and paramilitary groups (18.98%)17 As reported by the Rapporteurs in 1995, each year between 28,000 and 30,000 murders were commited.18 41. The UN Rapporteurs particularly noted with regard to the extrajudicial executions that, at the time, the label of “internal enemy” was frequently applied to any person considered to be supporting the guerrillas in one way or another (even where the latter used force to obtain, for example, food or money from civilians). The Rapporteurs indicated that this label was extended to all persons who expressed dissatisfaction with the political, economic and social situation, particularly in the rural areas. 19 Leaders and members of trade unions, political opposition parties, human rights organizations, social workers, etc., were, together with peasants, the main victims of human rights violations in areas affected by the armed conflict.20 42. With respect to one of the modus operandi for some extrajudicial executions, during its visit in 1997, the Commission has received information about violence against civilians committed in the course of installing and maintaining military checkpoints due to a perception that guerillas were operating in the area.21 The Commission noted a relevant element in this context that “there usually does not exist information to suggest that the security forces had sufficient reason to believe that they were actually firing upon members of armed dissident groups;” 22 and that on various occasions it was shown that members of the Army attacked civilians passing through roadblocks “without any warning and without verifying that the vehicles contained any members of armed dissident groups.” 23 43. The Commission pointed out that “the State's security forces sometimes suggest to the press and to the public that the executed individuals were members of armed dissident groups killed in combat.” 24 The Commission stressed rgar it was “extremely concerned by this information indicating that the State security forces carry out extrajudicial executions of individuals believed to support the guerrillas based on their presence in an area or their supposed indirect participation in hostilities.” 25 44. The aforementioned modus operandi in the perpetration of extrajudicial executions was identified in further detail by the UN Rapporteurs in 1995, who explained that “often, the civilians killed 17 Economic and Social Council, Joint report of the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Mr. Nigel S. Rodley, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye, submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1994/37 and 1994/82, E/CN.4/1995/111, 16 January 1995, para. 20. Available at: http://daccess-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G95/101/73/PDF/G9510173.pdf?OpenElement 18 Economic and Social Council, Joint report of the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Mr. Nigel S. Rodley, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye, submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1994/37 and 1994/82, E/CN.4/1995/111, 16 January 1995, para. 103. Available at: http://daccess-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G95/101/73/PDF/G9510173.pdf?OpenElement 19 Economic and Social Council, Joint report of the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Mr. Nigel S. Rodley, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye, submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1994/37 and 1994/82, E/CN.4/1995/111, 16 January 1995, para. 25. Available at: http://daccess-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G95/101/73/PDF/G9510173.pdf?OpenElement 20 Economic and Social Council, Joint report of the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Mr. Nigel S. Rodley, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye, submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1994/37 and 1994/82, E/CN.4/1995/111, 16 January 1995, para. 25. Available at: http://daccess-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G95/101/73/PDF/G9510173.pdf?OpenElement 21IACHR, Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia, Chapter IV. Violence and Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, para. 190. 22IACHR, Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia, Chapter IV. Violence and Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, para. 190. 23IACHR, Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia, Chapter IV. Violence and Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, para. 194. 24 IACHR, Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia, Chapter IV. Violence and Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, para. 200. 25IACHR, Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia, Chapter IV. Violence and Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, para. 202.