More than 620 murders of activist people in Colombia

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More than 620 murders of activist people in Colombia Source: INDEPAZ

The assassinated social leaders were part of peasant organizations, indigenous, Afro-descendent, environmental, and communal communities.

In Colombia, more than 620 murders of social leaders have been registered since the signing of the peace agreements in 2016, according to a report from the Institute for Development and Peace (INDEPAZ).

'Genocide' of social activists people

These crimes have been described as an alarming 'genocide' situation due to the systematic nature of homicides, and widely denounced by social organizations, although ignored by the government of President Ivan Duque.

In an INDEPAZ report, between January 1, 2016 and July 8, 2019, 734 human rights leaders and human rights defenders have been murdered in Colombia.

Since the signing of the Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, now converted into a political party), in November 2016, to date, 623 social leaders and human rights defenders have been killed, according to the report of the non-governmental organization (NGO).

Of this latest statistics, 21 homicides occurred in 2016, 208 in 2017, 282 in 2018 and 80 in 2019.

The extermination affects ex-combatants of the FARC

With regard to former FARC ex-combatants, the INDEPAZ report indicated that since the signing of the agreements until now, 137 ex-insurgents have been murdered: Two in 2016, 38 in 2017, 65 in 2018 and 32 in 2019.

Also, 36 relatives of FARC exbibels in the process of reincorporation have been killed. 17 in 2017, 10 in 2018 and nine in 2019, added the study.

The document notes that in 28 of the 32 departments in Colombia homicides were filed against human rights leaders and human rights defenders, which means that in 87,5 percent of states such cases occur.

In 19 of the 32 departments of the country, homicides were filed against ex-combatants of the FARC in the process of reincorporation and relatives, which means that 59.37 percent of the departments have cases of this kind.

Between January 1, 2016 and July 8, 2019, in 521 cases, the murdered social leaders were part of peasant, indigenous, Afro-descendent, environmentalist and communal organizations. Land conflicts by land, territory and natural resources represent 70.98 percent of homicides.