One indigenous person murdered every 72 hours in Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Minority Rights Group International

One indigenous person murdered every 72 hours in Colombia
Source: Minority Rights Group International (MRG)

Date: 18 Jun 2009


With 1,300 indigenous Colombians having been killed in the last seven years as a result of the ongoing conflict, at the end of May, the country's indigenous leaders announced plans to form a 100,000-strong "national indigenous police force". This is aimed at combating what leaders describe as the "increasing trend towards genocide and extermination."

Colombia's 1.3 million indigenous people are consistently caught in the crossfire between warring parties as the protracted conflict continues to encroach on their territories. In the face of official indifference regarding their situation, they have now decided they need to take proactive measures to protect themselves.

Luis Fernando Arias, leader of the Colombian Indigenous Organization said that the situation equates to "an indigenous person being murdered every 72 hours in Colombia."

Indigenous leaders have assigned blame to all "armed parties" in Colombia which includes the army, paramilitary groups and the FARC and ELN guerrillas.

The impact of violence on Colombia's indigenous people has long been the concern of local and international human rights organizations. These include the United Nations and the Inter American Commission on Human Rights which, over the past decade have produced a number of reports condemning rights abuses against indigenous and afro-descendant populations in the country.


Read more: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/NSPR-7TZFUR?OpenDocument

[ananda]

1. This.. thanks to "free trade" and WHINSEC.

Sad.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Some exceedling dirty people have attempted to portray the victims of the state assassinations

as being from the criminal class and people who probably brought it upon themselves due to their generally violent nature.

That just doesn't wash when you consider the victims: working people like union leaders, indigenous people who already live in fear which is realistically informed by history, human rights activists, journalists, political activists, and political maniacs from the left who actually imagine running for office. Multiple leftist candidates for the Presidency have been gunned down unceremoniously.

[dysfunctional press]

2. why do they keep re-animating him?

nt

[Judi Lynn]

4. You imagine this is a good place for a clumsy attempt at humor? n/t

[dysfunctional press]

5. as good as any.

:shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

6. Uribe and Obama Should Discuss Indigenous Killings

Uribe and Obama Should Discuss Indigenous Killings
Jun 26 2009
Annalise Romoser

On June 29 President Obama will meet with Colombia President Álvaro Uribe in Washington, DC for their first private encounter. On June 23, far from Washington, indigenous leader Marino Mestizo was murdered in Colombia. If the two heads of state discuss this one death, we could celebrate an advancement of U.S. policy toward Colombia and a small success in the fight against genocide. If they do not, Obama and Uribe’s commitment to human rights and peace in Colombia can be called into question by Colombian and U.S. citizens alike.

Colombia is home to 84 indigenous communities representing a wealth of cultural traditions, languages, scientific knowledge, and innovative approaches to what many term peace-building and community development. Twelve of these communities are on the brink of total extinction. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, who is the UN's Special Rapporteur on the human rights of indigenous peoples, notes that extinction of indigenous groups in Colombia stems from "the murder of their leaders, massacres, threats and the forced dispersal of their members.” Such killings, displacement and threats are carried out by myriad actors, including the Colombian military, paramilitaries and guerilla groups. It is often leaders such as Mestizo who are targeted; largeley, because of the respect and sway they command at a community level.

The killing of Mestizo is a profound loss for Colombia's indiegnous communities: He was a member of his local community council – a governing body of indigenous "reserves"; he led efforts to push drug-producers and illegal coca cultivators out of his region; he worked tirelessly to keep guerrilla forces out of his community; and he investigated crimes against his fellow citizens, including the kidnapping of seven indigenous leaders who worked for the local mayor.

Mestizo was a true peace-builder and for his commendable efforts he received three shots to the head on June 23. His gunmen wore ski masks and left his body on the side of a road near a small town of southwestern Colombia.

His death came on the heels of repeated death threats. He knew he was in danger. Mestizo once told his friends that if something were to happen to him they “should not despair but be stronger and continue struggling to ensure that their land was not taken over… that if he were to give his life, it would be given because of his commitment to the community.” The loss of Mestizo's exemplary life is a loss to his indigenous reserve and to everyone who stands for peace and human rights across the world.

His murder – and that of hundreds of other indigenous in recent years – is symptomatic of the genocide being carried out against Colombia’s indigenous communities. The government has done little or nothing to stop the continued impunity in crimes against indigenous leaders as well as failed to fully implement the rule of law and defend human rights.

When Obama meets with Uribe on Monday, discussion of Mestizo would help advance U.S. policy goals in Colombia. Marino Mestizo's life encompasses the many ways Washington could move U.S. policy toward Colombia in a more positive direction: Reduce impunity, protect civil society leaders, promote community-led coca eradication, and stop the ongoing genocide against indigenous peoples. And above all, a discussion covering these themes would also rightfully honor Marino Mestizo's memory and his life's work.

https://nacla.org/node/5934

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_mSzpUHTGgtw/SkaLPxl8ZSI/AAAAAAAAAYY/GYBO9uLABpM/s320/DSC01832.JPG

Marino Mestizo, photo