The life and security of social leaders in the southern region of bolivar, colombia, at serious risk.

Urgent Action

Brussels 22 April 2024.   Nexus Human Rights urgently calls on the international community, human rights organisations and multilateral institutions to act in defence of the agrominero and campesino community and its social leaders in the southern region of Bolivar, who are being stigmatised, persecuted and assassinated amidst an advance by paramilitary groups identifying themselves as the “Clan del Golfo”.

The murder of social leader Narciso Beleño, president of the Federación Agrominera del Sur de Bolívar, on Sunday 21 April in the municipality of Santa Rosa del Sur, Bolívar department, Colombia, is the latest in a series of events. Among them, the paramilitary siege of the village of Micoahumado in the municipality of Morales, which has been going on for more than 8 days, stands out. During this time, paramilitary groups have killed and kidnapped several villagers, which has led some of the population to be forcibly displaced, abandoning their homes and belongings. There have also been raids in the municipality of Norosí in Bolívar.

Nexus Human Rights supports  the demands of the communities:

They are demanding that the Colombian military forces act in order to stop the paramilitary incursion in this region, which has been going on for just over a year. The communities are denouncing the Colombian army’s “Task Force Marte” for not taking action to stop the paramilitary crimes.

They are also urgently calling on the National Protection Unit to take measures to protect the social leaders of this region, who have requested protection but have so far not been granted it.

The communities are also calling for a high-level gobernamental mission to verify and investigate what is happening in the region and to stop the ongoing paramilitary incursion.

Finally, they demand that the Attorney General’s Office investigate the murder of the leader Narciso Veleño and clarify the motives and responsibilities in this terrible event.

We kindly ask you to send above communications to the following authorities:

President of the Republic: Dr. Gustavo Petro Urrego

contacto@presidencia.gov.co

Minister of Defence: Dr Iván Velásquez Gómez.

 Usurarios@mindefensa.gov0co

Minister of the Interior: Dr Luis Fernando Velasco serviciociudadano@mininterior.gov.co

Office of the Attorney General of the Republic: Dr Luz Adriana Camargo ges.documentalpqrs@fiscalia.gov.co