Land is Life stands in solidarity with the Colombian Indigenous organizations that are peacefully protesting in defense of their rights within the ongoing National Strike mobilizations called by multiple civil society organizations, particularly the Indigenous Minga called by the Indigenous Regional Council of the Cauca (CRIC), the Organization of the Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC) and the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC).
Likewise, Land is Life expresses its grave concern over the complaints about large-scale violations of the Human Rights of Indigenous peoples and civil society during the mobilizations, condemning the violent repression exercised by the Colombian State security agencies and paramilitary groups. After 14 days of mobilization, Colombian human rights organizations denounce the death of more than 47 people, 39 as a result of injuries caused by the security forces, 900 arbitrary detentions, and more than 500 people disappeared.
Since April 27, Indigenous, peasant, student, and civil society organizations began a mobilization in protest against various policies implemented by the government and their implications, such as a new tax reform, health and pension reform, the increase in inequality, the assasination of social leaders and activist by paramilitary groups, the return of health-threatening glyphosate aerial fumigations to eradicate coca crops, and demanding for respect for the right to prior, free, and informed consultation for Indigenous peoples.
In response to these demonstrations, the Colombian government ignored calls for dialogue made by local and international actors, deploying police and army forces trained to confront the internal civil war and drug trafficking. These forces are being used to contain protests, increasing exponentially violence against civil society. Multiple international organizations such as the UN, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and the European Union have expressed their grave concern and condemnation of violence, demanding respect for the human rights of all the population.
Since June 2020, Land is Life has implemented an emergency fund for the protection and security of communities, authorities, leaders, representatives, defenders, and activists managed directly by Indigenous organizations of the Colombian Amazon, focused on providing legal assistance, medical and psychological assistance, relocation, social assistance, security training, and community protection initiatives, managing to serve more than 50 communities in the region. Land is Life’s team is closely monitoring the situation and receiving distressing information directly from partner Indigenous organizations.
We urgently call the Colombian government to stop violent repression against peaceful demonstrators, particularly Indigenous men, women, and children. We remind Colombian authorities that human rights violations are unacceptable and that it is their responsibility to adopt measures to effectively protect the fundamental rights for life, liberty, integrity, freedom of expression, and personal security of Indigenous peoples as well as of all the people who inhabit their territory.