S.O.S Colombia. Social leaders, "They keep killing us" PART II
Summary of the interview
Carlos Nastacuas (2)
Milagros Verdensoto (3)
Gabriel Murrago (4)
Diversa Comunicación: ¿What makes each of your organizations for the defense of the territory and how is the situation of social women leaders people in each of your regions?
Gabriel Murrago : Andescol , works for displaced people in defending their rights. To date, we have 30 threatened leaders, an issue that has been reported to the Colombian Protection Unit. In fact, this organization is in charge of protecting the politicians and the leaders. In 2019 they assassinated the leader Aquileo Mecheche , who was a collective death because they made us displace us . When they kill or displace asocial leader, there is a collective impact on both the territory and the communities. We are in total vulnerability, since when there are threats or murders, the government does not take any action, they only provide a mobile phone and a vest. Some have device s composite safety s for cars and security scheme, but not all women leaders people. In my case, as a result of threats received, I decided to go out for a while and make the situation in my region visible. In some cases, the leaders are threatened so that they do not publicize the situation or stigmatize them by relating them to groups outside the law. Indigenous peoples have our own protection strategies, one of them being the indigenous guard that functions not as a military body, but as an appendix to land and territory, the other defense strategy, the strengthening of self-government.
Carlos Nastacuas : The indigenous guard has been making territorial control in the face of quarantine, and thus avoiding contagion, it has coordinated with the Maroon guard of the Afro-descendant communities and the peasant guard . The public force in its strategy of eradicating illicit crops, came to the Inda Zabaleta reservation of the Awa indigenous community of the Department of Nariño, to which I belong, given this situation, the community goes out to carry out territorial control, to talk with the agents of police and eradicators , and call them to leave the territory since it was in quarantine, and avoid possible infections. On the other hand, UNIPA, which is the organization in which the indigenous communities of Nariño are grouped, have been talking with the government within the framework of the peace agreement, which should be the strategy of substitution of illicit crops, although there is no progress, the dialogue on this purpose is maintained gradually, and that the rights of the communities are respected and social investment is carried out. But, however, face dialogue, the police responded with gunfire, tear gas, being assassinated an indigenous awa , and three more were wounded. It is noteworthy that a month ago an indigenous leader of the pastures and mayor of the Municipality of Cumbal was assassinated.
Milagros Verdesoto : Asomucipaz , is an organization made up of 130 families victims of sexual violence, they are women who settled in the municipality of Villavicencio, in the context of the confrontations between guerrilla and paramilitary groups in Meta. This municipality is the recipient of the displaced population , as of today it has about 86 thousand victims of the armed conflict. The social situation in the municipality has been aggravated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The women who are part of the organization are women domestic workers and informal work, and given the current situation, they do not have the resources to face the quarantine. Unfortunately, national entities have not responded to the social situation that the municipality is suffering and corruption has been present in the management of social aid.
Diversa Comunicación: ¿What would that message to the international community to what is happening in Colombia with people killing women leaders and human rights defenders ?
Milagros Verdesoto : To the Basque and Spanish collectives, support and support so that they do not assassinate more social leaders . To date, more than 80 social leaders and human rights defenders have been attending. In one day they have murdered three companions. Therefore, I ask the Spanish government, please, please to support us and make requests to stop the murders, and that the illegal armed groups are taking advantage to assassinate the comrades.
To share a phrase from a defender “they continue to kill us, while the attention is focused on the Covid19, the pain and fear settle in our fellow defenders”, so I make an urgent call .
Gabriel Murrego : Follow-up to the peace agreements and their implementation, which put pressure on the Iván Duque government, to make visible what is happening in Colombia.
Carlos Nastacuas: Verification of peace agreements to international organizations, since it is the hope of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and peasants. And we hope that there really is a social transformation in the country, and rigorous monitoring of international cooperation resources for Development in Colombia.
Taken from the Panorama Program No. 19 of Emigrad @ s TV
Councilor Municipality (City Council) of Tumaco, Department of Nariño
Association of Women Victims Towards Peace (Asomuvicopaz), Villavicencio, Department of Meta
Association of Displaced Persons of Colombia Andescol and Cabildo Mayor Indígena del Bajo Atrato CAMIZBA