5,000 demobilized paramilitaries unaccounted for

[Judi Lynn]

5,000 demobilized paramilitaries unaccounted for
Sunday, 23 January 2011 07:12 Adriaan Alsema

Colombian authorities have no idea of the whereabouts of some 5,000 former paramilitary fighters who were part of the massive demobilization of the AUC, newspaper El Tiempo reported on Sunday. According to the newspaper, the 5,000 are part of the 31,000 fighters who demobilized between 2003 and 2006, but have fell of the radar, because they stopped reporting to the country's reintegration agency.

Following a new law, adopted in December after the Constitutional Court ruled that the massive exclusion of prosecution of paramilitaries was against the constitution, those who demobilized are obliged to report their whereabouts to authorities. Those who do not comply to the new regulations will be kicked out of the Justice and Peace program that allows former paramilitaries to receive economic support and education.

El Tiempo reported that authorities are concerned many of these former members of the AUC have joined neo-paramilitary gangs like the "Urabeños," "Aguilas Negras" or "Paisas" or run the risk of joining these gangs.

1,500 of the "disappeared" paramilitaries are from Antioquia, traditionally a hotbed for extreme right-wing fighters, but also the capital Bogota and the departments of Cordoba, Cesar and Meta have high number of demobilized paramilitaries who are unaccounted for.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/13874-5000-demobilized-paramilitaries-unaccounted-for.html