Colombia: Disappearance and presumed killing of human rights defender Armando Montañez

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the disappearance and presumed killing of the human rights defender, Armando Montañez. Armando Montañez was a community leader and formerly a leader of the Asociación Nacional de Usuarios Campesinos (ANUC) and President of the Junta de Acción Comunal de la Vereda El Paraiso, in the district of Monterralo, in Aguazul, Casanare, Colombia.

Further Information

Posted 06/02/2008 On 16 January 2008, at approximately 6.00am, four armed men appeared at Armando Montañez's home in Monterralo. The men were dressed in civilian clothes and wore rubber boots. Two of them also wore balaclavas covering their faces. On learning of the presence of the four men, Armando approached the house, together with his nine-year old son and a man, José Jutínico Gómez, who was working on Armando Montañez's estate at the time. As they approached the house, the four men opened fire at Armando Montañez, at which point he and his son began to run, pursued by the four men. Armando Montañez's son managed to escape. The four men reportedly grabbed José Jutínico Gómez, physically abusing him and threatening him that he were going to kill him. According to information received, Armando Montañez had received a telephone call two days prior to the attack from a “Dr. Dora” from the Public Prosecutor's Office who gave him a telephone number to call “in case he had security problems”. On learning of what had happened, members of the community are reported to have informed Sergeant Ángel Padilla, requesting the assistance of the army in the search for Armando Montañez. This request was refused. On 18 January 2008, at approximately 9.00 am, members of the community discovered a body that is believed to be that of Armando Montañez. The body was found two kilometres from Armando Montañez's estate. It had signs of physical injuries and had been shot twice in the head. The Army sought to remove the body but due to pressure from Armando Montañez's family and from the Corporación Social Para la Asesoría y Capacitación Comunitaria (COS-PACC), this was not carried out until the arrival of members of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Cuerpo Técnico de Investigaciones.

Armando Montañez had previously been the subject of threats and acts of intimidation, in particular from a member of a paramilitary group called “HK” from whom he had been receiving threats for the past three years. Despite his complaints to the authorities, no investigations are reported to have taken place.

Front Line believes that the attack against Armando Montañez, as well as his disappearance and his presumed killing, are related to his human rights work, in particular his work as a community leader in Casanare. Front Line is also concerned for the security of the members of Armando Montañez's family.