Mass graves are revealing the suffering of Christians in Colombia’s overlooked conflict

In a rural part of Colombia, seven Christians answered a summons from an illegal armed group and never returned home. What happened in Calamar, Ellis Heasley says, is a chilling glimpse into the price some pay in standing for justice and truth in the name of faith

Last week, Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office announced the discovery of eight bodies in a mass grave in a rural part of Calamar Municipality, Guaviare Department.

James Caicedo, Oscar García, Isaíd Gómez, Maryuri Hernández, Nixon Peñalosa, Maribel Silva and Carlos and Jesús Valero had all been missing for almost three months, after each of them obeyed separate personal summonses issued by an illegal armed group on 4 and 5 April.

All eight individuals were from the hamlet of Agua Bonita in Calamar, and seven were active leaders and members of their local churches. Carlos and Jesús were brothers; Isaíd and Maribel were married with two children aged 4 and 11; Maryuri had left her five-year-old daughter with her husband while she complied with the summons; James, Oscar and Nixon were all grandfathers.