127. It is also on record that the State provided technical and financial support for the
implementation of the different stages of the return to the area,261 preparing the initial
conditions for the return by planting crops and hiring boats and, subsequently, by housing
projects, production projects and other activities to assist in the resettlement. Also, in
September 2000, 201 persons were transferred from Bahía Cupica to Turbo for family
reunification purposes, and humanitarian assistance was provided to 10 families who returned
voluntarily from Jaqué (Panama) to Nueva Vida in 2004.262 Lastly, actions were taken in the
Cacarica river valley to provide attention to the communities, and one “Nueva Vida” family
benefited from them.263
128. However, the representatives and the victims indicated that the Government only
complied partially with the agreements it had made, 264 and that the housing construction
project in these settlements, started in October 2000, had proceeded very slowly. In addition,
they indicated that the process of providing identity documents and registering those who
returned to the Cacarica river basin was only partly completed,265 and that “[d]espite the
implementation of the different mechanisms of prevention, the proposed objective have not
been achieved completely, owing to the poor response of the Armed Forces. 266 Nevertheless,
the evidence reveals that, between May 1999 and December 2000, the State provided food to
those who were returning to the Cacarica territories, and who remained in Turbo and in Cupica,
amounting to approximately 1,243,475,684.00 Colombian pesos.267
129. In addition, as it has been noted (supra para. 121), the information presented by the
different State entities reveals that the Cacarica communities, in particular those of “Esperanza
en Dios” and “Nueva Vida,” continued to be subjected to threats, harassment and acts of
violence by members of the armed groups.268 Between 1996 and 2002, 106 persons belonging
261
Cf. Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of August 27, 2009, para. 104 (evidence file, folio 7596): the
different stages of the return were as follows: the exploration (October 13, 1999), the vanguard (December 1999), the
first stage (January 31, 2000), the second stage (October 13, 2000), and the third stage (between December 2000 and
March 1, 2001). See also: Return Agreement between the Communities displaced from the Cacarica river basin
provisionally settled in Turbo, Bocas de Atrato and Bahía, and the national Government (evidence file, folio 1638).
262
Cf. Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of August 27, 2009, para. 110 (evidence file, folio 7597).
263
Cf. Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of August 27, 2009, para. 111 (evidence file, folio 7597): Visits to
provide comprehensive assistance in 2005 and one in 2006, for medical-surgical care; food, medicines, and
psychosocial care; in coordination with Comunidad Hábitat Finanzas (CHF), schools were constructed in the districts of
Bogota (1), San Higinio (1) and El Limón (1), and 150 temporary shelters were erected for San Higinio, Bocas del
Limón, La Tapa, Puente América, Santa Lucia and Barranquilla.
264
Cf. Affidavits of January 21, 2013, prepared by Henry Angulo Martínez (evidence file, 15075); Jerónimo Pérez
Argumedo (evidence file, folio 14932), and John Jairo Mena Palacio (evidence file, folio 14986).
265
Cf. Ombudsman’s Office. Decision No. 025 of the Ombudsman on the massive human rights violations and
forced displacement in the Bajo Atrato region of Chocó, October 2002, point E.10 (evidence file, folio 240).
266
Cf. Ombudsman’s Office. Decision No. 025 of the Ombudsman on the massive human rights violations and
forced displacement in the Bajo Atrato region of Chocó, October 2002, para. 15 (evidence file, folio 241).
267
Cf. Management report of the Joint Verification Commission of March 2004 (evidence file, folios 4988 and
4989). The note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of April 24, 2001, on the processing of MC 70-99, received on April 25,
2001, indicates that this amounted to 11,154,769,286.00 pesos (evidence file, folios 1658 and ff.).
268
Cf. Ombudsman’s Office, System for the prevention of massive human rights violations, Early Warning System,
November 30, 2001 (evidence file, folio 51083); Ombudsman’s Office, Early Warning System, Risk assessment and
description, February 8, 2002 (evidence file, folio 51087); Ombudsman’s Office, Early Warning System, Risk report No.
017-03, March 14, 2003 (evidence file, folio 51103); Ombudsman’s Office. Decision No. 025 of the Ombudsman on the
massive human rights violations and forced displacement in the Bajo Atrato region of Chocó, October 2002, paras. 36 to
47 (evidence file, folios 237 and 238); Ombudsman’s Office. Press communiqué No. 667-A of December 19, 2001,
(evidence file, folio 51396); Ombudsman’s Office. Press communiqué No. 691 of February 8, 2002 (evidence file, folio
51397); Ombudsman’s Office. Press communiqué No. 753, of August 14, 2002 (evidence file, folio 51398);
Ombudsman’s Office. Press communiqué No. 1349, of October 16, 2008 (evidence file, folio 51407), and Ombudsman’s
Office, Note No. 402501/1040-08, Report on imminent danger No. 025-08, for the Municipality of Rio Sucio – Chocó of
November 4, 2008 (evidence file, folio 51185). See also: Affidavits of January 21, 2013, prepared by Etilbia Del Carmen
Paez Cierra (evidence file, folio 15044); Elvia Hinestroza Roa (evidence file, folio 15034), and Marcos Fidel Velásquez
53
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents