PBI-Colombia accompanied organizations comment on the murder of Indigenous leader Phanor Guazaquillo Peña

Photo: Phanor Guazaquillo Peña

El Tiempo reports that Indigenous Nasa leader Phanor Guazaquillo Peña was murdered on Sunday December 3 in Colombia.

That El Tiempo article further notes: “The Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz) reported that this person was in the urban area of Puerto Asís, in Putumayo, where the funeral of the indigenous leader Manuel Carlosama [who had died in a traffic accident] was being held, when he was approached by hitmen, who shot him and ended the life of the indigenous leader and governor.”

Mi Putumayo Noticias adds: “Phanor Guazaquillo, 45 years old, was a former councillor of Puerto Asís, president of the Indigenous and Social Alternative Movement MAIS in the Municipality of Puerto Asís, he was also a delegate to the regional MPC of the Nassa people, Governor, Councillor and Traditional Indigenous Authority Nasa Kee’ sx ksxa, with extensive experience and recognition in social leadership.”

It then highlights: “The indigenous leader was without a security scheme and, according to reports, the competent institution had been repeatedly asked to pay attention to the integrity of the Nasa leader, without any favorable results.”

Justice and Peace Commission

Commenting on the death of Guazaquillo, the PBI-Colombia accompanied Justice and Peace Commission has posted on their website:

“In the urban area of Puerto Asís there is a presence of the armed structure Comandos de Frontera Segunda Marquetalia, in the midst of an inefficient military and police presence that has failed to guarantee the life and integrity of the population. There is an urgent need for effective measures on the part of the national government to protect the lives of leaders and the population in general. The death must stop, the armed groups must listen to the cry of the citizens and respect life, be ready for peace and leave behind any action that affects communities and territories.”

Nomadesc

And linking to the Association of Afro-descendant, indigenous and peasant communities (Conpazcol) post about this killing, the PBI-Colombia accompanied Association for Research and Social Action (Nomadesc) posted on social media:

“#Urgent | We have just been informed of the murder of our senior colleague Indigenous from the Nasa People of #Putumayo Phanor Guazaquillo: national spokesman of @IEANPE_ [Instance of Authorities of Indigenous Peoples, Blacks, Palenqueros, Afro-Colombians] and director of our association. May the construction of peace not cost us our lives!”

155 social leaders killed in Colombia this year

The El Tiempo article further notes: “After learning of the murder of Phanor Guazaquillo Peña, Indepaz reported that so far this year 155 social leaders have been murdered in Colombia, especially in areas historically affected by the armed conflict…”

RCN Radio adds: “According to the institute [Indepaz], since the peace agreement between the national government and the extinct FARC guerrillas was signed [in November 2016], 1,569 leaders have been murdered in Colombia.”