CRIC Human Rights Coordinator denounces systematic killings of indigenous community members

The most recent act of violence against the indigenous community of Cauca, which happened against leader Miller Correa and ended his life, has not stopped generating reactions. Communities and social organizations held a sit-in on the Pan-American Highway, demonstrating against Correa's homicide and the other thirteen deaths suffered by the Regional Council of Indigenous People of Cauca (CRIC) this year.

The CRIC's human rights coordinator, Edwin Cuello, spoke in a statement, who told W Radio: “In 2022, unfortunately we have to report 14 homicides to indigenous community members, among them are from northern Cauca, three in the downtown area, municipality of El Tambo and two from Caldono. Within 14 we found three guards murdered, including former coordinator Albeiro Camayo and with the recent fact of our advisor Miller Correa, it is very regrettable, all these situations are sad.”

One fact they denounced was the repeated threats they are receiving from a specific group that is identifying itself as the Black Eagles, a group known for being paramilitary in structure and dedicated to crime and organized crime. According to the CRIC human rights coordinator, Miller had been pointed out in a pamphlet days prior to his assassination.

“We had denounced the threats that had been made by groups that identify themselves as Black Eagles, the last pamphlet came out on March 7, in which we will have around 10 or 11 leaders who accuse us of many things, mostly focused on the electoral political, and those who define themselves as defenders of the right wing democracy and that we must therefore be eliminated, Miller was in that pamphlet issued on March 7,” said the human rights coordinator of the Regional Council of Indigenous People of Cauca CRIC.

In the peaceful demonstration, the indigenous communities mentioned that the dead will not be forgotten and paid them an emotional tribute. They also called on the national government to identify and prosecute those responsible for the killings that have mourned the original people of Cauca.

For its part, UN Human Rights Colombia said: “We request that collective protection measures be guaranteed in coordination with indigenous authorities and the full implementation of the Peace Agreement in order to respond more effectively to the increase in violence in Cauca and various territories of the country.”

On the other hand, the Prosecutor's Office, the Police and indigenous authorities, in the village of El Higuerón, in the rural area of the municipality of El Tambo, in Cauca, captured a subject who would be related to the murder of leader Miller Correa, who was found on March 14, the man was arrested in a house where the type vehicle was found Duster that the National Protection Unit (UNP) had given him as leader.

“In the raid, the person who was in the place of fragrance is captured and will be prosecuted for the crime of concealment or destruction of material evidence. We also work to capture all the people who participated in this event, which today is mourning the indigenous community of Cauca,” said Gustavo Adolfo Montaña, sectional director of the Prosecutor's Office in Cauca.

According to the authorities, the man was arrested in a house where the Duster type vehicle that the National Protection Unit (UNP) handed over to Correa was found and taken away the night of the murder.

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