Colombia: indigenous attacked

by World War 4 Report

On Nov. 29, troops from the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD), the National Police and the National Army attacked a group of Nasa indigenous people working on the La Emperatriz farm in Caloto municipality, in the southern Colombian department of Cauca, during the community's rituals for the "Liberation of Mother Earth."

As the troops attacked the community with tear gas, men in civilian clothing emerged from among the police and ESMAD agents and began firing pistols at the community. Four community members were seriously wounded: Rodrido Pito from the Chocho community of the Huellas Caloto reservation; Antonio Conda from the Altamira community of the same reservation; Lorenzo Largo Dagua of the Gallinazas community of the Tacueyo reservation; and Delio Quitumbo of the La Palma community of the Toribio reservation.

(Asociación de Cabildos Indigenas del Norte del Cauca-ACIN message posted, Nov. 29 on Colombia Indymedia)

In the northern Colombian department of La Guajira, the displaced Wayuu community of Bahia Portete suffered a new attack by paramilitaries on Nov. 23.

The community says paramilitaries under the command of "Pablo" murdered Chichi Epinayu, abducted 68-year-old Julian Epinayu and wounded Asparray Epinayu. The victims of the latest attack are members of the Epinayu clan and relatives of members of the Uriana clan who were murdered in a paramilitary massacre in Bahia Portete on April 18, 2004. (Organización Nacional Indigena de Colombia-ONIC message posted, Nov. 24 on Colombia Indymedia)