REPORTS ON THE DOCUMENTATION OF CASES OF SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATI REPORTS ON THE DOCUMENTATION OF CASES OF SERIOUS H | Page 7

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METHODOLOGY

This dossier covers three periods, the first between 1990 and 1994, the second between 1998 and 2006 and the third from 2010 to 2016. As for the location of the facts, took place in the region of Magdalena Medio, mainly in municipalities in the departments of Santander and Bolívar. In synthesis, we seek to identify criminality patterns framed in a state terrorism policy and, consequently, the judicialization of those responsible for these crimes.

Criteria for the selection of cases

Following the delimitation of the general parameters of case documentation, the "practical" criteria for the selection of each one of them were identified. Here, the following criteria prevailed:

1.Easy access to family and witnesses: Although were recognized the acts with more impact to the victims, were identified the cases where the access to the family was possible, that is to say, whom live in Barrancabermeja city or its surroundings, due to logistic and financial problems with the accessing to witnesses and their families in other regions of the country.

2.Context and primary source: It took as the basis the historical files of human rights from CREDHOS, just like the existence of declarations and notes of press written and digital media related with the acts.

3.Legal process previously advanced: it was analyzed the existence or not of judicial process, as possible as it could be.

4.Identification of the perpetrator: being one of the greatest challenges, it was taken as a criterion the identification of the alleged perpetrators of the atrocious acts.

In general terms this previous selection had two filters; The first carried out by the regional promoters of the corporation, who analyzed the previous criteria for the selection of each case, the second was developed jointly in the team, there was deliberated the viability of each one and was prioritized a Specific group.