(FLIP/IFEX) – Elizabeth Obando, who was responsible for the distribution of the regional newspaper “El Nuevo Día” in Roncesvalles municipality, Tolima department, died on 13 July 2002 as a result of injuries sustained at a roadblock. On 11 July, Obando was travelling on a bus in Playarrica (Tolima) when delinquents intercepted the vehicle, forced her […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – Elizabeth Obando, who was responsible for the distribution of the regional newspaper “El Nuevo Día” in Roncesvalles municipality, Tolima department, died on 13 July 2002 as a result of injuries sustained at a roadblock. On 11 July, Obando was travelling on a bus in Playarrica (Tolima) when delinquents intercepted the vehicle, forced her to get out and minutes later shot her several times. Angela Yesenia Bríñez, the municipality’s spokesperson, was also killed.
Obando was transferred to Federico Lleras Hospital in Ibagué, where she died two days later. The 21st division of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC) guerrillas is active in Playarrica and therefore it is believed that the groups was responsible for the attack.
The incident is apparently related to a public confrontation between “Donald”, leader of the FARC’s 21st division, and Obando. A 21 September 2001 article published in “El Nuevo Día” condemned the FARC for carrying out “de facto agrarian reform” in Roncesvalles municipality. In addition, the article alleged that the guerrillas were blackmailing the population and recruiting local youth.
The guerrilla leader reproached Obando for the contents of the article in a confrontation in the Roncesvalles town square. Subsequently, in a 3 March letter, Obando informed “El Nuevo Día” that the FARC had warned her to stop distributing the newspaper or “suffer the consequences.”
As a result of these threats, the “El Nuevo Día” management decided to suspend the newspaper’s distribution in Roncesvalles.
Roncesvalles is a municipality in southern Tolima. The FARC’s 21st division is active in the region and there is little police presence. A number of town council members, guards, peasants, small business owners and the municipality’s spokesperson have been assassinated there.
