Colombian Human Rights Defenders Targeted for Prosecution: The Case of Principe Gabriel Gonzalez http://upsidedownworld.org/main/colombia-archives-61/3221-colombian-human-rights-defenders-targeted-for-prosecution-the-case-of-principe-gabriel-gonzalez

Principe Gabriel Gonzalez has been persecuted for his work as a human rights activist with Colombia's Political Prisoners Solidarity Committee.Since the 80s these paramilitary organizations, in various guises, have waged a dirty war against Colombia’s left-wing guerrilla groups. Rather than engage the insurgents in direct combat, the war has focused on “collaborators”, a tag indiscriminately applied to leftist activists and politicians, unions, campesinos (peasant farmers) and human rights organizations. These groups have suffered massacres, assassinations, forced displacement, kidnappings and death threats at the hands of the paramilitaries.

Collusion between the paramilitaries and the military, politicians, landowners and multinationals has been widely documented. The groups also control much of Colombia’s drug trade. Backed by such power and wealth, those responsible for attacks on human rights groups have enjoyed virtual judicial impunity.