With all of John McCain's talk about the rulers in Columbia being "our allies", we may want t consider keeping in mind the fact that, as Senator Obama pointed out during the debate, Columbia is guilty of all kinds of human rights violations. Moreover, at least to me, it seems that it is easy for us to ignore the plight of Early American Native Peoples. However, many of our ancestors escaped chattel slavery and were accepted into Early American Native groups. As a matter of fact, it is hardly uncommon to hear African Americans, today, talk about having ancestors who were so-called Indians. After all, that is from where the body of folks wo were called the "Seminoles" of Florida came, for example. That is, the group was made up of Early American Natives who brought in African captives who themselves had "run" from, mostly, enslavers' plantations in Georgia...
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Press Release from ACIN on Third Day of Mobilization: Imminent
A call to the Inter American commission of Human Rights, global solidarity and progressive Governments to intervene immediately.
The army has surrounded the approximately 10.000 indigenous protesters and is preparing an assault. A man and a woman have been injured with gunshots. The man was transferred to a Hospital with a wound to his head and signs of decerebration. There are five wounded so far and two indigenous have been captured.
Another native, 23 year old César Hurtado Trochez, was shot to death by 4 men last night as he rested at home in Guadualito, Northern Cauca. This indigenous community member had received no threats and dedicated his life to agriculture. The assassination follows the same pattern as that of Nicolás Valencia, whose funeral is taking place right now. César was not involved in the protest.
We call upon the Inter American commission of Human Rights, global solidarity and progressive Governments to intervene immediately. It is a crime to resist corporate greed in Colombia. It has been a crime to be indigenous for 516 years. Repression and death are the institutional responses to our direct action, to which we are forced by terror, media and legal aggression. This Government is against life, we are forced to resist a regime at the service of corporate greed and when we do, we are murdered and the world watches in silence.
Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca
ACIN
Colombian Military and Police Confronting Indigenous Protesters in Cauca;
Organizers call for solidarity from the international community
The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, ACIN, reports that today, on the third day of the national mobilization dubbed "Commotion of the Peoples," all the communities gathered in the locality of La Maria, in the department of Cauca, are completely surrounded by the Colombian Army. Apparently, the security forces are preparing to carry out an armed assault against the civilians involved in the protest, which began on Sunday, October 12th. Organizers estimate that there are over 10,000 people currently at La Maria and surrounding areas.
The communities have blocked a portion of the Pan American Highway that connects the cities of Popayn and Santander de Quilichao in the department of Cauca, in an acto f civil disobedience. They are demanding a face to face meeting with the President to discuss the main points on their agenda.
ACIN reports that in the confrontations today, there were at least two indigenous activists severely wounded, with one possibly fatally. Two other indigenous activists from Tierradentro were detained.
Simultaneously, 4 cadavers were transfered from Corinto to the morgue in the town of Caloto. According to ACIN, up to now, local officials have not allowed indigenous authorities in to identify the victims and examine the corpses.
Prior to the mobilization, which was called to protest against the militarization of indigenous territories, the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and the government of Alvaro Uribe, indigenous leaders warned about the potential for this kind of backlash against the movement. That the government declared a state of internal commotion just two days before the start of the protest gave them more reason to be alarmed.
In an urgent communique put out by ACIN a few moments ago, the organization states: “Everything indicates that this criminal government has initiated a massacre as a response to our indigenous resistance!
Spokespersons for ACIN are calling on the world not to serve as accomplices with silence in the face of this criminal regime.
For more information, contact:
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