Fear and Uncertainty Grips Colombian Hamlet Amid Disappearances
The Colombian community of Agua Bonita in Calamar Municipality, Guaviare Department, is engulfed in fear following the disappearance of eight individuals, seven of whom are associated with Protestant churches. These events unfolded after they were summoned by a guerrilla group earlier this month.
The missing persons are primarily linked to the Evangelical Alliance of Colombia Denomination (DEAC) and the Foursquare Gospel Church (ICCG). Among those missing are Nixon Peñalosa, DEAC’s treasurer and president of the Community Action Board of Agua Bonita, and Maryuri Hernández, a former ICCG pastor.
These individuals, who were displaced from the Arauca Department due to violence against church communities, were last seen on the 4th and 5th of April when they attended private meetings called by an illegal armed group.
Efforts by family members to locate their loved ones were halted after they were warned to cease their search and to “consider the case closed.” This has heightened the anxiety within the community, with some families contemplating relocation due to the looming threat of retaliation.
Concerns have been reignited regarding the security in Guaviare, where factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to exert influence despite the 2016 peace agreement. Groups such as the Central Staff of Blocks and Fronts (EMBF) and the Central General Staff (EMC) are particularly noted for controlling the area and imposing restrictions on religious practices.
Local pastors often require permission from these groups to conduct services, leading to a pervasive climate of self-censorship for survival. The targeting of Christian leaders is not unprecedented, as illustrated by the fatal shooting of Iván García, a 28-year-old Protestant church leader, in January during a similar attack.
Additionally, Pastor Marlon Lora and his family were killed in a comparable incident just two weeks prior. In response to the recent disappearances, Pastor Fabian Cárdenas, President of DEAC, has called on authorities to urgently locate the missing individuals, four of whom were from his denomination.
Calamar’s mayor, Farid Castaño Garcia, has echoed these calls, expressing frustration over unheeded requests for a national Security Council meeting.
Since the 9th of April, congregations from the DEAC and the Foursquare Gospel Church have been gathering daily for prayer. They expressed their anguish to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), saying, “Fear is in all of us 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.”
Scot Bower, CEO of CSW, has appealed to President Gustavo Petro for swift action: “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.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
