The Human Rights Ombudsman for the Choco department condemned the FARC guerrillas Wednesday for ordering hundreds of indigenous people not to move from their lands.
Ombudsman Victor Raul Mosquera told television station Caracol Wednesday that the indigenous people, from three communities of Carmen de Atrato region, are immobilized as they were ordered under threat of death not to move from their territories.
Mosquera said “We are talking about between 800 and 1,000 indigenous people who were declared the armed strike not permitting movement anywhere outside of their territory or reserve. The FARC made this manifestation the 26 May and they are to remain confined for up to 15 days.”
An “armed strike” is a declaration which restricts movement within a given area. It was said that this armed strike was declared by the same group of guerrillas who did not allow boats to dock on the Atrato River leaving three communities cut off for seven days at the end of May.