Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that there have been death threats made against a number of non-governmental organisations, all members of the Espacio de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de Derechos Humanos (ETTDH – Human Rights Workers' Coalition), allegedly sent by the paramilitary group, the “Águilas Negras (Black Eagles)”. The ETTDH is a network of social organisations and human rights defenders' organisations in Barrancabermeja and the region of the Magdalena Medio.

Further Information

Posted 26/06/2008 On 18 June 2008, one of the member organisations in membership of ETTDH received a threatening announcement from the Águilas Negras which stated that the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP – Popular Women's Organisation), the Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CREDHOS – the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights), the Asociación Campesina del Valle del Río Citarra (ACVC – the Peasants' Association of the Valley of the River Citarra) and the non-governmental organisation ASODESAMUB are military targets.

The announcement accused the organisations of promoting and working for insurgency groups with a view to destabilising the state. The threat was signed by “el comandante de zona, Águilas Negras Unidas de Colombia (Commander of the Area, Black Eagles of Colombia)”.

The announcement came after complaints about night-time patrols carried out by armed, hooded men in communes 7 and 3 of Barrancabermeja, and an attack in which an adult and a child were injured by a firearm. Furthermore there have been several death threats against organizations from the ETTDH in the last year.

Front Line believes that the death threats against the ETTDH organisations are related to the work that they carry out in the defence of human rights. Front Line is very concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the members of all of the above-named organisations.