Colombia in focus ⬿

Once again, the blood of Nasa people is spilled in the struggle for territorial rights

Indigenous Authorities of Huellas Caloto

April 11, 2015

Last Updated on April 11, 2015

Caloto, April 10, 2015–Following the Cultural and territorial principles, in the exercise of our Autonomy as Indigenous Peoples of this territory and following the mandates of our people, we are in the process of Liberating Mother Earth on the ranch of Emperatriz.

We want to do this to reestablish Harmony and Balance on our territory.

But the fact of exercising our rights has an enormous cost in our country and since the beginning of this process the number of threats, persecutions, judicial charges, humiliations and the number of injured Nasa people are increasing.

With great sadness and indignation we raise our voice to repudiate the aggressions, threats, marking and death of our community member FIDERSON GUILLERMO PAVI RAMOS who was killed by a bullet shot by the police force.

Guillermo Pavi Ramos was 18 years old. He was the son of Guillermo Paví, an Indigenous leader that was murdered by the FARC in December 2000. As his father, Fiderson also lived in the Pilamo sector of the Resguardo López Adentro. He, as the entire Nasa people, also wanted to liberate Mother Earth, but a bullet murdered him and his aspirations. His nine-month old daughter is now fatherless. Fiderson Guillermo Pavi Ramos was member of the Indigenous Guard and part of the Youth movement. During his free time liked to play soccer.

FACTS

From March 5, 2015 the communities of Resguardo de Huellas, Tóez y López Adentro joined again the movement of Liberation of Mother Earth. The violence was the answer from the government and it resulted up to now, on 45 injured, 23 of them, seriously.
On April 10, 2015, at around 2.15 pm the community was resisting the attacks of the ESMAD when Guillermo was injured by a bullet shot from the trenches organized by the police inside and outside the ranch.
From the armored personnel carrier the police was shooting gas bombs, but also non-conventional weapons and firearms.
The community member was immediately taken to the health center but as his vital signs were unstable the medical staff decided immediately to taken him to the ESE Caloto North, at that moment seeing the emergency situation of Guillermo, it was decided to send him to the Hospital Francisco de Paula Santander. Guillermo’s injury was so serious that he died before getting attention at the hospital.

In front of the physical aggression, the community and its authorities has decided to organize a symbolic march from Caloto to the Ranch Emperatriz and have the wake of Guillermo there. Therefore:

WE DEMAND:

To the Minister of Defense to order his men that immediately stop all arbitrary attacks by the police forces.
To the Public Prosecutor office and all entities of control, to speed the investigation of the death of Fiderson Guillermo Paví Ramos
To the current government, to review the recommendations of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on the case of the Nilo massacre. We shouldn’t forget that the Nilo massacre was planned in the Emperatriz ranch.
To the current government, to speed up the process of extinction of the dominion control, because the lack of political will from the ranch owners, despite that the blood of the community members Lorenzo Largo and today, Guillermo, are spilled on that ranch.

WE REQUEST:

To the entities of control and the local, regional and national Human Rights organizations to guarantee the entry of the community to the ranch the Emperatriz
To the International Red Cross to verify and accompany the community that are exercising their rights of Liberation
We call upon Indigenous community and other social and popular sectors to continue to liberate Mother Earth as a fundamental principle to reach the much-desired peace.

INDIGENOUS AUTHORITIES OF HUELLAS CALOTO – CAUCA – COLOMBIA

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