Human Rights Violations in Columbia

Human rights in Columbia is a highly sensitive issue, particularly for the year 2009.  The country witnessed one of the worst paradigms of human rights violations due to brutal massacre of the Awa people in Colombia.

The Awa people are also called as Kwaiker. They are an indigenous community inhabiting the regions of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia.

Also referred to as ‘people of rainforest, mountain and silence,’ the Awa people are struggling to survive in the wake of killings of 114 community members by FARC and ELN guerrilla groups, the Colombian security forces and paramilitaries.  This massacre was reported by the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia.

Human Rights Violations in Columbia

The Awa people have been subject to the worst human rights violations such as:

• killings
• sexual abuse of women
• forced displacement
• enforced disappearances
• kidnappings
• persecution of indigenous leaders
• recruitment of child soldiers

Worse, education has been restricted because schools are being used as military bases and teachers are subjected to physical torture.

Facts about Human Rights Violations Pertaining to the Awa People

The Awa people are the owners of the land and rivers of the resguardo in Tumaco Municipality. It is in the south-western region of Narino. The conflicting parties and mafia operate in this area on a large scale. News reports indicate that FARC guerrillas shot to death 15 indigenous people in Barbacoas Municipality in the department of Narino on February 4^th, 2009. Among those who died, there were two pregnant women who were in the eight month of pregnancy.

The Awa people sought resolution assistance from the Colombian State Human Rights Ombudsman for a resolution in 2007. In consequence, the Colombian government was asked by the organization to take necessary actions for the safety of Awa people.