Indigenous Activists Threatened and Attacked in El Cauca, Colombia · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

Several indigenous communities in Colombia continue to be victims of human rights violations and threats by paramilitary groups. Moreover, activists also report being attacked by public security forces and ESMAD, Colombia's mobile anti-riot squad, as exposed by Ama Pachamama in a Facebook post from March 11, 2015:
[…] A la fecha, se reportan 57 indígenas heridos, producto de agresiones directas de la Fuerza Pública; nueve heridos por artefactos no convencionales utilizados por el ESMAD; varios por arma de fuego disparada de manera directa.
La situación en la zona es denunciada como crítica, donde se informa la desaparición y posterior asesinato de dos comuneros a mediados de febrero, y que se relaciona con el actual y “continuo patrullaje de hombres armados, presuntos paramilitares en las Haciendas La Emperatriz y el Municipio de Caloto”. Y se agrava por los actos de estigmatización del alcalde de Corinto, Oscar Quintero, quien califica de manera permanente de “terroristas” a las comunidades, y por las amenazas a la vida que se dan a través de “la circulación de panfletos emitidos por grupos paramilitares – Rastrojos y Águilas Negras – anunciando limpieza social y amenazando de manera directa a organizaciones y dirigentes. Quienes tildan a la comunidad y sus dirigentes de ‘Roba tierras’.”
To date, 57 indigenous protesters have been reported injured as a result of direct attacks by security forces; nine wounded by riot police using unconventional devices; several others deliberately shot at. The situation in the area is said to be critical. In mid-February, two villagers disappeared and were later murdered—all connected to the current “continuous patrols by armed men, presumed paramilitary agents in Haciendas La Imperatriz and the town of Caloto.” And this is aggravated by acts of intimidation against the mayor of Corinto, Oscar Quintero, who has called the actions a form of permanent ‘terrorism’  as well as by the threats to the lives of residents through the “circulation of flyers put out by paramilitary groups—the Rastrojos and Aguilas Negras—warning of social cleansing and directly threatening organizations and their leaders. Who branded the community and its leaders ‘land-grabbers.'”
The Internet gave voice to the fear engendered by the Colombian paramilitary groups knowns as Águilas Negras and Rastrojos, who disseminate threatening leaflets designed to intimidate the social activists of the Cauca region. As a result, many users are condemning their actions and denouncing the situation on Twitter:
Nuevas amenazas masivas d Águilas Negras y Rastrojos en Bta y Cauca pic.twitter.com/dxAg4oEMMk
— SomosDefensores (@SomosDef) marzo 10, 2015
New massive threats by Aguilas Negras and Rastrojos in Bta and Cauca
Colombia:Paramilitares Rastrojos y Águilas Negras intimidad con” limpieza social” a indígenas que luchan por la tierra en Norte del Cauca.
— JUAN GONZALEZ (@mundoennoticias) marzo 10, 2015
Colombian paramilitary groups Rastrojos and Aguilas Negras are threatening the indigenous people fighting for land in northern Cauca with “social cleansing.”
A la fecha han circulado panfletos emitidos por grupos paramilitares (Rastrojos, y Águilas Negras),amenazando de manera directa a INDIGENAS
— Kiwe Nasa (@KiweNasa) marzo 6, 2015
Paramilitary groups (Rastrojos and Aguilas Negras) are circulating flyers that directly threaten INDIGENOUS protesters.
Águilas Negras y Rastrojos, entre los grupos ilegales que más amenazan a activistas en Colombia http://t.co/5zergEjcy5
— InSight Crime (@InSightCrime_es) febrero 25, 2015
Águilas Negras and Rastrojos, among the illegal organizations that most threaten activists in Colombia
X primera vez Águilas Negras y Rastrojos firman amenaza conjunta Líderes indígenas d Cauca son amenazados d muerte RT  pic.twitter.com/kjt8wZCKng
— SomosDefensores (@SomosDef) febrero 23, 2015
For first time Aguilas Negras and Rastrojos sign joint death threat against indigenous leaders in Cauca