This latest murder takes place during an Emergency Territorial and Humanitarian Gathering in Jambalo municipality, Cauca, where indigenous communities decided to recover the territory for the civilian population and remove armed groups.
On March 6th 2009 around midday, EDGAR ARCACIO OCORÓ, exgovernor of the indigenous council of Corinto López Adentro, was assassinated with 8 bullets at point blank range by unknown men. He was working on the community farm at the time.
EDGAR ARCACIO was a renowned leader in the North Cauca region and had been active in CRIC (Concejo Regional Indígena del Cauca - Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca). He was coordinating a project of rice production with indigenous Nasa and afrocolombian communities.
Together with other authorities, in 2008 he led the recovery of land in Corinto municipality, as is happening now in Jambalo municipality.
Indigenous authorities have just informed us that the Air Force is bombing areas in Jambalo municipality close to the CRIC permanent assembly and the indigenous guard. On March 7th there was to be a public hearing on the armed groups sowing terror on indigenous lands. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening explosions from the bombings could be heard close to populated areas.
Asociación Nomadesc workers contacted the national authorities, who confirmed the bombings in the area, which they said were part of strategic aerial operations, and didn't put the indigenous communities at risk.
We call on the armed groups, especially the Air Force and the Commander of the Armed Forces President Uribe to respect the territory of Jambalo and order an immediate cessation to the bombardments in that area. We call on the national government to act according to indigenous legislation, internal and international law and respect the autonomy of the indigenous communities and permit the development of the
Emergency Territorial and Humanitarian Gathering.
We call on the appropriate state agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the assassination of EDGAR ARCACIO OCORÓ.
Finally we call on the national and international community to accompany the indigenous communities and the Emergency Territorial and Humanitarian Gathering and speak out urgently to prevent further acts of violence against indigenous communities and other social groups in Colombia.
Please write to:
ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
Presidente de la República
Carrera 8 No. 7 -26 Palacio de Nariño Bogotá
Fax. 0057 1 5662071
FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO
Ministro del Interior y de Justicia
Avenida El dorado con carrera 52 CAN Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 2221874
MARIO IGUARAN
Fiscal General de la Nación
Diagonal 22B No. 52-01 Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 570 20 00
WOLMAR ANTONIO PEREZ ORTIZ
Defensor del Pueblo
Calle 55 No. 10 – 32 Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 640 04 91
The Ambassasor
Colombian Embassy
3 Hans Crescent
London SW1X 0LN
Fax. 020 7581 1829
Phone 020 7589 9177
http://www.redcolombia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=454&Itemid=60
EDGAR ARCACIO was a renowned leader in the North Cauca region and had been active in CRIC (Concejo Regional Indígena del Cauca - Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca). He was coordinating a project of rice production with indigenous Nasa and afrocolombian communities.
Together with other authorities, in 2008 he led the recovery of land in Corinto municipality, as is happening now in Jambalo municipality.
Indigenous authorities have just informed us that the Air Force is bombing areas in Jambalo municipality close to the CRIC permanent assembly and the indigenous guard. On March 7th there was to be a public hearing on the armed groups sowing terror on indigenous lands. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening explosions from the bombings could be heard close to populated areas.
Asociación Nomadesc workers contacted the national authorities, who confirmed the bombings in the area, which they said were part of strategic aerial operations, and didn't put the indigenous communities at risk.
We call on the armed groups, especially the Air Force and the Commander of the Armed Forces President Uribe to respect the territory of Jambalo and order an immediate cessation to the bombardments in that area. We call on the national government to act according to indigenous legislation, internal and international law and respect the autonomy of the indigenous communities and permit the development of the
Emergency Territorial and Humanitarian Gathering.
We call on the appropriate state agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the assassination of EDGAR ARCACIO OCORÓ.
Finally we call on the national and international community to accompany the indigenous communities and the Emergency Territorial and Humanitarian Gathering and speak out urgently to prevent further acts of violence against indigenous communities and other social groups in Colombia.
Please write to:
ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
Presidente de la República
Carrera 8 No. 7 -26 Palacio de Nariño Bogotá
Fax. 0057 1 5662071
FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO
Ministro del Interior y de Justicia
Avenida El dorado con carrera 52 CAN Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 2221874
MARIO IGUARAN
Fiscal General de la Nación
Diagonal 22B No. 52-01 Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 570 20 00
WOLMAR ANTONIO PEREZ ORTIZ
Defensor del Pueblo
Calle 55 No. 10 – 32 Bogotá D.C.
Fax. 0057 1 640 04 91
The Ambassasor
Colombian Embassy
3 Hans Crescent
London SW1X 0LN
Fax. 020 7581 1829
Phone 020 7589 9177
http://www.redcolombia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=454&Itemid=60
