On March 22, PBI-Colombia tweeted: “PBI accompanies CCAJAR [the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective] at the #caravanahumanitaria [humanitarian caravan] for life, peace and permanence in the territory in #Arauca, where organizations defending #DDHH [human rights] and victims meet to propose measures and guarantees in the face of armed conflict. Urgent #AcuerdosHumanitarios [humanitarian accords].”
PBI-Colombia has also tweeted: “#SOSArauca 36 international civil society organizations support #CaravanaHumanitaria and #ForoDDHH [human rights forum] for life, peace and permanence in the territory #Arauca between March 21 and 25. #garantías [guarantees] and #AcuerdosHumanitarios are required to end a humanitarian crisis.”
DiPaz has also explained: “The caravan route begins on Monday, March 21 to reach Yopal (Casanare), continues to Tame, Saravena, Fortul, Arauquita and will reach Arauca (Capital) on March 23 at 5 pm.”
Arauca is the capital of the department of Arauca which is located in eastern Colombia on the border with Venezuela.
Telesur further reports: “The caravan, which departed from Bogota on Monday afternoon, is comprised of the Colombia-Europe-United States Coordination, which brings together more than 200 human rights and social organizations.”
That article adds: “In a recent interview, Camilo González, director of the Institute for Peace and Development Studies (INDEPAZ), told Prensa Latina that what is happening in Arauca is a dispute over the territory that seems to be, as a first resort, a confrontation between groups of the National Liberation Army (ELN) with residual dissidents from the peace process.”
“[Gonzalez adds] the reality is that there is a border problem there, because it is a strip of land where there are not only armed groups, but also it is an area where there are many interests in the trafficking of products, oil and diverse wealth.”
Prensa Latina also reports: “In view of the serious situation in Arauca and the border with Venezuela, the communities and several organizations in northeastern Colombia are calling for the cessation of hostilities between the armed forces and have also formulated proposals for the transformation of the conflict in the area.”
PBI-Colombia has accompanied CCAJAR lawyers since 1995.
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