Over 313 Murders of Human Rights and Environment Defenders, Denounce Colombian Activists.. Government Silent
‘With the guerrillas finally withdrawing and disbanding in a ‘Peace Process’ the rightwing capitalists, oligarchy and landlords are sending their hired mercenaries to torture and kill hundreds of activists in Unions, community and environmental groups. In Cauca [in the Colombian countryside] alone, there are now a reported 12 different such armed groups operating with impunity, also as narco-trafficking organizations’.
During the last two days of the event dated from 16-18 July, at least four new murders took place in Colombia, which the Colombian government blatantly ignored, said the activists.
see also: COLOMBIA: US backed Terrorists Continue Vile Murder Campaign
[3].
Countries like Norway, Denmark and Singapore raised questions about civil society engagement and the worrying situation in Colombia.
The recent phase of the violence against social leaders, environmental and human rights defenders has escalated since the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2016.
[4], “In Colombia hundreds of people are being left behind through violent murder taking place under the governments nose. Social and community leaders are being targeted.” said Diego Cardona of CENSAT.
The recently murdered four activists are Ibes Trujillo, afro-descendant leader from the northern Cauca [4]; Juan de Jesús Moreno Palacio, afro-descendant teacher killed in the school he worked at in Curillo – Caquetá [5]; Luis Eduardo Dagua, leader of the vereda el Carmelo whose body was found with clear signs of torture; and Roberto Jaraba, leader from trade union ‘sintramineros’.
Colombian Social Leader Emilsen Manyoma and her Partner Murdered
The activists condemned the Colombian government and supported the group of countries involved in the “The Subgroup on Human Rights of International Cooperation in Colombia” [6] , chaired by Canada and the Netherlands, who rejected the murders, threats, harassment and stigmatization against human rights defenders in Colombia.
NOTES
[1] Members to the Women’s Major Group http://www.womenmajorgroup.org/
[2] https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf [3] https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld [4] http://www.undp.org/content/undp/es/home/sustainable-development-goals.html
Ibes had disappeared since July 10th, 2018 and his body was found by the river on Tuesday, July 17th by communities who had organized for his search. This murder has been condemned by the United Nations Office for Human Rights (UNOHR)
[5] He reported threats against him for 3 years ago which is why he had been relocated from Cartagena del Chaira, the same province where there are 40 teachers threatened. [6] http://www.hchr.org.co/index.php/inforlegitimo-de-construir-paz-en-todo-el-territorio-colombiano
Luis Eduardo Dagua, his body was found with clear signs of torture;
LFollowing the terms of the agreement, FARC has demobilized and disassembled into camps across Colombia over the past two years. The onus was on the Colombian government to fill the power vacuum. It dropped the ball.
“The territories FARC controlled are left with no authorities,” said Wright. “The Colombian state never had a presence in many of those areas. And so in Cauca [in the Colombian countryside] alone, there are a reported 12 different armed groups now operating, mainly as narco-trafficking organizations.”
“It’s the social leaders and human and environmental rights defenders whose shoulders the burden of building peace rests upon,” added Laffay.
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