An indigenous leader murdered in the Colombian department of Cauca

Bogotá, 15 Mar Indigenous leader Miller Correa was assassinated in southwestern Colombia, the Association of Indigenous Cabildos del Norte del Cauca (ACIN) denounced Tuesday, which demanded that the authorities take action to capture those responsible. “We denounce the death of our counselor Miller Correa, an endearing fighting partner of our organization,” ACIN said on social networks, adding that the leader was “found lifeless on the outskirts of Tambo”, in the department of Cauca. Later, in a statement, the organization explained that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences identified Correa, whose body was “abandoned on the outskirts” of a neighborhood in Popayán, the departmental capital. Correa was seen in the afternoon in Popayán after meeting with members of the Cauca Indigenous Association (AIC) and the Cauca Regional Indigenous Council (CRIC). The indigenous person was assigned a vehicle of the National Protection Unit (UNP), which is part of the Ministry of the Interior, and which has not been found. The Association also recalled that “just eight days ago his name appeared on a threatening pamphlet signed by the Black Eagles Southwest Bloque of Colombia.” The indigenous authorities are investigating “the circumstances of this heinous crime”, while expressing condolences to Correa's relatives and demanding “respect for life, for our survival as a people. We cannot continue to bury companions (...) every week.” The UN Human Rights Office in Colombia condemned the assassination and urged the Colombian State to “urgently re-evaluate strategies to respond to territorial violence and to use the peace agreement more decisively to expand its presence and control in violence-affected areas of the country.” They also said that it is urgent to carry out an “effective investigation and punishment of those responsible for the murder of the indigenous defender and leader”. According to the UN Office, at least 78 human rights defenders were killed in the country last year, of whom eight were women and five of them were indigenous, while of the 70 men, six belonged to Afro communities and six were indigenous. CHIEF WCOM/JOC/DMT