October 10, 2007

Tolima Department
In the municipality of Rovira, members of the Colombian National Army put tacks and staples on the ground in attempts to impede the traffic of the mobilization towards Ibagué, going against the decision made by the security council the day before. In the town of Gaitán, in the municipality of Rioblanco and near Cajamarca, in the villages of La Colonia and San Lorenzo, the people have not been permitted to travel to Ibagué, due to the blockade established by the Army.
In the municipality of Planadas, specifically in Santa Rita, near the department of Huila, the people who were going to attend the mobilization were not allowed through, and they have even had problemsto get outside of the town limits. In the same municipality thirty busses were retained by the police, who did not let them travel towards Ibagué, where the people were gathering. In the municipality of Puerto Colon, the Army carried out a meeting with the bus company "Rápido Tolima" and they prohibited them from travelling Ibagué, obstructing the development of the Day of Mobilization.

Cauca Departament
In the municipality of Santander de Qulichao, in cemetary of the town of Mondomo, a group of citizens, indigenous, and Afro-Colombians, were repressed by the Colombian Special Armed Forces of the Anti-Guerrilla, the Military Police and Riot police, who from helicopters and from land fired tear gas, explosives, rubber bullets and firearms against them.
Among the wounded are three men Evangelista Taquinas, José Eduardo Tombe and Juan Guillermo Marin, the two latter having lost several fingers caused by an unconventional explosive loaded with glass and aluminum shrapnel, launched by the Military Police mortars. Since the Army and Police impeded the access of the Medical brigade, they waited bleeding for three hours. They were later admitted to the Hospital of Santander de Quilichao and later transferred to the hospital of Valle de Cauca. Edgardo Muñoz was also injured, sustaining second degree burns and punctures from shrapnel. Between the Army and the Police the ambulance was further delayed three more hours while on four occasions they retained the peasant-farmers peacefully accompanying the wounded, Victor Coicue, Eliver Cuetia and Jose Norvey Yule, despite having signed and agreement. They were finally granted their freedom.
Three more gentlemen, Samuel Ocue, Luis Enrique Castrillon and Amadeo Largo were retained and continue to be held in Santander de Quilichao and an investigation against them was opened with accusations of “terrorism.”
A ghost plane flew at low elevation over the unarmed campesinos, Afro- Colombians, and indigenous from the municipalities of Miranda, Corinto, Caloto, Jambalo, Toribio and Caldono who continue to be gathered.

Nariño Departament
On the highway to Tumaco the Police prohibited the access of people on their way to the demonstrations, carried out searches, and stigmatized the protestors. In the municipality of Altaquer, 400 people are protesting and a public bus was detained in which 30 protestors travelled, and had their food taken away.
In the city of San Juan de Pasto, the students of the Universidad de Nariño held a demonstration against the anti-governmental politics of the government of Uribe Vélez. It was also a show of support for the National Movilization. Shortly after it began at 11:00am, the Police took over the University and began to repress the students with two tanks, 200 riot police, four squads of Police, including members in civilian dress who ran roughshod over several people who had nothing to do with the protest. In addition, a first semester engineer student Elder Flavio Guerrero Vallejo, lost 100% vision in his left eye and was taken to the city of Cali to check his health status. This illegal violation was caused by tear gas launched the Riot police (ESMAD). Other students and members of the community were wounded in the face, arms, legs.
Nearby, the 6,000 peasant- farmers from the Nulpe and Mataje Rivers going towards San Lorenzo, Ecuador, were forced to return to the village of Labores, about 3 kilometers from the border, by the Ecuadorian police.
In Guatacana, about 300 peasant- farmers took over the highway between Pasto and Tumaco. They set up improvised beds on the highway where they will stay during the Mobilization.

Putumayo Departament
In the municipality of Orito, near Ecuador, thousands of peasant- farmers have been demonstrating for two weeks with the objective of a cease to the forced erradication of illicit crops. On October 10th, the governor, as well as the police affirmed to the media that, “The insurgency is forcing the peasant- farmers to demonstrate along the border.” These false accusations put the lives of the demonstrators at risk, especially since the Army has already been attacking the community since September 15th, which has left 15 people injured, three of which are seriously wounded. Last week, the Army and police opened fire upon the farmers, leaving ten more injured. As if that weren´t enough, the Presidential advisor to the Social Action Program LUIS ALFONSO HOYOS reaffirmed that "It is the FARC who are telling the farmers to oppose the erradication," risking the lives and physical integrity of the farmers organized in the region.
Faced with these dangerous accusations, we hold responsible the national government and Dr. LUIS ALFONSO HOYOS in particular, for the consequences that their lies can bring upon the life and physical integrity of the leaders of the organizations.

Caquetá Departament
In the municipality of Cartagena del Chaira, the agrarian leader ISAAC LOPEZ LOPEZ was detained by members of the 10th District Attorney´s office as he was going towards Florencia to participate in the National Agrarian and Popular Mobilization. Isaac is an aspiring candidate to the Mayor´s office of Cartagena del Chaira under the Democratic Alternatice Pole Party and a recognized agrarian and popular leader.

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