Indigenous Peoples from Cordoba Won't Abandon Their Lands in the Face of Threats from Self-Defense Group El Colombiano 18 July 1999 Translated by Heather Dean This Month's News | CSN Home

The indigenous community of Zorando, located in the Rio Verde river basin and Saisa Alto Sina in Cordoba, denounced that a Self-Defense Group, threatened them with extermination and ordered the evacuation of indigenous peoples living in those areas.

The denouncement states that the order expires on Sunday, July 18. After that date, the Self-Defense Group is not responsible for what happens to those who remain there.

"We don't understand why we, who haven't been part of the armed conflict, are forced to abandon our lands," they expressed, anguished.

According to the indigenous spokespeople, this evacuation threat follows many serious acts of violence that have occurred in the area recently: the assassination of two drivers and the occupation of Saisa which resulted in the death of eight peasants, the destruction of fifteen houses, and the wounding of two indigenous members of the Embera community that haven't taken sides in the armed conflict.

They also stated that one of the wounded, Ruben Mosquera Pernia disappeared when he was transported in an ambulance to the Monteria hospital.

In the face of these threats, the Zorando del Alto Sina community, inhabited by 83 indigenous people, announced that they would not abandon their territory our mother earth They called on various institutions and non-governmental human rights organizations to guarantee the safety of our people and act as witnesses of this difficult situation.