CSW is calling for the Colombian government to carry out an urgent investigation into the disappearance of eight individuals, including seven Protestant church leaders and active church members, in Guaviare Department, Colombia, on 4 and 5 April. The missing individuals, all of whom are from the hamlet of Agua Bonita in Pueblo Seco, Calamar Municipality, obeyed personal summonses issued by an illegal armed group to meetings from which they have not returned.  

Isaíd Gómez, Maribel Silva and Carlos Valero obeyed the summonses on 4 April; the following day, James Caicedo, Jesús Valero, Maryuri Hernández, Nixon Peñalosa and Oscar García did the same. After the individuals failed to return home, family members sought out representatives of the illegal armed group, which initially denied that any summonses had been issued. Later, the family members were indirectly warned that they should stop looking and ‘consider the case to be closed.’  A source told CSW that some are considering fleeing the region out of fear of reprisals and for the lives of the children and parents of the disappeared individuals. 

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group, maintained a strong presence in Guaviare over decades and imposed severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). At least two dissident factions which have not accepted the 2016 peace agreement between the FARC and the Colombian government, the Central General Staff (EMC) and the Central Staff of Blocks and Fronts (EMBF), and which are in conflict with each other and other illegal armed or criminal groups in an effort to control the region, maintain an active presence in Calamar Municipality. CSW investigations have found that church leaders in the region are only permitted by the illegal armed and criminal groups to hold religious services at certain times. Self-censorship is common, with leaders cautious about preaching on subjects that might ‘upset’ the groups.  

Pastor Fabian Cárdenas, president of the Evangelical Alliance of Colombia Denomination (DEAC), called on the government to intervene to clarify the location of the group of eight, which includes four leaders and members of his denomination. His calls were repeated by Farid Castaño Garcia, mayor of Calamar, who also expressed concern that he has received no response from the Guaviare Department or national governments to his requests for an urgent meeting of the national Security Council. 

Churches from both affected denominations have been holding daily prayer vigils since 9 April. ‘Fear is in all of us,’ a source told CSW, ‘and although we trust that God is righteous and never abandons us, there are circumstances that can happen, such as the death of our brothers and sisters.’ 

CSW’s CEO Scot Bower said: ‘We call on President Gustavo Petro to take urgent action to determine the whereabouts and well-being of the eight individuals from Agua Bonita who were forcibly disappeared over 4 and 5 April. CSW stands with their families and church communities in demanding that the illegal armed group responsible for the forced disappearance of these men and women free them immediately. We are deeply troubled by the rising levels of violence in Guaviare and other parts of Colombia, the targeting of civilians, including religious leaders, by illegal armed and criminal groups, and the detrimental impact this has on all fundamental human rights including on freedom of religion or belief.’ 

Notes to Editors: 

1. The group of eight disappeared individuals includes seven active leaders and members from two Protestant denominations, the Evangelical Alliance of Colombia Denomination (DEAC) and the Foursquare Gospel Church (ICCG), including: 

1. 1. Nixon Peñalosa, president of the Community Action Board of Agua Bonita and treasurer of the DEAC. He has been married for 46 years and his wife is a member of the same church. 

   2. Maryuri Hernández, who assisted the current DEAC pastor in different ways alongside her husband who was watching their five-year-old daughter while Ms Hernández complied with the summons. 

   3. Married couple Isaíd Gómez and Maribel Silva, both DEAC church leaders who frequently preached. They have two children ages 4 and 11. 

   4. James Caicedo, the former pastor of the ICCG church who continues to play a leadership role, alongside fellow ICCG members Oscar García and Jesús Valero.  

2. The eighth missing person, Carlos Valero, is not a member of any church but is the uncle of Isaíd Gómez and brother of Jesús Valero.  

3. All eight individuals had settled in Guaviare after being displaced from Arauca Department due to violence and severe violations of FoRB including the closure of churches and the targeting of Protestant pastors by illegal armed and criminal groups over the past decade. 
   

Caption: A graphic calling for the release of the eight individuals that has circulated on social media.