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Mass Graves Discovered in Columbia

The Putumayo region in the Southern part of Columbia is home to coca plant operations and thus the scene of fierce fighting between rivals from three different groups ? the state security forces, leftist rebels and far-right paramilitaries. Since last August, Columbian forensics have been searching for mass graves in the region in the hope of finding just some of the estimated 10,000 Columbian citizens that are buried in unmarked graves in the country. Many in the Putumayo region have been murdered by their own groups, after they were suspected of abetting the enemy.

In a news conference on Saturday, the Chief Prosecutor of Columbia, Mr. Mario Iguaran told reporters that a forensics team had dug up a mass grave consisting of over 100 bodies. The victims had been killed around 8 years ago and police say that some showed signs of dismemberment before they were thrown into the grave. The bodies were discovered around 350 miles south of Bogoto in the area of La Hormiga in the Putumayo region.

Local residents who know first hand about the goings on in this coca-rich land led the police to this particular area. Many have been victims of violence that occurs at an almost daily rate in Putumayo and have led police to discover literally hundreds of mass graves in this past year. Paramilitaries have also helped forsenics pinpoint the exact location of graves as part of a peace deal with the government ? they confess their crimes and assist police in finding victims, in return for their freedom or reduced sentences.