Evangelical Council of Colombia accuses armed groups of murder of two pastors

William Delgado, BOGOTA, Colombia, March 16, 2006

The Board of Directors of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL) accused armed groups of Taxi Heathrow Airport being responsible for the murder of two Evangelical pastors in the city of Buenaventura, the most recent which took place yesterday.

CEDECOL's protest is the first reaction of the Evangelical community to the murder of Pastors Alfredo Orozco, of the New Christian Beginnings Church on Wednesday and the death of Oscar Munoz, of the Christian Missionary Alliance, murdered March 3.

"This irrational action grieves the Christian family of the Colombian nation and leads a huge wound and pain in the congregations and the families of the ministers," Pastor Roosevelt Muriel, president of CEDECOL told ALC. 

Pastor Orozco, age 33, who led a congregation of 300 members, was gunned down by unknown assailants when he left his home yesterday. He leaves a wife and two children. Pastor Munoz, who lived in Buenaventura for the past 15 years, was killed in similar circumstances.

"We demand in firm and conclusive manner that the groups who have attacked the lives of the Christian pastors cease their actions against Evangelical Churches in the country," said Muriel.

ALC discovered that two pastors from Cali had received death threats and one left the country Thursday. An Evangelical Pastor, who declined to give his name, said that the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) declared Evangelical pastors a military target. In recent years 47 pastors have been murdered, he said.

A funeral will be held for Pastor Orozco in the city of Palmira Friday, said CEDECOL.

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