Colombia: Social Activist Attacks Continue Amid Pandemic

By teleSUR

20 May 20

Indepaz points out that in the present year, over 100 social leaders have been murdered across Colombia.

olombia’s Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) announced on May 17th, the murder of other three social leader inside the country.

According to official reports, one of the victims is the 70-year-old environmental activistJorge Oramas Vazquez. Oramas, who was killed on Saturday night, on his farm at La Candelaria village, in La Buitrera, a rural zone of the department of Valle del Cauca.

“He was completely committed to peace and environmental causes,” said Cali’s Secretary of Security and Justice, Carlos Alberto Rojas. Oramas was shot to death. 

So far, authorities have not established the motive of the crime. Oramas’ relatives and friends point out his opposition to illegal gold mining in the national park “Los Farallones.”

https://t.co/A2e2xzkdFj

Con Jorge Enrique Oramas, líder ambientalista, van 100 líderes / defensores de DDHH asesinados en los corrido del 2020.

25 desde el inicio de la cuarentena.

En el link está el listado. pic.twitter.com/JcNxsBFytE

— Indepaz (@Indepaz) May 17, 2020

"With Jorge Enrique Oramas, an environmental leader, 100 leaders / human rights defenders have been murdered in the corridos of 2020. 25 since the beginning of the quarantine." 

Oramas was also a Biocanto organization leader. The group promotes farmer solidarity and delivers native species seeds. Biocanto supports national food sovereignty by prioritizing local production of tubers and quinoa. 

Also, social leader Freddy Angarita Martínez was killed on Saturday in La Isla neighborhood, in Cucuta. 

Nuevamente fuerzas criminales amedrentan indiscriminadamente a defensores de DDHH, periodistas, políticos y funcionarios públicos dedicados a defensa de los DDHH y de las víctimas. Todas las herramientas de persecución criminal deben disponerse para dar con los responsables. https://t.co/KeDXEiqxb2

— Defensoría delPueblo (@DefensoriaCol) May 15, 2020

"Once again, criminal forces indiscriminately intimidate human rights defenders, journalists, politicians,  and public officials dedicated to the defense of human rights and victims. All the tools of criminal persecution must be available to find those responsible." 

The Indigenous Guard of the Embera people, Javier García Guaguarabe, was murdered on May 15. The 20-year-old native leader was a member of the Bani Chami indigenous community in the municipality of Argelia, Valle del Cauca. 

Indepaz points out that in the present year, over 100 social leaders have been murdered. As the organization reports, 25 murders occurred after the Colombian government implemented quarantine and social isolation due to the virus outbreak. 

So far, Colombia registered 15,574 positive cases, 574 deaths, and 3,751 recoveries.