43 96.22 The Department of Meta is considered an important coca and poppy producer, as well as a livestock-raising and agricultural one.39 96.23 In the early nineties, paramilitary groups, several drug trafficking organizations and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (hereinafter “the FARC”) sought to control the area where the municipality of Mapiripán is located.40 Also, given the area’s strategic importance, the paramilitary group of the AUC launched an armed campaign to increase its control over this territory.41 96.24 In 1997 the municipality of Mapiripán was under the jurisdiction of the “Joaquín París” battalion of San José del Guaviare, which was under the VII Brigade of the National Army of Colombia, headquartered at Villavicencio.42 There was a troop called the 2d Mobile Brigade, under the Special Counterinsurgency Operations Command. In July 1997 the VII Brigade of the Army was under the command of General Jaime Humberto Uscátegui Ramírez, the 2d Mobile Brigade was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lino Hernando Sánchez Prado and the Joaquín París Battalion of San José del Guaviare was under the command of Colonel Carlos Eduardo Ávila Beltrán. Nevertheless, from July 8 to 19, 1997, then Major Hernán Orozco Castro was in command of the “Joaquín París” battalion of San José del Guaviare, substituting for Colonel Carlos Eduardo Ávila Beltrán, who was on vacations.43 96.25 The marine infantry was stationed at the place known as “El Barrancón”, near the municipalities of Charras and Mapiripán. The security forces were also present at the airport in San José del Guaviare, under control of the Army and the Narcotics Police. The “Joaquín París” battalion was in charge of the airport.44 39 See indictment issued on April 7, 1999 by the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Human Rights Unit (file with appendixes to the brief containing pleadings and motions, appendix 27, page 3207 bis); statement by Leonardo Iván Cortés Novoa, rendered before the Office of the Attorney General on August 21, 1997 (file with appendixes to the brief containing pleadings and motions, appendix 30, pages 3400 and 3401), and sworn statement rendered by expert witness Robin Kirk on February 15, 2005 (file with statements rendered before or authenticated by a notary public, page 4623). 40 See indictment issued on April 7, 1999 by the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Human Rights Unit (file with appendixes to the brief containing pleadings and motions, appendix 27, page 3207 bis), and statement by José Luis Parra Vásquez, rendered before the Office of the Attorney General on June 23, 1998 (file with appendixes to the brief containing pleadings and motions, appendix 17, page 3097). 41 See indictment issued on April 7, 1999 by the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Human Rights Unit (file with appendixes to the brief containing pleadings and motions, appendix 27, page 3207 bis), and indictment issued on November 16, 1999 by the Office of the Attorney General (file with appendixes to the application, appendix 1, pages 42 and 43). 42 See June 21, 1999 ruling issued by the National Human Rights Unit (file with appendixes to the application, appendix 20, page 320). 43 See Judgment of February 15, 2005 issued by the Criminal Chamber of the High Court of the Court District of Bogotá (file with evidence tendered by the State, pages 4746 to 4749); June 21, 1999 ruling issued by the National Human Rights Unit (file with appendixes to the application, appendix 20, page 320); disciplinary ruling of April 24, 2001 issued by the Deputy Public Prosecutor of the Nation (file with appendixes to the application, appendix 61, page 1108), and sworn statement rendered by expert witness Robin Kirk on February 15, 2005 (file with statements rendered before or authenticated by a notary public, page 4625). 44 See Judgment of February 15, 2005 issued by the Criminal Chamber of the High Court of the Court District of Bogotá (file with evidence tendered by the State, pages 4741, 4742, 4738, 4745, 4748 and 4749).