Skip to main content

Colombian social leaders call for emergency talks to stop violence against activists

COMMUNITY leaders have called for emergency talks with President Juan Manuel Santos and President-Elect Ivan Duque to stop the murder of social activists after two more killings on Friday.

Thousands joined demonstrations across the world over the weekend in protest against the ongoing violence in the country with vigils held in Paris, Valencia, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, London, New York, Rome and Buenos Aires.

The latest assassinations came just hours after the release of a report with details of 123 victims killed in Colombia in 2018, up until July 4. Local reports said that Jose Fernando Jaramillo Oquendo, of Pascuita's Community Action Assembly, was shot dead in his own home on Friday evening.

It is the third killing that has been reported in the Antioquia region in the last two weeks and the 16th since January. Antioquia is plagued by armed gangs and paramilitary groups, including the Gulf Clan, which target community leaders. 

Campesino Association for Environmental Protection vice-president Alexander Castellano was shot dead by masked men on a motorcycle as he made his way to a meeting in Caqueta, making him the second social leader killed in the town in one week.

National Confederation of Community Action spokesman Jaime Gutierrez asked: "Why do they kill leaders? Because we're against illegal mining, because it's us who denounce the drug routes."

At least 385 people have been killed since the signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian government and Farc that brought an end to five decades of conflict according to the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace.

The All The Names, All The Faces report released last week documented the 123 community leaders killed since January 2018 with the latest murders bringing the total to 125.

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today