs of explicit violence (such as shootings, beheadings, etc.) or images of weapons and others are also included.
- Usually, when the pamphlets are directed at women or the LGBTQI+ population, explicit reference is made to sexual violence, gender identity and sexual orientation in the threats. (Colombia 12 Jan. 2022)
The Senior Analyst indicated that pamphlets also "generally" contain the following:
a brief reference to the context of a specific situation and then [a statement of] the armed group's position. This position could include specific threats to named individuals or categories of people. They might spell out potential consequences (e.g., either these persons forcibly displace or they will be killed). It can also instate rules — for example, curfews or movement restrictions. Pamphlets are often targeted at specific groups, but they send a message to the broader community about the rules of the road, who is in charge, [and] what sorts of things are tolerated or not. Pamphlets may also reference other rival armed groups or the military. (Senior Analyst 10 Jan. 2022)
According to JFC, a member of the FARC political party received "a pamphlet featuring her name and accusations of terrorism," "details of her daily routine and threat[s against] anyone who she had contact with" (JFC 26 Jan. 2018). Front Line Defenders, an organization based in Dublin that protects human rights defenders (Front Line Defenders n.d.), describes a pamphlet signed by the Gulf Clan that contained details of a financial reward for "anyone who kills any of seven human rights defenders" in Barrancabermeja in the Department of Santander; the "pamphlet also named and threatened their families" (Front Line Defenders 30 Nov. 2016). International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), a human rights organization that promotes, protects, and defends the rights of Indigenous peoples (IWGIA n.d.), indicates that pamphlets included financial rewards "for the lives" of Indigenous leaders, "mainly" in the department of Cauca (IWGIA 24 Apr. 2019).
1.3 Method of Distribution
The representative of the Office of the Ombudsman indicated that pamphlets are distributed in [translation] "various ways," including the following:
- Printed pamphlets that are distributed in homes, schools, and town squares.
- Printed pamphlets that are pasted on walls or public places.
- Printed pamphlets that are photographed and distributed through digital media (instant messaging, social networks, etc.).
- Designed flyers that are converted into images for digital distribution (instant messaging, social networks, emails, etc.). (Colombia 12 Jan. 2022)
According to Amnesty International, the ELN used "unidentified persons" to distribute pamphlets (Amnesty International 12 Feb. 2021), while the FARC-EP used phone calls and voice messages from an unknown individual who "self-identified as member of the Magdalena Medio Block" of the FARC-EP to make threats in the department of Santander (Amnesty International 9 Apr. 2021). El Espectador, a Colombian newspaper, also reports that armed groups utilize phone calls in the department of Caquetá (El Espectador 13 Aug. 2021). Sources state that armed groups deliver pamphlets to people's homes (JFC 26 Jan. 2018; El Espectador 13 Aug. 2021; Front Line Defenders 30 Nov. 2016), while some were "delivered directly" to the offices of non-profit organizations (Front Line Defenders 30 Nov. 2016). Sources report that armed groups use WhatsApp as a distribution method (El Tiempo 16 Dec. 2021; La Silla Vacía 24 Sept. 2017; Senior Analyst 10 Jan. 2022). Sources also indicate that social media is used to distribute pamphlets (La Silla Vacía 24 Sept. 2017; El Espectador 19 Jan. 2021; Front Line Defenders 30 Nov. 2016). Sources also state that armed groups distribute pamphlets via email (El Espectador 26 Aug. 2021; Cuarto de Hora 8 Sept. 2020).
2. Availability of Fraudulent Pamphlets and Impact of Pamphlets
Information on the availability of fraudulent pamphlets was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
The Senior Analyst provided the following information:
Pamphlets are often falsified. But the rule for understanding their impact is that ALL pamphlets should be taken seriously, because they instil fear and terror in the population — and their stigmatizing effect for any persons named is real and lasting, whether they come from the signing group or a nefarious third party. In Colombia, the threats delineated in pamphlets very often come to fruition, so they are not something to take lightly. (Senior Analyst 10 Jan. 2022, emphasis in original)
According to the representative of the Office of the Ombudsman,
[translation]
in order to prevent possible negative effects on the civilian population, the [Office of the Ombudsman] accepts that such pamphlets, even though they may be fraudulent or fake, must be investigated by the competent authorities and that while the veracity [of each pamphlet] is being investigated, the State must provide the necessary measures to protect the life and personal integrity of those who appear in this type of intimidation mechanism. (Colombia 12 Jan. 2022)
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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Notes
[1] According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the People of Order (Gente del Orden) "were formed in mid-2016, mostly by young people" who previously worked for the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común, FARC) in "urban Tumaco" (HRW 13 Dec. 2018, 15).
[2] InSight Crime, a non-profit think tank and media organization that studies organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean (InSight Crime n.d.), states that the Oliver Sinisterra Front (Frente Oliver Sinisterra) is "a group of FARC dissidents who abandoned the peace process in 2017" (InSight Crime 11 Nov. 2019).
References
Amnesty International. 9 April 2021. "Urgent Action: Protect Human Rights Defenders at Risk." (AMR 23/3965/2021) [Accessed 3 Feb. 2022]
Amnesty International. 12 February 2021. "Urgent Action: Protect Enviromental Defenders at Risk." (AMR 23/3691/2021) [Accessed 3 Feb. 2022]
Colombia. 12 January 2022. Defensoría del Pueblo. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate.
Colombia Reports. 26 September 2019. Adriaan Alsema. "Colombia's 'Aguilas Negras' Declare Journalists 'Military Objective'." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Colombia Reports. N.d. "About Colombia Reports." [Accessed 17 Jan. 2022]
Cuarto de Hora. 8 September 2020. "Circula panfleto de las Águilas Negras contra líderes en Soacha." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
El Espectador. 26 August 2021. Camilo Pardo Quintero. "En dos meses, 30 líderes y defensores han sido asesinados y amenazados en Tolima." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
El Espectador. 13 August 2021. Camilo Pardo Quintero. "Con llamadas desde la cárcel y panfletos amenazan a los líderes en Caquetá." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
El Espectador. 19 January 2021. "Vicedefensor del pueblo viajó a El Salado ante nuevas amenazas contra la comunidad." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
El Tiempo. 16 December 2021. Roger Urieles. "Con planfleto virtual, amenazan a periodistas en Santa Marta." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Front Line Defenders. 30 November 2016. "Colombia - Paramilitary Issues Death Threats to Human Rights Defenders of Barrancabermeja." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Front Line Defenders. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 15 July 2020. "Colombia: Armed Groups' Brutal Covid-19 Measures." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 13 December 2018. Recycled Violence: Abuses by FARC Dissident Groups in Tumaco on Colombia's Pacific Coast. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
InSight Crime. 11 November 2019. "The Criminal Portfolio of the Ex-FARC Mafia." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
InSight Crime. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). 24 April 2019. "Indigenous World 2019: Colombia." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Justice for Colombia (JFC). 26 January 2018. "FARC Political Activists Receive Paramilitary Death Threats in Medellin." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Justice for Colombia (JFC). N.d. "About JFC/Who We Are." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Las2orillas. 23 October 2020. "'Iniciaremos el exterminio con los comunistas de la Colombia Humana en La Guajira'." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
Las2orillas. N.d. "Quiénes somos?" [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
La Silla Vacía. 24 September 2017. Juan Pablo Pérez B. "Los panfletos que atemorizan al Sumapaz." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2022]
Semana. 18 June 2021. "Con panfletos las 'Águilas Negras' amenazan de muerte a profesores de la Universidad EAFIT." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
Senior Analyst, International Crisis Group. 10 January 2022. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.
Sucre Noticias. 18 February 2020. "Grafitis y panfletos alusivos al ELN aparecen en la Unisucre." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
VerdadAbierta.com. 8 April 2020. Juan Diego Restrepo E. "¿Grupos criminales aprovechan pandemia para fortalecer sus negocios ilícitos?" [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
VerdadAbierta.com. N.d. "Quiénes somos." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2022]
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Asociación Nacional de Zonas de Reserva Campesina; Asociación Víctimas de Crímenes del Estado; assistant professor at a Canadian university who specializes in crime, extortion, and violence in Latin America; assistant professor at a Colombian university who researches armed conflict, criminal organizations, paramilitaries, drug trafficking, and mafias in Colombia; associate professor at a Colombian university who researches armed conflicts and violence in Colombia; Colombia – Ministerio del Interior, Unidad para la Atención y la Reparación Integral a las Víctimas; Colombia Support Network; Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca; Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos; Front Line Defenders; Fundación Ideas para la Paz; Human Rights Watch; independent researcher who focuses on gangs, paramilitaries, and violence in Colombia; InSight Crime; International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs; Justice for Colombia; Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia; professor at an American university who studies security and crime in Latin America; Washington Office on Latin America.
Internet sites, including: Agencia EFE; Al Jazeera; Alianza Reconstrucción Colombia; BBC; Caracol Radio; Caracol TV; CIVICUS; Colombia – Defensoría del Pueblo, Unidad para la Atención y la Reparación Integral a las Víctimas; Colombia Hoy; Colombia Support Network; Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca; Contagio Radio; Diálogo Americas; El Colombiano; El Heraldo; El Nacional; El Olfato; El País; Equal Times; France 24; Freedom House; Fundación Ideas para la Paz; Fundación Paz y Reconciliación; The Guardian; Hoy Diario del Magdalena; Infobae; Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz; International Crisis Group; Noticias de América Latina y el Caribe; Onda Opita; Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia; PBI Colombia; Radio Cadena Nacional – Noticias RCN, RCN Radio; Radio Havana Cuba; Reuters; Santa Marta al Día; Sputnik; teleSUR; Washington Office on Latin America; The Washington Post.