Memorial

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Literally thousands of civilians have lost their lives in the Colombian conflict. Whilst people are killed for many reasons one of the most common causes of death is selective assassination. The victims of these assassinations are specifically targeted for their opposition to the Colombian regime. In the vast majority of the cases those that pull the trigger are either members of the Colombian security forces or paramilitary assassins that work with the Colombian Army. These are some of the victims:

Adolfo Munera Lopez, a leader of the food and drink workers' trade union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Alberto Angulo, local councillor and community leader assassinated by the Colombian Army

Alejandro Hernandez, activist in the food and drink workers' union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries, his body was found five months later in an unmarked grave

Alejandro Uribe, a peasant farmer assassinated by the Colombian Army

Alirio Martinez, regional leader of the agricultural workers' trade union FENSUAGRO assassinated by the Colombian Army

The funeral of Alirio Martinez

Alvaro Realpe, activist in the teachers trade union FECODE assassinated by paramilitaries

Angel Quintero, human rights activist who was forcibly disappeared by paramilitaries

Alvaro Ulcue Chocue, priest assassinated by Colombian military intelligence officers

Aury Sara Marrugo, regional leader of the oil workers' trade union USO was tortured to death by paramilitaries

Belisario Camayo Guetoto, an indigenous teenager assassinated by the Colombian police

Bernardo Jaramillo, leader and presidential candidate of the Patriotic Union political party assassinated by Colombian military intelligence officers

Claudia Monsalve, human rights activist who was forcibly disappeared by paramilitaries

Carlos Pizarro, leader and presidential candidate of the AD/M-19 political party assassinated by Colombian military intelligence officers

Edgar Burgos, activist in the transport workers' trade union assassinated by the Colombian police

Eduardo Umana, human rights lawyer assassinated by paramilitaries

Eduardo Loffsner Torres, leader of the judicial workers' union tortured to death by Colombian soldiers

Efren Achicanoy, activist in the agricultural workers' trade union FENSUAGRO tortured to death by paramilitaries

Elia Castro, human rights lawyer assassinated together with her husband by Colombian military intelligence officers

Elizabeth Canas, human rights activist assassinated by paramilitaries

Fredy Antonio Arias, indigenous leader assassinated by paramilitariesaries

German Delgado, activist in the university workers' trade union assassinated by paramilitaries

Gilberto Escudero, activist in the municipal workers' trade union assassinated by paramilitaries

Guillermo Marin, a leader of the CUT trade union federation assassinated by Colombian military intelligence officers

Gilberto Patino, local councillor, peace activist and regional leader of the municipal workers' trade union tortured to death by paramilitaries

Hector Useche, activist in the food and drink workers' union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Hugo Zapata, a leader of the public sector workers' union assassinated by paramilitaries

Isidro Segundo, activist in the food and drink workers' union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Jaime Garzon, journalist and comedian assassinated by paramilitaries

Jairo Vallejo, activist in the public sector workers' union assassinated by paramilitaries

Jaime Pardo Leal, leader and presidential candidate of the Patriotic Union political party assassinated by the Colombian Army

Jesus Agreda, activist in the teachers' trade union FECODE assassinated by paramilitaries

Jorge Ortega, deputy leader of the CUT trade union federation assassinated by paramilitaries

Jorge Prieto, regional leader of the health workers' trade union ANTHOC assassinated by the Colombian Army

Jose Antequera, leader of the national union of students and leader of the young Communist Party assassinated by Colombian military intelligence officers

Jose Manuel Becerra, activist in the food and drink workers' union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Jose Rodrigo Garcia, a departmental assembly member, and his wife Maria Mercedes Mendez, the mayor of the town of El Castillo, both assassinated by paramilitaries

Israel Gonzalez, leader of the agricultural workers trade union ASTRACATOL and an active member of the political opposition, was shot dead by soldiers in January 2008

Josue Giraldo Cardona, human rights defender assassinated by paramilitaries

Jose Pedro Coscue, indigenous activist assassinated by the Colombian police

Juan Lopez, community leader assassinated by the Colombian Army

Julian Andres Hurtado, student leader assassinated by paramilitaries

Leonel Goyeneche, regional leader of the teachers' trade union FECODE assassinated by the Colombian Army

Kimy Pernia Domico, indigenous leader assassinated by paramilitaries

Luciano Enrique Molina, a member of the food and drink workers trade union SINALTRAINAL was tortured and then murdered by paramilitaries

Luis Enrique Giraldo, activist in the food and drink workers' trade union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Manuel Cepeda, Senator and newspaper editor assassinated by paramilitaries

Manuel Chacon, leader of the oil workers' trade union USO tortured to death by paramilitaries

Maria Castaneda, local councillor assassinated by the Colombian Army

Maria Lucero Henao, human rights defender assassinated along with her 16-year-old son by paramilitaries

Yamid Daniel Henao, the 16-year-old son of Maria Lucero Henao who was killed with his mother

Luis Miguel Gomez, regional leader of the agricultural workers' trade union FENSUAGRO assassinated by the Colombian Army

Mario Calderon & Elsa Constanza Alvarado, both human rights defenders assassinated along with Elsa's father by paramilitaries

Mario Castro Bueno, human rights defender assassinated by the Colombian Army

Mauricio Tote Yace, indigenous leader assassinated by the Colombian police

Orlando Valencia, human rights defender assassinated by the Colombian police

Oswall Moreno Ibague, human rights defender and community leader assassinated by the Colombian Army

Pablo Caicedo, student leader assassinated by the Colombian Army

Pedro Luis Valencia, Congressman assassinated by paramilitaries

Pedro Mosquera, activist in the agricultural workers' trade union FENSUAGRO assassinated by paramilitaries

Reynaldo Perdomo Hite, community leader and human rights defender assassinated by the Colombian Army

Rafael Pineda, regional leader of the bank workers' trade union UNEB assassinated by paramilitaries

Ruben Castano, local councillor assassinated by paramilitaries

Ricardo Orozco, regional leader of the health workers' trade union ANTHOC assassinated by paramilitaries

Samuel Rojas, regional leader of the CUT trade union federation assassinated by paramilitaries

Sergio Restrepo Jaramillo, priest assassinate by the Colombian Army

Toribio de la Hoz Escorcia, activist in the food and drink workers' trade union SINALTRAINAL assassinated by paramilitaries

Transito Ibaque de Moreno, community leader assassinated by the Colombian Army

Yolanda Ceron Delgado, human rights defender assassinated by paramilitaries

17-year-old Eyder Quiguanas Rumique was tortured and then murdered by soldiers of the 7th Brigade of the Colombian Army

Jesus Heberto Caballero, the regional leader of the adult education workers union SINDESENA, was abducted and then killed in April 2008

Guillermo Rivera, leader of the Bogota public sector workers trade union, was murdered in the Colombian capital Bogota in April 2008

Leonidas Gomez Rozo, an activist in the bank workers trade union UNEB, was killed in March 2008

Judith Adriana Vergara, a community leader and member of the political opposition, was killed in the city of Medellin

Miguel Angel Gonzalez, a peace activist and son of a trade union leader, was murdered by Colombian soldiers in January 2008

Alexander Gomez, a youth leader, was killed by paramilitaries in July 2008

Luis Mayusa, a trade unionist and member of the political opposition, was assassinated in August 2008

Sometimes, instead of selective assassinations, massacres are carried out to simply wipe out entire groups of people who have opposed the Government or who are deemed to be sympathetic to the leftwing FARC guerrillas. In 2005 the Colombian Army entered the 'peace community' of San Jose de Apartado in northern Colombia. The community rejects violence and has asks that all armed groups keep off their land. Because of this the Colombian regime has declared that the community is anti-Government and a series of attacks have been carried out against them. When the Army entered in 2005 they rounded up the leader of the community and his family and tortured and murdered them all. Seven people were murdered in all, including four children:

Luis Eduardo Guerra, the leader of the San Jose 'peace community, who was massacred along with his family by the Colombian Army.

Bellanira Areiza

11-year-old Deiner Andres Guerra

6-year-old Natalia Andrea Tuberquia

Sandra Milena Munoz

Alfonso Bolivar Tuberquia

2-year-old Santiago Tuberquia Munoz