La Gabarra Massacre
Encyclopedia
La Gabarra Massacre was a massacre that occurred on June 16, 1996 near the Colombia
n village of La Gabarra, Municipality of Tibú
, Norte de Santander near the border with Venezuela
. It was perpetrated by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC guerrilla) against alleged members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC paramilitary group). Both groups were at war, struggling to control the territory which they used for cultivation and processing of coca
. Some 35-43 people were massacred.
were some 43 peasants were working on a coca plantation owned by paramilitaries. A survivor said that they were sleeping when the FARC members stormed in, they tied town everyone and threw them onto the floor. Almost immediately the FARC members began shooting all of them one by one. The witness said he had managed to survive because he had faked his death after being shot. He also mentioned that the guerrillas constantly accused them of being paramilitary aiders, when they were just there for the money.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n village of La Gabarra, Municipality of Tibú
Tibú
Tibú is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-History:The area of present day Tibú was established as a camp basement by oil companies who first arrived in the area in 1945. On March 8, 1945 the Council of Cúcuta approved the creation of the corregimiento...
, Norte de Santander near the border with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. It was perpetrated by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
(FARC guerrilla) against alleged members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
(AUC paramilitary group). Both groups were at war, struggling to control the territory which they used for cultivation and processing of coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
. Some 35-43 people were massacred.
The massacre
At 5 am an undetermined number of FARC guerrilla members arrived to a haciendaHacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
were some 43 peasants were working on a coca plantation owned by paramilitaries. A survivor said that they were sleeping when the FARC members stormed in, they tied town everyone and threw them onto the floor. Almost immediately the FARC members began shooting all of them one by one. The witness said he had managed to survive because he had faked his death after being shot. He also mentioned that the guerrillas constantly accused them of being paramilitary aiders, when they were just there for the money.