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News > Colombia

Colombia: Two Social Leaders Killed, Death Toll Rises to 44

  • Citizens place candles to remember social leaders killed in Colombia, 2020.

    Citizens place candles to remember social leaders killed in Colombia, 2020. | Photo: Twitter/ @PedroBriegerOk

Published 13 February 2020
Opinion

The "Black Eagles" and other paramilitary groups threaten and kill with impunity in this South American country.

The Villa Fatima's Community Action Board prosecutor Luis Alberto Parra and his son Jader Alberto Parra were found dead in the municipality of Puerto Guzman, Putumayo, on Wednesday.

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Two days earlier, a group of armed men violently entered his house and kidnapped them, as reported by Parra's wife who was tied at the scene.

Subsequently, the Departmental Peace Council reported on the disappearance of the two leaders to the authorities. Despite the foregoing, Parra and his son could not be located alive and timely.

According to data provided by the Human Rights Network, a new illegal armed group called "Mafia Sinaloa" operates in the area where the kidnapping took place.

At the moment, members of the Colombian Police and Public Prosecutor's Office are conducting investigations to determine the causes of the death of these two community leaders​​​​​​.​​​​​​​

"Please look carefully at this photo. He is Yamid Alonso Silva Torres, an environmentalist and park ranger at El Cocuy National Natural Park (Boyaca). He was killed yesterday morning. They continue to kill social and environmental leaders in Colombia."​​​​​​​

From January 1 to date, 44 Colombian social leaders have been killed without the culprits of their deaths being detected or captured. In the same period, 7 former guerilla fighters were also killed.

On Tuesday, the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) denounced that the "Black Eagles" paramilitary group issued a new threat against human rights activist Aida Quilcue and Indigenous and Social Alternative Movement (MAIS) Senator Feliciano Valencia.

“They again threaten Aida Quilcue and Feliciano Valencia. We require President Ivan Duque to provide them with comprehensive protection guarantees,” ONIC tweeted.​​​​​​​

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