Indigenous Groups Invite Ivan Duque to Address Rights Violation

Colombian Indigenous organizations are inviting President Ivan Duque to visit their communities in Cauca to witness the lack of territorial, environmental, and democratic rights in the region.

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In a letter addressed to the head of state, a dozen Indigenous groups wrote, “This discussion with you… is urgent and essential, since we are going through a humanitarian crisis and without the guarantee or respect towards civil, political, economic, social, cultural, or environmental rights.”

The situation has only grown more serious as policies and the agenda fail to take into consideration the needs of the communities and therefore fail to improve conditions and place smaller rural communities in grave danger, the organizations said.

For that reason, the Indigenous groups welcomed the president to visit their home town and participate in the next “minga” or community service event on March 12.

The event is an opportunity to return the state’s attention to the rights of the “campo,” "the recognition of the peasantry as subjects of special protection, the delegation explained.

Cauca’s Indigenous communities denounced Colombia’s political position regarding Venezuela.

“We are in total disagreement of the impulse of warlike confrontation that has been developing against the brother country. That scenario will never be accepted by us," the organization said.

The document went on to request a return to the Havana Agreement fostering peace talks between the Colombian state and the National Liberation Army (ELN), citing various incidents of violence still being executed in the region.

“We are not experts in etiquette and formalities, but, like the rest of Colombia, we have the right to have our requests and demands heard," the letter said.