Colombian Indigenous Peoples’ Call for Justice
Recent protests in the streets of Bogotá have angered Colombian President Iván Duque. Source: Flickr
More than 5,000 indigenous Colombians traveled hundreds of miles to protest on October 19 in front of Colombian President Ivan Duque’s presidential palace in Bogotá. Many of the supporters traveled more than a week to confront the government about the rise in killings of distinguished indigenous leaders.
The protests come after four years of the failed direction and implementation of the peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) rebels in 2016. After the signing of the deal, a rise in violence occurred due to right wing criminal groups attempting to gain exclusive control over illegal trade routes. In addition, Duque and his administration have done little to properly enact the treaty signed by his predecessor and have instead tried to charge FARC rebels with war crimes and militarize areas of the country.
At first, the peace deal seemed like a step in the right direction to indigenous peoples and the citizens of Colombia, yet nothing but ensuing violence and economic despair for the agrarian sectors have resulted. Farmers had hoped to gain subsidies after the peace deal, however, instead, the military occupied their lands and continuously asserted their supremacy.
The government has portrayed the treaty as a resounding success and claims to have spent $190 million in efforts to educate and protect indigenous peoples. Protestors, though, have highlighted the 65 massacres and more than 1,000 deaths of prominent indigenous leaders that have taken place since the enactment of the treaty, and they are now openly calling for a public dialogue with Duque to discuss how he can improve economic and social conditions.
The mass gathering of protesters, known as a minga, first convened on October 8 to protest at Cali, the nearest city to the Southwestern area. From there, they travelled to the main square in Bogotá, la Plaza Bolívar, via brightly colored trucks and buses while wearing the red and green colors of the Cauca Indigenous Council. Duque’s government, however, blasted them as “totalitarian socialists bent on destruction” and has paid little heed to the demonstration.
Despite fervent support for indigenous peoples and their cause, Duque has declined to face protesters, though he has supported a closed meeting with a small group of demonstrators, citing Covid-19 concerns as reason to restrict the number of those in attendance. Colombians can only hope that this dialogue helps alleviate the violence that has plagued the country and lead to future peace.