Peace Timeline: 2002

U.S. Military and Police Aid - Focus on Arauca and Putumayo:Timeline of Current Events Arauca:
February 2004

February 23

Several former mayors and local leaders have been arrested or detained on suspicion of creating false contracts that served as facades for funding ELN guerrillas. The Attorney General's office is continuing its investigation with the help of the Administrative Department for Economic Solidarity and the Superintendent of Economic Solidarity. The Attorney General's office has also asked the Ministry of Interior and Justice to investigate a number of local social organizations that appear to be manipulating contracts.

[http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/judi/2004-02-23/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1519848.html]

February 8

As Colombia celebrates Journalists' Day, reporters in Arauca continue to struggle to do their jobs. Due to increased threats and attacks against the press, more than 15 reporters have decided to leave their posts and seek refuge in Bogotá. For three months Arauca had no local news reports. This situation prompted the Minister of Interior to send two SUVs and four armed bodyguards to encourage reporters to move around the department. Additionally, it placed eight of the displaced reporters under the government witness protection program.

Even with the new security measures, violence and threats continue to have a devastating effect on the quality of local reporting. As a result, the press no longer covers the local security situation in any of its reports. While local authorities believe that the situation has improved, reporters say they continue to live and work in fear.

[EL TIEMPO: http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/naci/2004-02-09/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1504965.html]