Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Agenzia Fides) – The National Secretariat for Social Ministry in Colombia issued a statement in response to the murder of Jorge Humberto Echeverri Garro, a 40-year-old professor and catechist, making an appeal to the public on a national and international level, in light of the situation of violence that is spreading through Arauca. In the statement, signed by Monsignor Hector Fabio Henao Gaviria, Director of the National Secretariat of Social Ministry, the National Secretariat shows its great concern for “the persistent harm done to civilians caught up in the armed conflict, which also affects the humanitarian aid areas and neutral areas run by the Catholic Church in this area and throughout the country.”
As the statement explains, on June 11, Jorge Humberto Echeverri Garro, 40 years of age, was in Colonos, Panama de Arauca, City of Arauquita, participating in a meeting for Social Ministry, on plans the Church is making for community reinforcement in the area, in collaboration with Caritas Germany. During the meeting, a guerrilla group took over the populated area of the city, went to the site of the meeting and without any explanation, laid hold of the catechist and killed him.
The statement reads: “Jorge Humberto, in addition to being known for his leadership, was also a catechist and participant in the teachers' network...in collaboration with the UNHCR.”
This is not the first time something of this kind occurs. So far, this year alone, three other teachers in difficult access areas have been killed: June 9, in Puerto Rondon, a group of armed men killed Pablo Garcia (of the indigenous ethnic group of the Sikuani), working at the school in the indigenous community of Cuiloto Marreros (Hitnu ethnicity). On June 8, 16-year-old Linderman German Farias Gonzales was reported missing and supposedly killed by a guerrilla group, in a sector known as Tres Cruces. On April 24, teacher Milton Blanco, who was working in the El Condor school, was assassinated by an unidentified armed group in the El Naranjo school, in the rural area of Tame.
The Social Ministry has expressed its solidarity and support to the people of Arauca, especially the community of Panama de Arauca and the families of the victims, exhorting them not to fall into despair. They also made an appeal to the armed guerrillas, asking that they respect the humanitarian space “and the civilian population not be caught up in the conflict, guaranteeing their human rights.”
“With renewed faith, the Church will continue on in her commitment to building peace in Colombia, accompanying and strengthening the weakest and most affected by the armed conflict...fighting for the dignity of every human being, to make Colombia a land of hope,” the text concluded. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 15/6/2009)
