As a result of an unprecedented visit to Arawaks from Nabusimake indigenous community located at Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Jorge Fernando Perdomo Torres; National Director of Analysis and Contexts, Juan Pablo Hinestrosa and  National Director of Regional Offices and Public safety, Luis González León learned first-hand about criminal facts that worry the community.

Leaders and “mamos”* from the community attended this meeting which was held at the Centro Ceremonial Politico. The Governor José María Arroyo Izquierdo, the spokesman Hermes Torres and the Human Rights Commissioner Leonor Zalabata participated at this event and expressed their concerns about the crimes committed against natives.

Among the biggest concerns is the murder of three leaders in November 28, 1990 who would be part of the National Constituent Assembly Ángel María Torres Arroyo, Luis Napoleón Torres Crespo and Antonio Hugues Chaparro Torres and the attempted murder of the former Governor in Pueblo Bello (Valledupar); the sexual abuse of minors; the forced displacement of people in order to take control of their lands and natural resources to build projects and practice illegal mining.

Due to the situation of native people in Sierra Nevada who have been victim of violent acts not only from paramilitaries and guerrilla members, but also from the Armed Forces and people in general, the Deputy Assistant Attorney General created a Commission on Native Communities Issues that will begin to investigate all requests made by communities living in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and aims to help all native communities in Colombia in special situations.

Until now the National Directorate of Analysis and Contexts has identified 117 cases that it will lead from the Main Branch in Bogotá by means of technical committees and investigations.

The result and progress of these investigations will be given in december and the spokeswomen will be the 25th Specialized Prosecutor Lorena Calderón Parejo and the Specialized Prosecutor Luisa Fernanda Obando, under the coordination of the Directorate of Analysis and Contexts and Directorate of Regional Prosecutors’ Offices.

 

*Mamos: spiritual leaders at the community