Leaders
of the Afro-descendant community of La Toma in the municipality of
Suárez, Cauca Department in south-western Colombia, have been threatened
by paramilitaries as they campaign to stop illegal mining operations on
the community’s lands.
On 8 February, Sabino Lucumi, the President of the Community
Council (Consejo Comunitario) of the Afro-descendant community of La
Toma, received a death threat via SMS text. Also named and threatened
were Eduar Mina, Coordinator of the Human Rights Committee of La Toma, Jhon Jairo Valverde, their financial officer, and Francia Márquez,
their legal representative. The threat, signed by the Black Eagles
(Águilas Negras) paramilitary group, stated: "We have already located
all the snitches of the Community Council of La Toma who are opposed to
the development of the community […] and order the incineration of the
machinery. We already know the movements of the leaders and your
families […] we have orders to carry out a cleansing in the south of
Valle Cauca of those who block the roads [...] ".
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