“Land restitution process sparks more threats “– 23 January, 2015

Paramilitaries have threatened dozens of land claimants and community leaders, as well as human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists and state officials working on land restitution in the departments of Atlántico and Magdalena in northern Colombia…Colombian human rights organizations report that there have been constant threats against them, land restitution claimants and state officials in Magdalena and Atlántico Departments since November 2014…These threats come at a time when the land restitution process in Atlántico and Magdalena departments has begun processing complex cases involving claims for restitution on land occupied by multinational companies as well as by large landowners with suspected links to paramilitaries. Similar death threats were made by paramilitaries on 11 January and 18 December 2014.