Macabre alliance between the Second Marquetalia, ELN and paramilitaries in Nariño

Violence by armed groups in Colombia does not give up and in some areas of the country civilians continue to be victims of the escalation of the conflict. In the department of Nariño in the Iscuandé area, citizens have denounced that the Second Marquetalia, together with the ELN and paramilitary group, have created alliances to gain domination over the territory.

According to the locals, the armed actors have made it known that they are willing to do anything to win territory and that the inhabitants of the area are most affected, as they are suffering different types of intimidation and violence at the hands of illegal groups.

A community spokesman who asked to remain anonymous told Blu Radio, that he holds testimonies from citizens who have had to live with anxiety over the intimidation of armed actors and that they will be handed over to the UN and the National Ombudsman's Office. The documents and recordings that support the complaint would demonstrate the behavior of groups and agreements that exacerbate violence in the territory and that its purpose is to regain control of the area, which is known to criminals as one of the most important routes for moving drugs and weapons.

On the other hand, he said that the state presence they have received from the State is through the Army, but that they have not been a guarantee for life because sometimes this leaves them in the middle of the crossfire creating displacement, death and injury.

On the other hand, the community council of the Iscuandé river basin, in a statement, announced that on April 8, several armed men arrived at the El Chontaduro village, gathered the inhabitants and stated that they were members of the Second Marquetalia, the ELN and a paramilitary group that did not give the name and said that were looking with a list in hand for several villagers to intimidate them.

The situation is similar in other parts of the country. A few weeks ago, Human Rights Watch, HRW, noted in its latest report that the Venezuelan armed forces are direct accomplices of the Eln in its operations on the border it shares with Colombia, where it seeks to defeat other armed groups to take control of these territories and drug trafficking routes. The conclusions of the document came out of an investigation conducted through testimonies of people displaced by violence in the department of Arauca and in the Venezuelan state of Apure.

The document points out that the armed conflict between FARC and Eln dissidents began to intensify since January 1 and has generated multiple human rights violations such as: forced disappearance, murders, displacement and other crimes.

“Members of the Venezuelan security forces, who have been implicated in human rights violations that have led to international investigations into alleged crimes against humanity, have conducted joint operations with members of the Eln and have been complicit in their abuses,” the NGO document reads, which it also called for the necessary measures to be taken as communities were the ones that were being affected by the violence that had been exacerbated in recent years.

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