Colombia Support Network (CSN) received news from Traditional Authorities of the Indigenous Communities of San Vicente del Caguan that just in this year they have received 5 leaflets against social organizations and leaders of the province of Caqueta in Southern Colombia, coming from Black Eagles (Aguilas Negras) Blocs Yari and Andaki.
Lately they have focused on LUZ MERY PANCHE, a young woman leader, for whose murder they offer to pay 15 million pesos (about $7,000).
On January 21, the same groups declared Luz Mery and other leaders military objectives and gave them 48 hours to leave the region. Luz Mary denounced these facts to the local Attorney General’s office, asking for an investigation, but nothing has happened. Even worse, the local Police Commander declared to the local media that Luz Mery and the others were falsely creating the stories of threats against themselves. All the respective Government offices know of these threats against peasant and indigenous leaders in Caqueta. If anything happens to Luz Mary and the others, special responsibility will lie with the Commander of Police in Caqueta and the Commanders of the Special Forces of the Caguan and Cazadores Battalions.
Please write to the following Colombian institutions demanding protection for leaders and organizations in Caqueta, especially for LUZ MERY PANCHE, a defender of human rights and indigenous rights:
Indigenous Issues at the Ministry of Interior :
Pedro Posada Arango : Pedro.posada@mininterior.gov.co
National Unity of Protection of Ethnic Rights :
Maria Camila Hernandez : Maria.gomez@unp.gov.co
Attorney General’ Office/ International Affairs :
Francisco Echeverry : direccionasuntosinternacionales@fiscalia.gov.co
Colombian National Police :
Major General Luz Marina Bustos : sudir.jefat@policia.gov.co
Police Commander in Caqueta :
Commander Jose Elias Baquero : comandecaq@policia.gov.co
Your Respective Senators and House Members at the US Congress
Read a translation of the original complaint
http://colombiasupport.net/2014/04/public-complaint-from-traditional-indigenous-authorities-from-san-vicente-del-caguan/