WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
17 Oct 2024 | News

Colombia: Urgent Updates October 2024

On this page, you’ll find the latest updates on Colombia and the current security situation as of September 2024. WOLA closely monitors the situation in collaboration with communities and partners, and we will continue to update this page as new information becomes available.

Human Rights Defender Found Dead in Bogotá (Cundinamarca)
On October 5, 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that Martín Emilio Rodríguez, a prominent human rights defender, died under mysterious circumstances in the Chapinero locality of Bogotá. Mr. Rodríguez was a member of the Youth Network of Medellín (Red Juvenil), a pioneer of the Conscientious Objection Movement (Movimiento de Objeción de Conciencia), and worked as an official in the Presidential Advisory Office for Human Rights. The Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia issued two early warnings relevant to this area: AT 004/24 for Bogotá and AT 019/23 for leaders and human rights defenders. These warnings highlighted the risks faced by individuals and groups involved in human rights advocacy and social leadership across various sectors in Colombia.

Massacre in Indigenous Territory of Toribío (Cauca)
The Association of Indigenous Cabildos of Toribío, Tacueyo, and San Francisco “Project Nasa” report that a massacre of three persons took place on October 7, 2024, in Toribio, Cauca Department. The victims who were killed were Jose Alfredo Yosano Julicue (28 years old), Fredy Pequí Cometa (26 years old), and Wilson Eduardo Ascue Ramos (22 years old). Another six other persons were injured during this incident, which took place in a public establishment where civilians gathered. The Nasa Indigenous authorities call on everyone within the collective Indigenous territory to unify and work together to educate their children to take the path of harmony and peace. They stand firm that internal armed conflicts can only be overcome through politically negotiated dialogues. They urge the national government and international community to work towards addressing the inequalities and structural roots that lead to conflict. They state that youth are particularly vulnerable since the actors who advance war give them false promises. To overcome this situation and get out of conflict, the entire community must work towards deescalating it and towards a politically negotiated agreement.

Indigenous Leader Found Dead after Abduction (Magdalena)
On October 7, 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that Daniel Nolavita, a prominent indigenous leader and authority of the Kogui people from the Sierra Nevada, was found dead in the Ciénaga, Magdalena Department. Mr. Nolavita and his wife were kidnapped on September 3rd by armed men who invaded their home in the rural Cherúa village. While his wife was later released, Mr. Nolavita’s body was discovered by the community a month later. Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office previously issued two early warnings: AT 044/19 for the municipality of Ciénaga and AT 019/23 for leaders and human rights defenders. These warnings highlight the risks individuals and groups involved in human rights advocacy and social leadership across various sectors in Colombia face. The AGC (Gulf Clan), ACSN (Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada), and other local gangs are in this area.

Mass Displacement of Afro-Colombians (Chocó)
On October 8, 2024, the Afro-Colombian General Community Council of San Juan (ACADESAN) reported that the communities of Negría and Doidó, located within the organization’s collective territory situated in the department of Chocó, are suffering a humanitarian crisis. The Negría community has suffered six massive, forced displacements in three years, and the Doidó community has also experienced displacements. Several families who were previously internally displaced and returned to Doidó were forced to flee again. They are in Chambacu, Sipi municipality, and Noanama, San Juan municipality. The entire Negría community (an estimated 80 persons) is now displaced in the urban center of Istmina.The international community should guarantee that the Colombian authorities implement ACADESAN’s recommendations. The Personerías, Ombudsman’s and Attorney General’s Office, and territorial entities in question should quickly facilitate the taking of declarations from the IDPs and send them urgently to the (Victims Unit) UARIV. The Ombudsman’s Office should carry out humanitarian missions to communities at risk of internal displacement. The municipalities and Choco Governor’s offices should provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the IDPs and adopt measures to prevent further displacement. The UARIV must provide the support the territorial entities require to respond to this humanitarian emergency. It should quickly process the declarations of internal displacement it receives from these communities.

Three Men Murdered in Barrancabermeja (Santander)
The Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that three people were murdered in the Campo Verde settlement in Barrancabermeja, Santander Department on October 8, 2024. The victims, identified as Jairo Badillo Garcés, Carlos Villalba Jiménez, and Edinson Puentes Tarazona, were attacked by armed men while socializing in Campo Verde. One victim died at the scene, while the other two died later at a local medical center. The Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia (Defensoría del Pueblo) had issued an early warning for this area (AT 076/18). The entity pointed out that Barrancabermeja’s geographical location is strategically vital for armed group activities in the city and the Middle Magdalena region, connecting it to other subregions like Urabá Antioqueño. These connections facilitate the flow of orders and logistical, tactical, and financial support to various gangs operating in Barrancabermeja and the surrounding region. The AGC (Gulf Clan), ELN (National Liberation Army), and other local gangs are currently operating in this area.

Prominent Media Outlet Forced to Suspend Operations (Cundinamarca)
On October 10, 2024, the prominent investigative journalism outlet Voragine was forced to cease operations due to death threats. WOLA strongly laments this and urges the UN and OAS special mechanisms for freedom of expression and all governments to act quickly to condemn this and protect the lives of Voragine staff.

Human Rights Defender Murdered in San Joaquín (Valle del Cauca)
On October 13, 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that Ferney Aponte, a human rights defender and coordinator of the peasant guard in Florida, Valle del Cauca Department, was murdered in the San Joaquín village under unknown circumstances. Mr. Aponte was a recognized leader in his community, working to protect the rights of rural farmers. The Human Rights Ombudsman Office had issued three relevant early warnings: AT 074/18 and 031/23 for Florida and AT 019/23 for leaders and human rights defenders. These warnings highlighted the risks faced by individuals and groups involved in human rights advocacy and social leadership across various sectors in Colombia. Armed groups such as the Dagoberto Ramos Front of the Western Bloc, Marquetalia, the Adán Izquierdo Mobile Company of the Isaías Pardo Central Bloc of the EMC-FARC, the ELN (National Liberation Army), and other local gangs operate in the region.

Afro-Colombians Threatened by Escalating Armed Conflict (Cauca)
On October 15, 2024, the Coordination of Community Councils and Grassroots Organizations of the Black People of the Pacific Coast of Cauca (la Coordinación de Consejos Comunitarios y Organizaciones de Base del Pueblo Negro de la Costa Pacífica del Cauca, COCOCAUCA) issued an urgent alert calling for immediate action along the Saija River in Timbiquí, Cauca. Afro-Colombian communities living along the river have expressed concern over the increased movement and presence of armed groups in the area. Tensions are rising as both the public security forces and the Central General Staff of the FARC (EMC) operate in the region, placing civilian lives at severe risk. A local Indigenous member reported witnessing marine infantry boats advancing toward the community of Camarones while armed guerrilla forces positioned themselves in the upper reaches of Puerto Saija. The situation risks displacing or confining the community. In response, COCOCAUCA has issued an urgent appeal to the EMC-FARC leadership, demanding they immediately halt all military operations and withdraw from the region. The organization is also pressing the Colombian government, including Governor Jorge Octavio Guzmán Gutiérrez and President Gustavo Petro, to intervene and protect these civilian populations caught in the conflict.

Disability Rights Activist Murdered in Villa Echeverri (Antioquia)
On October 16, 2024, The Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that Juan Diego Cubides, a prominent 25-year-old human rights defender and disability rights activist, was murdered in the Villa Echeverri neighborhood of El Bagre, Antioquia Department. Mr. Cubides was vice president of the Association of People with Disabilities and Victims of El Bagre (Asociación de Personas con Discapacidad y Víctimas de El Bagre), where he led the “Life on Wheels” initiative. He was also a member of the local Community Action Board. The Human Rights Ombudsman Office had issued two relevant early warnings: AT 045/20 for El Bagre and AT 019/23 for leaders and human rights defenders. These warnings highlighted the risks faced by individuals and groups involved in human rights advocacy and social leadership across various sectors in Colombia. Armed groups, including the ELN (National Liberation Army), EGC (Gaitanista Army of Colombia), the 4th Front of the Middle Magdalena Bloc of the EMC-FARC, and other local gangs in this area pose a constant threat to the population.

Human Rights Violations Attributed to the National Liberation Army (ELN) Guerillas in Colombia during 2023
In October 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that throughout 2023, the National Liberation Army (ELN) was responsible for multiple human rights violations across Colombia, including 15 kidnappings, 12 recruitments of minors, 15 forced displacements, 36 confinements, and 55 threats. The group was also responsible for one massacre and the murder of a social leader. According to the director of INDEPAZ’s Observatory of Human Rights and Conflicts, forced displacement by armed groups is particularly prevalent in the Cauca, Chocó, Magdalena Medio, and Catatumbo regions. The director noted that this situation is intensifying, given a significant strategic interest in control over land, gold, and resources. The imposition of power by armed groups represents a growing risk of human rights violations against the population in these territories.

Social Leader Killed in Chaparral (Tolima)
On October 18, 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported the death of social leader Nelson Pérez, who was shot in the El Tibet neighborhood of Chaparral, Tolima. Pérez, a former candidate for the municipal council under the New Liberalism Party (Nuevo Liberalismo), was known for his commitment to social and community initiatives. The Ombudsman’s Office had previously issued early warnings AT 016/23 and AT 019/23, highlighting the severe risks social leaders and human rights defenders face nationwide. These warnings indicate that the imposition of control and norms by armed groups represents an ongoing threat to the rights and safety of local communities. Armed groups active in Chaparral include the Isaías Pardo Central Bloc (Bloque Central Isaías Pardo) of the EMC-FARC, members of the Second Marquetalia (Segunda Marquetalia), and other local gangs.

Indigenous Wayúu Child Dies of Malnutrition in Manaure (La Guajira)
On October 22, 2024, the Shipia Wayuu Association (Asociación Shipia Wayuu) reported the death of an 11-month-old Wayúu girl in the Manaure municipality of La Guajira, attributed to malnutrition. In 2015, the association successfully petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for Precautionary Measures MC-5115 to protect Wayúu children, adolescents, pregnant mothers, and the elderly. Despite the issuance of these measures nearly nine years ago, children who were meant to benefit from MC-5115 continue to suffer while awaiting adequate support and attention. The Shipia Wayuu Association is now calling on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to take immediate action to ensure the effective implementation of MC-5115 and uphold the rights of the Indigenous population.

LGBTQ+ Leader Murdered in Caldas (Antioquia)
On October 22, 2024, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that Karis Saldarriaga, a 61-year-old trans woman, was found dead in her home in Caldas, Antioquia, with multiple gunshot wounds. Saldarriaga was a prominent leader and activist in the LGBTIQ+ community and one of the central figures in the book Locas de Pueblo, highlighting the stories of elected mayors across Antioquia’s municipalities. The Ombudsman’s Office (Defensoría del Pueblo) issued an early warning AT 019/23 for leaders and human rights defenders in the region, noting the risk scenario they face due to social control and other imposed norms by armed groups. The EGC (Gaitanista Army of Colombia), Oficina del Valle de Aburrá, and other local gangs are currently operating in this area.

3 Men Massacred in Palmira (Valle de Cauca)
On October 27, 2024, The Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that three people were killed by three armed men in the municipality of Palmira, Valle del Cauca Department. The victims were identified as Diego Muñoz, Gustavo Salazar, and Brayan Juspian. A fourth person had also been injured in the incident. The Ombudsman’s Office previously issued an early warning AT 010/24, cautioning that the resurgence of armed conflict and violence—driven by the expansion, advancement, and territorial disputes among armed groups in the area—is likely to lead to an increase in selective homicides, forced disappearances, massacres, forced displacements, mass confinements, mobility restrictions, and clashes that involve the local population, along with other severe violations of residents’ lives and physical integrity. The groups operating in the area include the Yair Bermúdez 57th Front (Frente 57) and the Adán Izquierdo Front (Frente Adán Izquierdo), both EMC-FARC. Furthermore, the region serves as a transit zone for the Dagoberto Ramos Front of the Western Bloc (Frente Dagoberto Ramos del Bloque Occidental) and other local gangs.

Escalating Threats to Colombia’s Social and Environmental Leaders
For COP16, the Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) reported that threats against social leaders in Colombia were intensifying. Six hundred thirty-one social leaders have been murdered since January 2016. Since the signing of the peace agreement, Colombia has become one of the deadliest countries for environmental defenders, driven by the expansion of extractive activities, drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extensive cattle ranching—activities often backed by unlawful armed groups, impunity, and state inaction. This surge in violence is directly related to sectors like oil, mining (both legal and illegal), and agro-industry (both legal and illegal), which have become significant sources of human rights violations as they attempt to displace rural communities from their land. Indigenous communities face the most important risk, with their leaders frequently targeted for resisting deforestation, mining, and oil exploitation, turning environmental defense into an act of survival against economic projects that threaten their connection to the land and the ecosystems they protect. Over 160 active ecological conflicts related to mega-mining, energy, agro-industrial, and infrastructure projects often contradict local communities’ interests, leading to severe socio-environmental impacts.

Women Searchers Intimidated (Cundinamarca)
On October 30, 2024, Amnesty International (AI) issued an alert concerning the women searchers of the Fundación Nydia Erika Bautista (FNEB). On October 24, suspicious, uninvited guests attended an invite-only event commemorating Women’s Searchers Day in Bogota.  In parallel to this, Yanette Bautista, FNEB’s director, received two emails that were considered phishing or an effort to hack their system by the organization’s technical team. It was sent to Colombia’s Attorney General, who requested they investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice. FNEB, a long-time WOLA partner, has suffered intimidation and persecution for many years due to their work on enforced disappearances. Its founder, whose sister Nydia forcibly disappeared by the Colombian national army in 1987, was forced into exile in Europe for some time. FNEB, a women’s organization with national reach, does critical work supporting women in finding their loved ones who have forcibly disappeared and guaranteeing justice in these cases.

Nasa Indigenous Traditional Healer and Wife Assassinated (Cauca)
On October 31, 2024, the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN) reported that armed men shot and killed Gustavo Taquinás and his wife of the Nasa Indigenous Resguardo in Jambaló municipality, Cauca Department. Mr. Taquinás was a traditional Indigenous doctor with vast ancestral knowledge. The murder of traditional healers not only kills the physical person but leads to the elimination of a teacher and guarantor of ancestral knowledge. This significantly damages the cohesion of an ancestral community and can lead to the extermination of cultural practices and knowledge necessary to preserve its distinct ethnic identity.

Love our content? Unlock even more!

Sign up with your email to receive exclusive reports and expert research directly to your inbox every week.

 

(Your privacy is important to us; your information will be kept confidential and secure.)